Discover what makes WebP the modern image format of choice, how it compares to JPG and PNG, and how to convert your images to WebP privately in your browser.
WebP is an image format developed by Google that offers both lossy and lossless compression in a single container. It consistently produces smaller files than JPG and PNG at equivalent visual quality, making it the preferred format for modern web development and an increasingly popular choice for social media creators.
WebP uses more advanced compression algorithms than the decades-old JPEG standard. In lossy mode, WebP typically achieves 25-35% smaller files than JPEG at the same perceived quality. In lossless mode, WebP files are about 26% smaller than PNG. WebP also supports transparency (like PNG) and animation (like GIF), combining the best features of older formats into one.
As of 2026, WebP is supported by every major browser: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and all Chromium-based browsers. Safari added full WebP support in 2022, which was the last major holdout. Mobile browsers on both iOS and Android handle WebP natively. In practical terms, there is no longer a compatibility reason to avoid WebP for web content.
If your workflow involves professional print, some print services still require TIFF or high-quality JPEG. If you are archiving original photographs, a lossless format like PNG or TIFF preserves maximum flexibility. And if you are sharing files with someone using very old software that cannot open WebP, JPEG remains the universal fallback.
Most online converters upload your image to a server for processing. SocialShrink converts to WebP entirely in your browser using the Canvas API and OffscreenCanvas workers. You drop your JPG or PNG, choose your quality level, and download the WebP result — all without your file ever leaving your device. Batch conversion is supported, so you can process an entire folder of images in one go.