Convert PNG to WebP
PNG stores every pixel exactly as it was, which is the right choice for a screenshot and an expensive one for a photograph. Converting to WebP typically cuts a photographic PNG by 60-80% with no visible difference, and even lossless WebP is usually 20-30% smaller than the PNG it replaces. Transparency survives either way.
Best for: Shrinking screenshots, exported design assets and photographic PNGs for the web without losing the alpha channel.
What to know
- Transparency is preserved. WebP supports full 8-bit alpha in both lossy and lossless modes, so there is no fringing on soft edges.
- For logos, icons and line art, turn on lossless mode — flat colour compresses extremely well and stays pixel-exact.
- For photographs saved as PNG, lossy WebP at quality 80-85 is where the dramatic savings are.
About PNG
A lossless format built for graphics, screenshots and anything needing a real alpha channel.
- Lossless compression on a photograph produces enormous files — often 5-10x a JPEG of the same shot.
- Its DEFLATE compression predates every modern entropy coder.
- Truecolour PNGs waste space on images that only contain a few hundred distinct colours.
- Support:
- Every browser ever shipped.
- Transparency:
- Full 8-bit alpha.
About WebP
Google's 2010 format, now the pragmatic default for the web: meaningfully smaller than JPEG and PNG, and supported everywhere that matters.
- Does both lossy and lossless, so it replaces JPEG and PNG with one format.
- Transparency in lossy mode — something JPEG cannot do and PNG pays dearly for.
- Encodes fast enough to convert hundreds of images without waiting around.
- Universal browser support since Safari 14 in 2020.
- Support:
- All current browsers, including Safari 14+ and Edge. Roughly 97% of users.
- Transparency:
- Full alpha, in both lossy and lossless modes.
Frequently asked questions
- Does converting PNG to WebP keep transparency?
- Yes. WebP has a full 8-bit alpha channel, so semi-transparent pixels and soft edges come through exactly as they were. This is true in lossy mode too, which is something JPEG cannot do at all.
- Is WebP always smaller than PNG?
- For photographs and complex images, dramatically so — often 60-80% smaller in lossy mode. For very small or very simple graphics the two can be close, and occasionally an already-optimised PNG wins. The converter shows the actual size change per file so you can check rather than assume.
- Will I lose quality converting PNG to WebP?
- Only if you choose to. Lossless mode reproduces the PNG pixel for pixel while still saving space. Lossy mode at quality 80 and above is visually indistinguishable for most images and is where the large savings come from.
- How do I convert PNG to WebP without uploading my files?
- This converter runs entirely in your browser using WebAssembly. Your images are never transmitted anywhere — there is no server to upload to. You can confirm this by opening your browser's network tab, or by disconnecting from the internet after the page loads and converting anyway.
Related conversions
Converting from something else? Convert any image to WebP