WebP is the safest "modern format" default in 2026: universally supported, supports lossy, lossless, alpha, and animation, and typically beats JPEG and PNG by 25–35%. This guide shows how to convert images to WebP in your browser, with the right settings for each source type.
Why WebP
- Supported by all major browsers — no special fallbacks needed for most audiences.
- Lossy mode beats JPEG at equal visual quality.
- Lossless mode beats PNG, with alpha support.
- Supports animation, replacing GIF.
Source → WebP: which mode?
JPEG → WebP (lossy)
Use lossy WebP at quality 75. You'll get a 25–35% smaller file with the same visual quality. This is the most common conversion and the biggest easy win.
PNG (screenshot) → WebP
For screenshots with text, use lossless WebP or lossy at quality 90+. You keep sharpness and shrink 40–60% versus PNG.
PNG (photo) → WebP (lossy)
If someone saved a photo as PNG (huge mistake), convert to lossy WebP at 75 — the file drops by 80–90% with no visible change.
AVIF → WebP
Rarely needed, but useful if a target platform lacks AVIF support. Expect a ~20–30% size increase going AVIF → WebP.
Don't forget transparency
WebP's alpha channel is well-supported. A PNG icon with a transparent background converts cleanly to WebP — the alpha is preserved and the file is much smaller. Just avoid setting quality too low (under 60) on transparency edges, where banding can appear.
Serving WebP
If your server supports content negotiation, you can serve WebP transparently with the same .jpg/.png URL. Otherwise use the <picture> element so the browser picks WebP and falls back to JPEG.
What WebP isn't best at
For the absolute smallest photographic files, AVIF wins. For HDR and 10-bit+ color, AVIF wins. But for a single, simple, universally-supported modern format, WebP is the right default — see our AVIF vs WebP deep dive.
Summary
Converting to WebP is the lowest-effort, highest-reliability image optimization you can do. Set quality 75 for photos, lossless for screenshots, batch the folder, done.