Having problem saving WebP Images as JPEG, PNG? Here's how to do it

Google's WebP image format is impressive as it can display images at a size approximately 33% smaller than JPEG or PNG formats due to its unique compression systems. Despite being developed for years and widely used in Google products, some commonly used image tools like Microsoft's Photos app do not fully support WebP, though it is supported by the older Windows Photo Viewer. Here's how to convert a WebP image to a more commonly used format:

Using MS Paint

If you have a Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC, you can use the built-in MS Paint software to open and convert WebP images. It's an efficient option since Paint can convert WebP images to several other formats like JPEG, GIF, BMP, TIFF, etc., without the need for extra software downloads.

To begin, right-click on the WebP image and select "Open With > Paint" if it's not already set as the default option for opening WebP files.


Once the image is open in Paint, click on "File > Save As" and select the desired format from the available list. Then, choose a destination for the file and click "Save" to complete the conversion.

Tweaking URL

In some cases, you can modify the URL of an image to display it in a different format. Although this method is not applicable to all websites, it can be helpful to quickly convert an image in Google Play Store.

First, open a browser that supports WebP image display, such as Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Safari, or Opera. Then, visit a website that uses WebP images for bandwidth saving, such as any app listings on play.google.com.

Right-click or long-press on one of the images and select "Open Image in New Tab." This will open the WebP image in a new tab with a URL that links directly to the image asset.

Click on the URL bar and delete the last three characters of the address (the "-rw"), then press "Enter." The same image will reload in its original format, typically JPEG or PNG. Right-click or long-press the image and choose "Save image as" to download it in the original format, just like any other file.

FAQs:

1. When were WebP images first introduced?
   September 30, 2010
2. What is the file extension of WebP images?
   *.webp