Convert PNG to WebP
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What is a PNG file?
WebP was built to replace both of the web's incumbent formats at once. Its lossless mode compresses about 26% better than PNG while keeping every pixel exact, and its lossy mode goes far smaller still — with a full alpha channel either way, which is the thing JPEG could never offer.
That makes PNG to WebP the rare conversion with no real trade-off. You keep the transparency, you can keep the losslessness if you want it, and the file gets meaningfully smaller. The only cost is compatibility outside the browser, and every current browser has supported WebP since Safari 14 in September 2020.
Why convert PNG to WebP?
- Lossless WebP is around 26% smaller than PNG for identical pixels — the same image, fewer bytes, nothing discarded.
- Lossy WebP goes dramatically smaller again while keeping the alpha channel, which JPEG cannot do at all.
- Transparency survives either way, including soft shadows and anti-aliased edges.
- Page weight is the most common real reason: large PNGs are one of the biggest causes of slow-loading pages.
- Every current browser supports it, so for anything destined for the web there is no compatibility argument left.
PNG compared with WebP
| Attribute | PNG | WebP |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossless DEFLATE, 1996 — exact, but inefficient | Lossless (~26% smaller than PNG) or lossy — your choice |
| Support | Universal — every browser, OS and image tool since 1996 | Every current browser since Safari 14 (2020); patchy in desktop software |
| Transparency | Yes — full alpha channel | Yes — full alpha channel, in both lossy and lossless modes |
| Metadata | Text chunks and ICC profiles (stripped here by default) | EXIF, XMP and ICC (stripped here by default) |
| Typical size | ≈2.5 MB for a 12 MP image | ≈1.8 MB lossless, or ≈300 KB lossy |
What actually changes
WebP has two distinct modes and the choice matters more than the quality slider. Lossless mode keeps every pixel exactly as PNG did and still saves roughly a quarter of the bytes — the right choice for logos, icons, screenshots and anything you will edit later. Lossy mode discards detail like JPEG does but retains the alpha channel, and for photographic content with transparency it is far smaller than anything else available.
Because PNG is lossless, whichever mode you pick this is a first-generation encode. Nothing has been degraded before now.
The remaining caveat is software outside the browser. Photoshop only added native WebP support in version 23.2 (2022), Windows Photos needs a Store extension, and many print and kiosk systems have none. If the file is going to someone else rather than onto a website, PNG or JPG is still the safer hand-off.
Frequently asked questions
Should I pick lossless or lossy WebP?
Lossless for logos, icons, screenshots, diagrams and anything you will edit again — you keep every pixel and still save about a quarter of the size. Lossy for photographs, where the saving is enormous and the loss is invisible at quality 85 and above. Lossy WebP keeps transparency either way, which is its real advantage over JPEG.
Will the transparency survive?
Yes, in both modes, including partial transparency such as drop shadows and anti-aliased edges. This is the main reason WebP replaced PNG for web graphics rather than sitting alongside it.
Is WebP safe to use on a website now?
Yes. Every current browser has supported it since Safari 14 arrived in September 2020. If you must support genuinely ancient browsers, serve WebP with a JPG or PNG fallback via the picture element.
Why will my desktop software not open the WebP?
Support outside browsers arrived late. Photoshop added it natively only in 23.2 (2022), Windows Photos needs a Microsoft Store extension, and many print systems still have none. For files you are sending to other people rather than publishing, PNG or JPG remains the safer choice.
Nothing is uploaded — and you can check
Conversion happens on your own device, inside this browser tab. There is no server to receive your files, which is a stronger guarantee than a promise not to look at them. Open your browser's developer tools, switch to the Network tab, and convert something: you will see no request carrying your image. The page keeps working with your network disconnected.