WebP format: modern web images, lossy or lossless
WebP is a modern web image format from Google that offers both lossy and lossless compression, alpha transparency, and animation. It aims to serve the roles of JPEG, PNG, and GIF in a single, well-supported format.
Use WebP to deliver web images efficiently when your audience's browsers support it, which today covers current versions of all major browsers. Keep JPEG or PNG on hand as a fallback for the rare older client that cannot decode WebP.
Lossy and lossless modes
WebP is unusual in supporting two compression modes in one format. Lossy WebP discards detail to reach small sizes, in the same spirit as JPEG, and suits photographs. Lossless WebP reproduces the original pixels exactly, in the same spirit as PNG, and suits graphics and screenshots.
This dual nature means a single format can replace the roles that previously required choosing between JPEG and PNG, according to Google's WebP documentation.
Alpha transparency
WebP supports an alpha channel for per-pixel transparency in both its lossy and lossless modes. That lets a transparent logo or UI element be delivered as WebP rather than PNG, which is helpful because a lossy WebP with transparency can be much smaller than an equivalent PNG.
Because transparency works in lossy mode too, you are not forced to fall back to a fully lossless file just to keep a transparent background.
Animation — an important distinction
WebP can also store animation, combining lossy, lossless, and transparency across frames much like an animated GIF or APNG. This is a capability of the format itself.
It is important to be clear that supporting animation in the format does not mean every tool produces animated WebP. PixMovo's image converter outputs static images only; it does not create animated WebP. For motion, use the video tools instead.
WebP capabilities at a glance
| Capability | WebP | Comparable to |
|---|---|---|
| Lossy compression | Yes | JPEG |
| Lossless compression | Yes | PNG |
| Alpha transparency | Yes | PNG |
| Animation | Yes (format-level) | GIF / APNG |
Browser delivery
- Current versions of all major browsers can decode WebP, so it is safe for most public websites today.
- Some older or niche clients cannot decode WebP; serve a JPEG or PNG fallback if you must support them.
- The HTML picture element lets you offer WebP with an automatic fallback source for browsers that do not support it.
- Keeping a JPEG or PNG original makes it easy to regenerate a fallback at any time.
Current PixMovo settings
PixMovo can convert WebP, JPEG, and PNG images to and from one another. Selecting WebP as the target produces a static WebP image; PixMovo does not export animated WebP from the image tool.
Metadata is stripped by default during conversion, and the same conservative format allowlist governs both uploads and targets.
Worked example: converting a photo to WebP for the web
- Keep your JPEG or PNG original
Retain the source file so you can regenerate a fallback later if a visitor's browser cannot decode WebP.
- Convert to WebP in PixMovo
Upload the image and choose WebP as the target format. The result is a static WebP suitable for web pages.
- Serve with a fallback
Reference the WebP from an HTML picture element with a JPEG or PNG source so older browsers still see the image.
Frequently asked questions
- Is WebP lossy or lossless?
- Both. WebP supports a lossy mode similar to JPEG and a lossless mode similar to PNG, so you can pick per image.
- Does WebP support transparency?
- Yes. WebP has an alpha channel in both its lossy and lossless modes, so it can carry transparent backgrounds.
- Can every browser display WebP?
- Current versions of all major browsers can. For rare older clients, serve a JPEG or PNG fallback using the HTML picture element.
- Can PixMovo create animated WebP?
- No. The WebP format supports animation, but PixMovo's image tool outputs static images only. Use the video tools for motion.
- Should I delete my JPEG or PNG after converting to WebP?
- Keep the original. It lets you regenerate a fallback image for browsers that cannot decode WebP.