WebP is now the default image format across much of the web. Browsers request it, content platforms serve it, and site owners ship it to save bandwidth. Yet a large and steady stream of people spend their time doing the opposite job every month: converting WebP images back into PNG and JPG so their own apps, tools, and upload forms will accept them.
We measured how big that gap is using Google Ads Keyword Planner search-volume data across the image-conversion keyword space. The result is lopsided.
Short answer: searches to convert images out of WebP outnumber searches to convert into WebP by more than seven to one, about 440,000 versus 60,000 average monthly searches. The single query "webp to png" alone (165,000 a month) is larger than every "convert to WebP" search combined.
The headline numbers
| Direction | Keyword variants | Avg. monthly searches |
|---|---|---|
| Convert out of WebP (webp to png, webp to jpg, and similar) | 184 | 440,510 |
| Convert into WebP (png to webp, jpg to webp, and similar) | 101 | 60,140 |
That is a 7.3 to 1 ratio in favor of undoing WebP. For every person searching for a way to produce a WebP file, roughly seven are searching for a way to get rid of one.
Where the demand concentrates
Two conversions carry most of the "undo WebP" demand.
| Conversion cluster | Avg. monthly searches |
|---|---|
| WebP to PNG | 183,780 |
| WebP to JPG | 203,300 |
The rest is spread across long-tail phrasings such as "change webp to jpg", "convert a webp to jpg", and dozens of tool-specific and free-modifier variants. The intent is remarkably consistent: someone has a WebP file and needs a format their destination will accept.
Why this gap exists
WebP is a delivery-side decision. It is chosen by browsers and site owners to reduce page weight, and most people never opt into it deliberately. They simply right-click an image, save it, and end up with a .webp file.
The friction shows up one step later. A surprising number of everyday destinations still do not accept WebP cleanly:
- older or enterprise upload forms
- some marketplace and listing tools
- certain design and office applications
- printing and document workflows
So the person who saved the image has to convert it back before they can use it. That conversion is the job those hundreds of thousands of monthly searches represent.
What it means
The web optimized for machines that read WebP well, and left a gap for the humans whose tools do not. The demand to convert WebP back to a universal format is not a rounding error. It is one of the largest and most consistent image-conversion needs online, and it is growing as WebP adoption spreads.
For anyone building image tools, the practical takeaway is simple: the highest-volume, lowest-friction opportunity is not another way to make WebP. It is a fast, private, no-upload way to undo it.
Methodology
We queried the Google Ads Keyword Planner (KeywordPlanIdeaService) for the image-conversion keyword space, then grouped the results by conversion direction. "Convert out of WebP" counts queries of the form webp to png, webp to jpg, webp to jpeg, and their variants. "Convert into WebP" counts queries of the form png to webp, jpg to webp, and their variants. Figures are average monthly searches for the trailing twelve months. Volumes are rounded as Keyword Planner reports them, so cluster totals reflect the sum of reported bucket values and should be read as directional rather than exact.
FAQ
Is WebP better than PNG or JPG?
For delivery, usually yes. WebP files are typically smaller at similar visual quality, which is why the web uses it. The problem is compatibility: some apps and upload forms still do not accept WebP, which is why so many people convert it back to PNG or JPG.
Why do so many people convert WebP to PNG or JPG?
Because they saved a WebP image from the web and then hit a tool, form, or app that will not accept it. Converting to PNG keeps transparency and sharp edges, while converting to JPG maximizes compatibility, so those are the two most common destinations.
How many people convert images out of WebP each month?
Based on Google Keyword Planner data, searches to convert out of WebP total about 440,000 average monthly searches across 184 keyword variants, versus about 60,000 to convert into WebP. The single query "webp to png" accounts for roughly 165,000 of those searches.
What is the easiest way to convert a WebP file?
A browser-based converter that runs locally is the fastest and most private option, since the image never leaves your device. You can convert WebP to PNG or WebP to JPG in a few seconds without an account or an upload.