WebP
Also known as: webp file, webp vs jpeg, webp vs png
WebP (.webp) is a modern Google image format that supports both lossy and lossless compression, transparency, and animation in one file. It produces noticeably smaller files than JPEG or PNG at similar quality, so it is widely used on the web and increasingly on Android.
- Supports lossy, lossless, transparency, and animation
- Smaller than JPEG or PNG at similar quality
- Standard on the web and common on Android
One format, many jobs
WebP can replace JPEG (lossy photos), PNG (lossless graphics with transparency), and GIF (animation) with a single format. In lossy mode it typically saves around a quarter to a third of the file size versus JPEG at comparable quality; in lossless mode it usually beats PNG too.
Android often saves screenshots and shared images as WebP, and most websites now deliver photos as WebP to cut bandwidth and load time.
Compatibility
Modern browsers, Android, Windows, and recent macOS and iOS versions open WebP natively. Older or specialized software may not, in which case you can convert a WebP back to JPEG or PNG — at the cost of a larger file.