Images are usually the heaviest part of a web page. If your site loads slowly, oversized PNG files are a common cause — and switching to WebP is one of the easiest ways to slim them down.
Why PNG files are large
PNG is a lossless format: it keeps every pixel exactly. That's ideal for screenshots, logos and graphics with sharp edges and text, but it means large files, especially for detailed images.
What WebP offers
WebP is a modern image format designed for the web. It can be lossy or lossless, supports transparency, and generally produces smaller files. Google's published comparisons found lossless WebP images to be around 26% smaller than PNGs. Results vary by image, but the savings are often meaningful.
Every current major browser displays WebP.
Will transparency survive?
Yes. Unlike JPG, WebP supports transparent backgrounds, so logos and cut-out images keep their transparency after conversion.
How to convert PNG to WebP
- Open the PNG to WebP Converter.
- Choose your PNG image (up to 15 MB).
- Click Convert to WebP and wait a few seconds.
- Download the WebP file.
The image is converted in memory on the server and returned in the same request — it's never stored.
When to convert
- Website images where load speed matters, especially photos and large graphics.
- Product images and banners on pages that get a lot of traffic.
- Anything you plan to serve to modern browsers rather than to older software.
When to keep the PNG
- You need to edit the file again. Keep the original PNG as your source, and export WebP for publishing.
- The destination doesn't accept WebP. Some older editors, print services and upload forms still require PNG or JPG. In that case, use WebP to PNG or WebP to JPG.
- Tiny images. Very small icons may not save much.
Speeding up your pages further
- Resize images to the size they'll be displayed — see How to Resize an Image Without Distorting It.
- Compress what's left with the Image Compressor.
- Use WebP alongside an older fallback if you need to support unusual clients.
FAQ
Is converting PNG to WebP lossless? That depends on the settings used. Check the result at full size to make sure it meets your quality needs.
Will the converted image look different? It should look the same or very nearly. Always inspect graphics with fine text or thin lines.
Can I convert several images at once? Convert them one at a time — each takes only seconds.
Try it now
Open the free PNG to WebP Converter.
Related reading
Read WebP vs. JPG: Which Format Should You Use? and JPG vs. PNG: Which Format Should You Use?. Browse the full blog for more guides.