---
title: ".webp file — what it is and how to open it"
description: "A .webp file is a WebP Image. Google's web image format — smaller than JPEG or PNG, and now supported everywhere. How to open one on Windows, macOS and Linux, and what to convert it to."
url: https://atoneplace.net/file/webp/
site: "At One Place"
---

# .webp files

**.webp file: WebP Image**

Google's web image format — smaller than JPEG or PNG, and now supported everywhere.

## What opens a .webp file

- **Windows:** Photos (built in), Any web browser, IrfanView, GIMP
- **macOS:** Preview (built in, macOS 11+), Any web browser, GIMP
- **Linux:** Image Viewer / Loupe (built in), GIMP, Any web browser
- **In a browser:** Any web browser, Photopea, CloudConvert

## What a .webp file is

Google released WebP in 2010 to cut page weight; it does both lossy and lossless compression plus transparency and animation in one format. Every current browser displays it, and Windows Photos and macOS Preview both open it without extra software. The usual complaint is that older photo editors and printing services still reject it, so people convert back to JPEG to hand a file to someone else.

## Converting it

A .webp file is commonly converted to .jpg, .png, .gif, .pdf or .avif. It is a binary format, so a text editor will show unreadable characters rather than its contents.

## Details

- **Extension:** .webp
- **Full name:** WebP Image
- **Category:** Images
- **MIME type:** image/webp
- **Created by:** Google
- **Format:** Binary

## Common questions

### How do I open a .webp file?

On Windows use Photos (built in); on macOS use Preview (built in, macOS 11+); on Linux use Image Viewer / Loupe (built in). Google's web image format — smaller than JPEG or PNG, and now supported everywhere.

### What is a .webp file?

WebP Image. Google released WebP in 2010 to cut page weight; it does both lossy and lossless compression plus transparency and animation in one format. Every current browser displays it, and Windows Photos and macOS Preview both open it without extra software.

### Can I convert a .webp file?

Yes. It is usually converted to .jpg, .png, .gif, .pdf or .avif, either by exporting from one of the programs listed above or with a format converter.

## Related pages

- [.jpg — JPEG Image](https://atoneplace.net/file/jpg/)
- [.png — Portable Network Graphics](https://atoneplace.net/file/png/)
- [.jpeg — JPEG Image (four-letter form)](https://atoneplace.net/file/jpeg/)
- [.heic — High Efficiency Image Container](https://atoneplace.net/file/heic/)
- [.gif — Graphics Interchange Format](https://atoneplace.net/file/gif/)
- [.psd — Adobe Photoshop Document](https://atoneplace.net/file/psd/)
- [.svg — Scalable Vector Graphics](https://atoneplace.net/file/svg/)
- [.ai — Adobe Illustrator Artwork](https://atoneplace.net/file/ai/)
- [.avif — AV1 Image File Format](https://atoneplace.net/file/avif/)
- [.tiff — Tagged Image File Format](https://atoneplace.net/file/tiff/)
- [.raw — Camera Raw Image](https://atoneplace.net/file/raw/)
- [.ico — Windows Icon](https://atoneplace.net/file/ico/)

## Sources

- Media Types Registry — IANA (https://www.iana.org/assignments/media-types/)
- Official vendor product documentation — At One Place (/about/)