WEBP Official Technical Specification Guide

WebP Image Format (WEBP)

WebP is Google’s modern web image format offering superior lossy and lossless compression with transparency and animation.

Overview & Technical Profile

WebP is Google’s modern web image format offering superior lossy and lossless compression with transparency and animation.

Standard / SpecificationGoogle Open Media Project
MIME Typeimage/webp
Compression SchemeBoth Lossy (VP8) and Lossless (VP8L)
Transparency SupportYes (Both lossy and lossless alpha)
Animation CapabilityYes (Full animated WebP support)
Color Depth24-bit Truecolor + 8-bit Alpha
Typical File Size50 KB – 2 MB (25-35% smaller than PNG/JPG)
Global Browser Support>97% Global (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge)

History & Engineering Background

Released by Google in 2010 using intra-frame technology from the VP8 video codec, WebP has been widely adopted by major web properties including YouTube, Netflix, and Wikipedia.

Best Use Cases

Modern websites, web applications, e-commerce storefronts, and digital publishers seeking maximum PageSpeed and Core Web Vitals scores.

When NOT to Use WEBP

Legacy print production workflows, older desktop image editors, or archival camera RAW backups.

Popular Conversion Workflows for WEBP

Easily transform WEBP files into compatible or more optimized formats right in your browser: