What is WebP?

Q: Is WebP still used in 2026?

Yes, WebP is actively used. Web images and Core Web Vitals optimization keeps it relevant.

Q: Can I open a WebP file on my phone?

Yes on Android (Chrome). iPhone (Safari 14+) also supports WebP.

Q: Why is my WebP file so small?

WebP files are usually compact because the format uses efficient compression. If yours feels unusually large, the encoder may have been set to a high bitrate / quality setting.

Q: Can I convert WebP to another format for free?

Yes — Zen Convert converts WebP files to every other image format we support, for free, in your browser. No signup, no watermark.

Q: Is WebP open-source?

Yes — WebP is fully open-source and royalty-free. You can implement, distribute, and use it without paying any licensing fees.

WebP

WebP is Google's modern image format that delivers 25–35% smaller files than JPG and PNG with the same visual quality. It supports both lossy and lossless compression, transparency, and animation — built for the modern web.

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History of WebP

WebP was released by Google in 2010, derived from the WebM video format. It can be lossy or lossless, supports transparency, and supports animation — replacing JPG, PNG, and GIF in one format. Smaller files = faster pages = better SEO, which is why Google pushes WebP hard.

Technical specs

Format name: WebP
File extension: .webp
MIME type: image/webp
Category: Image
Compression: Lossless

When to use WebP

Reach for WebP when you need web images and core web vitals optimization, replacing jpg and png to reduce page weight, animated images (instead of gif), e-commerce product galleries. It excels at these scenarios because 25–35% smaller than jpg and png and supports both lossy and lossless.

Pros

+25–35% smaller than JPG and PNG
+Supports both lossy and lossless
+Transparency and animation in one format

When to avoid WebP

Avoid WebP when not supported by some image editors, and older browsers (safari < 14, ie) lack support. In those cases, look at the alternatives below.

Cons

−Not supported by some image editors
−Older browsers (Safari < 14, IE) lack support
−Less mature ecosystem than JPG/PNG

Common uses for WebP

Web images and Core Web Vitals optimization
Replacing JPG and PNG to reduce page weight
Animated images (instead of GIF)
E-commerce product galleries

Alternatives to WebP

For maximum compatibility, JPG (photos) or PNG (graphics). For even better compression, AVIF.

JPGJPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)PNGPortable Network Graphics AVIFAV1 Image File Format GIFGraphics Interchange Format BMPBitmap Image File SVGScalable Vector Graphics TIFFTagged Image File Format

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WebP — Frequently Asked Questions

Is WebP still used in 2026?

Yes, WebP is actively used. Web images and Core Web Vitals optimization keeps it relevant.

Can I open a WebP file on my phone?

Yes on Android (Chrome). iPhone (Safari 14+) also supports WebP.

Why is my WebP file so small?

WebP files are usually compact because the format uses efficient compression. If yours feels unusually large, the encoder may have been set to a high bitrate / quality setting.

Can I convert WebP to another format for free?

Yes — Zen Convert converts WebP files to every other image format we support, for free, in your browser. No signup, no watermark.

Is WebP open-source?

Yes — WebP is fully open-source and royalty-free. You can implement, distribute, and use it without paying any licensing fees.