How to Open a WebP File on Any Operating System

WebP files open natively in every modern browser and in the built-in image viewers of current Windows, macOS, and Linux. Older apps that predate WebP may not, in which case converting to PNG or JPG solves it instantly. This guide covers opening .webp on each platform and the fallback when an app refuses.

For the format itself, see What is WebP?. To convert a WebP file now, use WebP to PNG.

How do you open a WebP file?

The simplest way to open any .webp file is to drag it into a web browser, which displays it instantly on every platform. Current operating systems also open WebP in their default image viewers. Only older applications need a conversion step first.

If double-clicking does not work, the file's default app simply predates WebP — the file is fine. Convert it or open it in a browser.

How do you open WebP on Windows?

Windows 11 opens WebP natively in the Photos app and Paint. On Windows 10, install the free "Webp Image Extensions" from the Microsoft Store, after which Photos displays WebP. Any browser — Edge, Chrome, Firefox — opens WebP on either version.

To edit a WebP on Windows, open it in Paint or Photos, or convert it to PNG first with WebP to PNG.

How do you open WebP on macOS?

macOS opens WebP natively in Preview, Finder Quick Look, and Photos on Big Sur (11) and later. Pressing Space on a .webp file shows a Quick Look preview, and double-clicking opens it in Preview for basic editing.

Older macOS versions before Big Sur need a browser or a conversion. The Apple ecosystem's WebP support is detailed in WebP on iOS and macOS.

How do you open WebP on Linux?

Most Linux image viewers open WebP, including GNOME Image Viewer (Eye of GNOME), gThumb, and GIMP, provided the system's WebP libraries are installed. These ship by default on current desktop distributions. The command-line dwebp tool decodes WebP to PNG anywhere.

If a viewer cannot open WebP, install the libwebp package — see libwebp: Installation, Tools, and the C API.

What if an app cannot open a WebP file?

Convert the WebP to PNG or JPG, which every application can open. An app that cannot open WebP is simply older than the format; the file itself is valid. Conversion takes a second and produces a universally compatible image.

Convert in your browser with no upload using WebP to PNG for graphics or WebP to JPG for photographs.

Where to go from here

Opening a WebP file is rarely a real problem: a browser shows it everywhere, modern operating systems open it natively, and a quick conversion to PNG or JPG handles any app that lags behind.