What is WebP? The Complete Guide to Google's Image Format

A brief history of WebP

Google introduced WebP in September 2010 as part of a broader effort to make the web faster. The format is based on VP8 video encoding technology (the same codec used in WebM video) and was developed after Google acquired On2 Technologies in 2010. The goal was simple: create an image format that delivers better compression than JPEG and PNG combined, with modern features like transparency and animation support.

Initial adoption was slow. In 2010, only Chrome supported WebP. Apple resisted adding support in Safari for years, which limited WebP's reach significantly given Safari's large market share. This changed in 2020 when Safari 14 added WebP support, effectively making WebP viable for all modern browsers. Today, over 95% of global internet users use a browser that supports WebP natively.

How WebP compression works

WebP uses different compression algorithms depending on the mode:

Lossy WebP

Lossy WebP is based on VP8 video keyframe encoding. It uses block prediction — where the encoder predicts what each block of pixels looks like based on surrounding blocks — and encodes the difference (residual). This approach produces files roughly 25–34% smaller than equivalent JPEG images at the same quality level.

Lossless WebP

Lossless WebP uses an entirely different algorithm called WebP Lossless, which employs spatial prediction, color space transformation, and arithmetic coding. Lossless WebP files are typically 26% smaller than equivalent PNG files.

Animated WebP

Animated WebP stores multiple frames in a single file and supports both lossy and lossless frames within the same animation. Animated WebP files are typically 64% smaller than equivalent GIF files.

WebP features at a glance

• Lossy compression — Significantly smaller files than JPEG at equivalent quality
• Lossless compression — Smaller files than PNG while preserving every pixel
• Alpha transparency — Full alpha channel support in both lossy and lossless modes
• Animation — Animated images with better compression than GIF
• Metadata — Supports EXIF, XMP, and ICC profile metadata
• HDR — Extended color range support in newer WebP implementations

WebP browser and platform support

As of 2026, WebP is supported by all modern browsers: Chrome (since 2011), Firefox (since 2019), Edge (since 2018), and Safari (since 2020 / iOS 14). Opera, Samsung Internet, and all Chromium-based browsers also support WebP natively.

Outside browsers, WebP support is growing but not universal. macOS and Windows 11 can display WebP images in their native image viewers. Adobe Photoshop added WebP support in 2021. However, many older applications, email clients, and platforms still do not support WebP.

When should you use WebP?

WebP is the ideal choice for web images. If you are serving images on a website or web app, using WebP instead of JPEG or PNG will improve page load times, improve Lighthouse scores, and help your Google search rankings. You can serve WebP to modern browsers and fall back to JPEG/PNG for the rare older browser using the HTML <picture> element.

WebP is not ideal for contexts outside the web: editing workflows, email attachments, desktop sharing, or archiving — because compatibility outside browsers remains limited. In these cases, converting WebP to PNG or JPG is the right approach.

WebP vs JPEG vs PNG — quick comparison

Conclusion

WebP is the best image format for modern web development. It delivers meaningfully smaller file sizes than both JPEG and PNG, supports transparency and animation, and is now supported by all major browsers. For web use, WebP should be your default image format in 2026.

For any context outside the browser — editing, sharing with non-technical users, email, print — converting your WebP files to PNG (for lossless quality) or JPG (for maximum compatibility) remains the practical choice.