Why Modern Websites Use WebP Format?

If you download an image from a modern website today, chances are it won't be a JPG. It will be a .WEBP file. Developed by Google, this format has taken over the internet. But why?

The Speed Need

Images account for most of the bandwidth on a typical webpage. Heavy images mean slow loading times. Slow loading times mean users leave your site. Google noticed this and created WebP to solve the problem.

WebP vs The Rest

• Vs JPG: WebP images are 25-34% smaller than comparable JPGs.
• Vs PNG: WebP images are 26% smaller than PNGs.

But the real magic is that WebP is versatile. It supports lossy compression (like JPG), lossless compression (like PNG), and transparency (alpha channel) all in one format.

Browser Support in 2024

Years ago, WebP was only for Chrome users. That is no longer true. As of 2024, WebP is supported by:

• Google Chrome
• Mozilla Firefox
• Microsoft Edge
• Apple Safari (iOS 14+ and macOS Big Sur+)

This means you can use WebP safely for 96%+ of all internet users.

How to Convert to WebP?

You don't need expensive software. You can use our Universal Image Converter to turn your library into WebP for free.