Why images save
as WebP files.

Why it saves as WebP

WebP is an image format created by Google. Compared with JPEG and PNG it keeps the same appearance whilemaking the file 20-30% smaller, which loads faster — so websites have adopted it enthusiastically.

When you right-click and save, an image the site serves as WebP is saved as WebP. Your browser simply writes out what it received, sothere is nothing wrong with your settings. The image on screen was a WebP file to begin with.

Within one page some images may be JPEG and others WebP — that depends entirely on how the site serves them.

When WebP becomes a problem

• It will not paste into a documentOlder versions of Word and PowerPoint may not recognise it as an image
• Upload forms reject itBusiness systems and application forms often accept only JPEG and PNG
• Print shops will not take itSubmission rules are frequently limited to JPEG, PNG and TIFF
• The recipient cannot open itIf their software does not support it, the image never opens

On the other hand, for images going on your own website,WebP is the better choice. It is lighter, so pages load faster. The right answer depends on what the image is for.

3 STEPS

Converting to PNG or JPG

1. 01

   Choose your WebP images

   Open the WebP converter and pick the images you saved. You can select several at once.

2. 02

   Pick an output format

   Choose PNG for transparent backgrounds, logos and diagrams; choose JPG for photographs.

3. 03

   Convert and save

   The converted images are saved to your computer, ready for documents and upload forms alike.

How to avoid getting WebP at all

If converting every time is tedious, you can change how you save instead.

• Take a screenshotCapturing the screen gives you a PNG. Easy, but the quality is limited to how large it was displayed
• Open the image in a new tab, then saveDepending on how the site serves it, you may get a JPEG
• Install a browser extensionSome extensions convert automatically on save, but a few send your images elsewhere, so check what they do

Extensions are convenient, butsome of them give no indication of what they send, or where. For work documents and personal pictures, a method that sends nothing is the safer choice.

PNG or JPG — which to choose

If the background is transparent, always PNG. JPG has no way to represent transparency, so transparent areas get filled in, usually with white. That is why a logo saved as JPG ends up sitting on a white rectangle.

For photographs — many colours, no transparency — JPG is the better fit: smaller files that open anywhere. If you are unsure, PNG will preserve the appearance.