If a saved image ends in .webp, the site sent you a WebP file, a format from Google designed to make pages lighter. To use the image in an app that asks for JPG or PNG, convert a copy: PNG keeps transparency, while JPG makes a smaller file with a white background.
Convert WebP to PNG →Why websites send WebP
WebP is an image format from Google, built for the web. Google says WebP lossless images are about 26% smaller than PNG and lossy images 25-34% smaller than comparable JPEG at similar quality, with support for transparency and animation. A site that serves WebP loads faster and uses less bandwidth, so more and more sites deliver .webp when you save an image. Every major browser opens it: Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge and Opera.
The problem is the next app, not the file
A .webp file is not broken and not a virus: it is an ordinary image in a newer container. The friction appears where the file goes next: a form that only accepts .jpg or .png, an older editor, a printing service. Renaming the file to .jpg does not convert anything; the content stays WebP.
Save, then convert a copy
- Save the image as usual; you get a .webp file.
- Open the WebP to PNG converter below in an updated browser.
- Choose one or several .webp images, or drop a ZIP of them, and convert.
- Download the PNG copies, one by one or as a ZIP. Keep the original WebP files.
PNG or JPG?
Choose PNG when the image has transparency or you want an exact copy of the decoded pixels. Choose JPG when size matters more and there is no transparency: JPG is smaller but flattens transparent areas onto a white background. TotImage has a WebP to JPG tool too; the button below opens the PNG one.
Can you stop sites sending WebP?
There is no reliable browser switch that makes every site send JPEG again: each site chooses which format it serves. Some sites keep the original at a different address, but that depends on the site. Converting a copy is usually faster than hunting for settings or extensions.
What conversion changes
The PNG or JPG you download is a new copy made on your device. TotImage converts the first image or frame, so an animated WebP becomes a static image. Metadata is not retained, and JPG uses JPEG compression, so a converted JPG can lose a little detail. Keep the WebP original for archiving and use the copy where you need it.
Keep your originals. Conversion creates a new copy; metadata, HDR and extra frames are not retained.
Questions, answered
Is WebP worse quality than JPG or PNG?
Not by itself. WebP supports lossless and lossy compression. Converting to PNG preserves the decoded pixels; converting to JPG applies JPEG compression, which can lose a little detail.
Why did this not happen before?
Browser support for WebP arrived over the last few years, and more sites now serve it to speed up their pages. Older software was built when JPEG and PNG were the formats sites used.
Can I open WebP without converting?
Modern browsers open WebP directly, and many image editors have added support. Conversion is for the apps and services that still ask for JPG or PNG.
Sources
Keep going
Why Google Photos downloads are HEIC, and how to get JPG or PNG
A Google Photos download ends in .heic? Find out what that means, then convert a copy to JPG or PNG in your browser.
Read the guide →How to open HEIC files on Windows 10 and 11
Open HEIC photos with Windows codecs, or make a PNG copy in your browser without installing an extension.
Read the guide →How to convert many HEIC photos at once: batches and ZIP
Turn a folder of HEIC photos into PNG copies, then download them together as a ZIP. A practical workflow for large photo exports.
Read the guide →What is an AVIF file, and how to open it or convert it to JPG or PNG
Found a .avif image you cannot open? Learn what AVIF is, where it comes from, and how to get a JPG or PNG copy in your browser.
Read the guide →