Key facts
- MIME type image/webp; the file is a RIFF container starting with RIFF....WEBP.
- Lossy WebP uses VP8 intra-frame coding; lossless WebP uses a separate VP8L codec; both can carry an alpha channel.
- Animated WebP is a modern replacement for GIF with far smaller files.
- Supported by all current major browsers; created by CDNs, WordPress, image optimizers and Google's cwebp tool.
- Maximum dimensions are 16383 x 16383 pixels.
How to open a .webp file
Windows
Windows 11 Photos and Paint open WebP; on Windows 10 install the free Microsoft Webp Image Extension. Any browser also displays it if you drag the file in.
macOS
Preview and Quick Look open WebP on macOS Big Sur (11) and later. Use File > Export in Preview to save it as PNG or JPEG.
Linux
Open it in a browser, GIMP or an image viewer with WebP support. Convert from the terminal with dwebp image.webp -o image.png (package webp).
Common problems and fixes
- Program or website upload rejects the .webp file
- Older editors, Office versions and some upload forms do not accept WebP. Convert it to PNG (keeps transparency) or JPG before using it.
- Saved image is .webp but I wanted JPG
- The site served WebP to your browser. Convert the file, or open the image URL and check whether the server offers a JPG/PNG version.
- Animation is lost after converting
- Converting animated WebP to PNG or JPG keeps only one frame. Convert it to GIF or MP4 instead if you need the motion.
- File will not open and viewers report it is invalid
- It may be truncated or actually another format with the wrong extension. Check the first bytes (RIFF and WEBP) with a hex viewer or the file command, and re-download if it is incomplete.
Often converted to or from: PNG, JPG, GIF, AVIF