What is WebP? Google's Modern Image Format Explained

WebP is an image format developed by Google, designed to make the web faster by providing superior compression for images. Since its introduction in 2010, it has grown from an experimental format to the de facto standard for web images.

How WebP Works

WebP uses predictive coding to encode images. For lossy compression, it uses the same algorithm as VP8 video (block prediction). For lossless compression, it uses a combination of techniques including spatial prediction, color indexing, and entropy coding. The result is smaller files at every quality level.

Key Features

• Lossy compression — 25-34% smaller than JPG at equivalent quality
• Lossless compression — 26% smaller than PNG
• Transparency — full alpha channel support, 3x smaller than PNG with alpha
• Animation — animated WebP is smaller than GIF with better color depth

Browser Support

WebP is supported by all major browsers: Chrome (since 2014), Firefox (since 2019), Safari (since 2020, macOS Big Sur/iOS 14), and Edge. Global browser support exceeds 97% as of 2025.

WebP vs Other Formats

WebP sits in a sweet spot between legacy formats and cutting-edge ones:

• vs PNG/JPG — WebP is smaller with equal or better quality
• vs AVIF — AVIF compresses slightly better but encodes slower
• vs GIF — animated WebP is much smaller with millions of colors

How to Use WebP

Converting your images to WebP is straightforward. Use our converters to go from PNG to WebP or JPG to WebP. For maximum compatibility, serve WebP with PNG/JPG fallbacks using the HTML <picture> element.

The Future of WebP

While AVIF may eventually surpass WebP in compression efficiency, WebP's mature ecosystem, fast encoding, and near-universal support make it the practical choice for web images today and for the foreseeable future.