The WebP image format and files with the .webp extension are becoming more and more common, but it is far from always possible to work with them using standard applications and utilities installed on a computer or smartphone. And many are wondering what kind of format this is and how to convert it to the familiar JPEG.
In 2010, the American technology corporation Google introduced its alternative to the then-existing JPEG, PNG, and GIF image formats. The new development was called WebP and is widely distributed, if you take into account the creator, on the Internet.
Where WebP is used
This format is about preserving image quality in terms of image edges and transitions within it, but reducing the size at the cost of sacrificing the quality of fine details and textures. As a result, an illustration in WebP can weigh 35% less than JPEG, and 25% less than PNG.
The smaller the picture, the faster the page loads on the Internet, so website creators and web designers switched to the new format. But there is a caveat – despite the relatively widespread use of WebP, not all browsers support such illustrations.
Since the format was developed by Google, it is supported by the Chrome browser and everything based on it (for example, Yandex Browser), as well as Microsoft Edge, Safari (starting with iOS 14 and macOS Big Sur), Mozilla Firefox, and Opera.
How to Open WebP and Convert It to JPEG Using Applications
Google released plug-ins for Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft Windows (WebP works correctly with Windows Photo Viewer, Microsoft Office 2010, and FastPictureViewer), and in addition, popular image applications such as:
- Picasa,
- PhotoLine,
- Pixelmator,
- ImageMagick,
- XnView,
- IrfanView,
- GIMP
So, if you already have some of these programs installed and updated to the latest version, then there is no problem in opening this file format and converting the file to the format that is convenient for you.
How to open WebP and convert it to JPEG without apps
If you don’t see this file format often and don’t have any imaging apps, then there’s no need to install them. When you need to open and convert it to JPG or any other format, you can use absolutely free online applications. All of them work according to a simple principle – upload a file with the .webp extension, and then, after a couple of clicks, download a .jpg or any other format you need to your device.
To convert WebP and JPEG online, use the following services:
