Processed locally in your browser — nothing is uploaded.
PNG to WebP Converter
Quick answer
Convert PNG graphics, icons, and transparent images to WebP, choosing lossless or lossy on the way, without losing the alpha channel. It is one of the few conversions where the smaller format is not automatically the better choice.
What the png to webp converter does
WebP supports both modes PNG offers in one format: lossless, which keeps every pixel exact the way PNG does, and lossy, which behaves more like JPEG and trades some detail for a much smaller file. Both modes keep full alpha transparency, so a PNG logo, icon, or illustration converts without any flattening step.
For photographic PNGs, such as a photo someone saved as PNG by mistake or exported from a design tool without thinking about it, lossy WebP typically shrinks the file dramatically, often to a fraction of the PNG size, at quality settings where the difference is hard to see.
The counterintuitive case is small, flat-colour graphics: a simple icon or a two-colour logo. WebP lossless carries more container overhead than PNG does, and an oxipng-optimised PNG is extremely good at compressing large areas of identical colour. For a 32 by 32 icon with five flat colours, a well-optimised PNG is sometimes smaller than the same image saved as lossless WebP, even though WebP wins for almost everything else.
How to use it
Upload the PNG
Drag or browse. Alpha transparency, if present, carries straight through to the output.
Choose lossless or lossy
Lossless suits icons and line art; lossy suits photographic content saved as PNG.
Adjust quality for lossy mode
The slider only appears for lossy encodes. Higher values keep more detail at a larger file size.
Download the WebP
Check the result against the original PNG size before committing; for tiny flat-colour icons, compare both.
Your images never leave your device
The encode runs through libwebp compiled to WebAssembly inside your browser, so a set of unreleased app interface screenshots, the kind a product team is not supposed to share outside the company yet, never has to leave the laptop they were captured on to be converted for a design handoff.
- No file is ever uploaded to a server
- Works offline after the first visit
- No account, no watermark, no limits
Format and quality tips
Check the icon exception yourself
For very small, very flat images, try both lossless WebP and an optimised PNG output and keep whichever is smaller. There is no universal rule below a certain size and colour count.
Lossy WebP for anything photographic
If the PNG holds a photo, screenshot with a photographic background, or gradient-heavy illustration, lossy mode at 80 to 90 will usually beat lossless WebP and the original PNG on size with no visible difference.
Frequently asked questions
Does converting PNG to WebP keep transparency?
Yes, both lossless and lossy WebP support a full alpha channel, so transparent areas in the PNG stay transparent in the output.
Is WebP always smaller than PNG?
Usually, but not for very small, flat-colour icons, where an optimised PNG can be smaller than lossless WebP because of container overhead. For photos and complex graphics, WebP wins clearly.
Should I use lossless or lossy WebP?
Lossless for icons, line art, and anything where every pixel must stay exact. Lossy for photographic content, where a small amount of compression is invisible but saves a lot of space.
Do browsers support WebP now?
Yes, every major browser has supported WebP for several years, which is why it is a safe default for websites, unlike a decade ago when fallback images were still necessary.
Will PNG to WebP conversion change my image dimensions?
No, only the compression method changes. Width and height stay identical unless you separately resize the file.
Why is my lossless WebP bigger than the PNG I started with?
This happens most often on small, simple icons, where PNG compression is already near-optimal and WebP lossless overhead does not pay for itself. Try lossy mode or keep the PNG for that specific file.
Further reading
- WebP vs JPG vs AVIFJPG is universal, WebP is smaller and works everywhere that matters, and AVIF is smaller still but slow to make. Here is how to choose without guessing.6 min read
- PNG vs JPG: Which Should You Use?The rule is short: photographs go to JPG, anything with sharp edges or transparency goes to PNG. This post explains why, so you never have to guess again.6 min read
- What Is HEIC, and How Do You Open It?HEIC is why an iPhone photo will not open on a friend Windows laptop. Here is what the format is, why Apple chose it, and how to turn it into something everything can read.6 min read