4 Quick Ways to Open Webp Images on Windows 11

WebP or Web Picture is a modern image format developed by Google and has, of late, been extensively employed by the industry. These images are smaller than JPG, JPEG, or PNG files, thus increasing the page load speed and making them valuable from an SEO standpoint. But how do you open a WebP file in Windows 11?

Given it’s a relatively new image format, first announced in September 2010, compatibility was bound to be an issue. Several photo editing software still don’t support the file extension. But things are changing fast!

Does Windows 11 support WebP?

While the WebP image file wasn’t compatible with Windows 11 earlier, Microsoft introduced support for it in the built-in Photos app in version 2023.11050. 2013.0.

The update was first rolled out in the Dev and Canary channels and was soon available for everyone. We tested it on our PC, and the WebP image file format opened just fine in the Photos app.

How do I open a WebP file on Windows 11?

1. Go with the Photos app

The Photos app, the default image viewer in Windows 11, now supports WebP files. So, you can open WebP with Microsoft Photos without any modifications.

Besides, there are other options you can try if the Photos app doesn’t work as an option to open the WebP files type.

2. Change the file extension

1. Press Windows + E to open File Explorer, navigate to the folder where the WebP file is stored, click the View menu, hover the cursor over Show, and checkmark the File name extensions entry.
2. Now, right-click on the concerned picture and select Rename.
3. Remove the current extension (.webp) and replace it with the desired one, be it PNG (.png), JPG (.jpg), or JPEG (.jpeg).
4. Once done, click Yes in the confirmation prompt.
5. You should now be able to open the image with any of the built-in or third-party apps. In case the image indeed becomes unusable, revert the changes and try another method.

3. Try a modern browser

Most modern web browsers support WebP file types, especially the ones developed on the Chromium project. This includes Opera One, Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. You can try opening WebP in Safari with a few tweaks.

So, if you have either of these installed, simply open a new tab and drag and drop the WebP file into it, and the image will show up. You could enable snap layouts and open the two windows side-by-side to easily move files between them. 

However, if you face any issues with compatibility on Microsoft Edge, go to the Microsoft Store and download the WebP Image Extension (WebP codec for Windows).

4. Use a third-party photo viewer

When the other ways don’t work, there’s always the option to use a third-party image viewer software to open WebP pictures in Windows 11. Remember, not all support the new and popular image format.

But a quick search, and you should be able to find one. Besides, the need for it only arises when the default option, Microsoft Photos, doesn’t work and you can’t convert the file.

How do I convert WebP to JPG in Windows 11?

1. Right-click on the WebP file, hover the cursor over Open with, and choose Paint from the flyout menu.
2. In the Paint app, click the File menu, choose Save as, and then select JPEG, or the desired format from the list.
3. Choose a location for the new file, and click Save.
4. Click OK in the confirmation box.

While you could manually change its file extension, it’s better to convert WebP to JPG, JPEG, or PNG images using the built-in Microsoft Paint to avoid issues. 

Remember, WebP is still a relatively newer file format, and you may experience problems. But with time, more and more apps and operating systems are adding support for it. At least, you now shouldn’t face issues while opening WebP in Windows 11.

Also, if it’s not just mere conversion, but the file requires editing, you can always download a reliable photo editor for Windows. And after the release of version 23.2, you can open WebP files in PhotoShop, a popular option, without any plug-ins, extensions or tweaks. 

For any queries or to share how you prefer opening WebP files, drop a comment below.