Guide
WebP is an image format developed to do what JPG and PNG each do separately — handle photographs efficiently, and support transparency — in one format, with generally smaller file sizes than either.
WebP supports both lossy compression (like JPG, some detail traded for smaller size) and lossless compression (like PNG, nothing thrown away), plus transparency, all in the same file type. In practice, most photographic WebP files are the lossy kind, since that's where the size savings are biggest — typically 25–35% smaller than an equivalent-quality JPG.
Yes, broadly. All current versions of Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari display WebP images without any special handling needed. The format has been safe to use for the general web audience for several years now.
A handful of older tools, some email clients, and certain print or professional workflows still don't accept WebP. If you're not certain the destination supports it, or you need a universally-safe format, JPG remains the safer default — converting back to JPG takes seconds if needed.
If you're not sure whether WebP is the right call for a specific image, the Image Compressor tests it automatically and only uses it when it actually produces a better result for your file.