Tech

Why Images Save as WebP (and How to Convert WebP to PNG)

Images saved from websites often come down as WebP, which some apps can't open. Here's why, and how to convert WebP to PNG or JPG in seconds.

October 16, 2026 · 5 min read · RunConvert Team

You right-click an image on a website, choose "Save image as", and the file ends in .webp. Then the trouble starts. An older version of Photoshop won't open it, a print shop won't accept it, a slide deck shows a blank box, or an upload form says "unsupported format". The fix is to convert WebP to PNG, or to JPG, and it takes seconds.

Here's why WebP is everywhere, what you lose (and don't) by converting, and the quickest ways to do it. For a step-by-step walkthrough, see our WebP to PNG or JPG guide.

Why Websites Use WebP

WebP is an image format Google introduced to make web pages load faster. It does a lot in one format:

Lossy compression like JPEG, usually producing noticeably smaller files at similar quality.
Lossless compression like PNG, again typically smaller.
Transparency, which JPEG can't do.
Animation, as a smaller alternative to GIF.

Smaller images mean faster pages and better search rankings, so websites, shops and CDNs convert their images to WebP automatically. When you save an image from a page, you get the version the site served, which is often WebP, even if the original was a PNG or JPG.

Why Some Apps Can't Open WebP

All modern browsers display WebP, and recent versions of Windows, macOS and most image editors open it too. The gaps are in:

older desktop software and some office suites
print services and photo labs
upload forms on older websites
some messaging and email clients
design, CAD and presentation tools that only accept PNG or JPG

When you hit one of these, converting is faster than hunting for a plugin.

PNG or JPG: Which Should You Pick?

Choose	When	Notes
PNG (WebP to PNG)	Logos, icons, screenshots, graphics with text, anything with transparency	Lossless, keeps transparency, larger files
JPG (WebP to JPG)	Photos, product images, anything going to print or social	Smaller files, no transparency (it becomes white)
GIF (WebP to GIF)	Animated WebP that must play in old apps	Limited to 256 colours

The quick rule: transparent background or sharp text → PNG; photo → JPG.

Does Converting WebP to PNG Lose Quality?

No. PNG is lossless, so converting WebP to PNG keeps every pixel exactly as it was in the WebP. If the WebP was lossy, any compression artefacts it already had stay in the PNG; nothing gets added. The PNG will usually be larger, because PNG compresses less efficiently.

Converting WebP to JPG is a lossy step. At a high quality setting the difference is invisible, but don't convert back and forth repeatedly.

How to Convert WebP to PNG Quickly

Open WebP to PNG.
Drop in your WebP files. Add as many as you like for batch conversion.
Download your PNGs.

It works on any device with a browser, needs no account, adds no watermark, and your images are deleted automatically after conversion.

Other quick methods

Windows: open the WebP in the Photos app or Paint and use Save as to pick PNG.
Mac: open it in Preview and choose File → Export to pick PNG or JPEG.
Browser trick: some browsers let you open the image in a new tab and edit the URL to request a different format, but this only works on sites whose image CDN supports it.

For one or two images, the built-in apps are fine. For a folder of product images or screenshots, batch conversion online saves a lot of clicking.

Animated WebP Files

An animated WebP converted to PNG gives you a single frame, usually the first. To keep the motion, convert it to GIF, which plays in almost any app or browser.

"It Says .png, but It Won't Open"

Sometimes a file is named .png or .jpg but is really a WebP inside, because the site served WebP under the old filename. Renaming it won't help: the data is still WebP. If an app rejects an image that looks like a normal PNG or JPG, run it through the converter anyway. Converting rewrites the actual image data, so the result is a genuine PNG or JPG that any app can open.

Going the Other Way

If you run a website, WebP is your friend. Converting your own images with PNG to WebP or JPG to WebP can make pages noticeably lighter without any visible change. Our guide to converting images online compares PNG, JPG and WebP for the web.

Summary

WebP is a modern, efficient format that just isn't accepted everywhere yet. When an app or form refuses it, convert WebP to PNG for graphics and transparency, or WebP to JPG for photos. You'll find every other image format in the image converter.