WebP was developed by Google specifically to solve the file size problem with JPG and PNG on the web. It uses a more advanced compression algorithm than either format — one that considers the image as a whole rather than processing it in small blocks. The result is a file that looks identical at normal viewing sizes but is meaningfully smaller.
For website owners, converting images from JPG to WebP can reduce page load times noticeably. Google's PageSpeed Insights specifically flags unoptimised image formats as a performance issue and recommends WebP. For a photography portfolio, an online shop, or any image-heavy website, switching to WebP is one of the highest-impact optimisations available.
How to convert JPG to WebP for free
Open Filero's free Image to WebP tool and follow these steps:
- Upload your JPG file.
- The conversion runs automatically in your browser.
- Download the .webp file.
Nothing is uploaded to a server. The conversion runs locally in your browser using the built-in canvas API. Works on any device.
How much smaller will the WebP be?
Google's own benchmarks show WebP is 25 to 34% smaller than JPG at equivalent visual quality. In practice the savings vary:
Photographs: Typically 25 to 40% smaller than the equivalent JPG. A 500 KB product photo often becomes 300 to 350 KB as WebP — with the visual difference being imperceptible at normal screen sizes.
Screenshots and graphics:Savings can be even larger — 40 to 60% — because WebP's lossless mode handles areas of flat colour very efficiently.
Already heavily compressed JPGs: If the source JPG was already compressed aggressively (very small file, noticeable artifacts), the WebP may not be much smaller — there is a floor to how much further compression can be applied without visible degradation.
Is WebP supported everywhere?
WebP is supported in all modern browsers — Chrome, Firefox, Safari (since iOS 14 and macOS Big Sur), Edge, and Opera. As of 2026, global browser support is above 97%. For website use, WebP is a safe choice.
Where WebP is not yet universally supported:
Desktop applications: Some photo editing software, older versions of Photoshop, and some Windows applications cannot open WebP natively. If you are sharing images for people to edit or print, JPG or PNG remains safer.
Email clients: Many email clients do not render WebP correctly — Outlook in particular. For email, stick with JPG or PNG.
Social media: Most major platforms (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter) accept WebP uploads but may convert them to JPG on the backend anyway. For social media, JPG is simpler.
WebP for website images — a practical guide
If you manage a website and want to serve WebP images: convert your JPG assets to WebP, upload them to your server, and use the HTML picture element to serve WebP to browsers that support it with a JPG fallback for those that do not:
<picture>
<source srcset="image.webp" type="image/webp" />
<img src="image.jpg" alt="Description" />
</picture>
This ensures every visitor gets the best format their browser supports, with no broken images for legacy browsers.
Frequently asked questions
Does converting JPG to WebP reduce quality?
At equivalent quality settings, WebP looks the same as JPG at normal viewing sizes. If the source JPG was saved at high quality, the WebP output will look identical. There is a slight re-encoding step (the JPG is decoded to raw pixels, then re-encoded as WebP) which can theoretically introduce minimal degradation, but in practice this is not visible.
Can I convert WebP back to JPG?
Yes — use Filero's WebP to JPG tool. The JPG will be slightly larger than the WebP but otherwise visually identical.
Can PNG files be converted to WebP too?
Yes. WebP supports both lossy and lossless modes. PNG images (which are lossless) convert to WebP lossless and typically end up 25 to 35% smaller than the PNG. Filero's Image to WebP tool accepts PNG as well as JPG.
Ready to try it?
Use Filero's free Image to WebP tool. No account needed, works on any device.
Open Image to WebP