WebP on iOS and macOS

Apple added WebP across its platforms in 2020: Safari 14, iOS 14, and macOS Big Sur all render WebP natively. That late arrival was, for years, the main reason sites kept a JPG fallback. Today WebP works throughout the Apple ecosystem on supported versions. This guide covers what each app supports and how to handle the long tail of older devices.

For the global picture, see WebP Browser Support. For the format, see What is WebP?.

Does Safari support WebP?

Safari supports WebP from version 14, released in September 2020 alongside iOS 14 and macOS Big Sur. Before Safari 14, WebP did not render and sites needed a JPG or PNG fallback. From Safari 14 onward, WebP works the same as in Chrome and Firefox.

Safari was the last major browser to adopt WebP, which is why its 2020 support date matters for compatibility planning.

Which Apple apps display WebP?

WebP displays across Apple's system apps on current versions. Safari renders it on pages, Preview and Finder Quick Look open .webp files, Photos imports them, and Apple Mail shows them because it shares Safari's WebKit engine.

By app:

Safari — renders WebP on web pages (14+).
Preview and Quick Look — open .webp files (Big Sur+).
Photos — imports and displays WebP.
Apple Mail — renders WebP, unlike most email clients; see WebP in Email.

What about older iOS and macOS versions?

Devices on iOS 13 or macOS Catalina and earlier cannot render WebP. The <picture> element handles them automatically by serving a JPG or PNG fallback, so old Apple devices still see an image. No JavaScript is required.

The fallback pattern is in How to Serve WebP Images in HTML Using the picture Element. Global support now exceeds 96%, so the unsupported tail is small but worth a fallback.

How do you open a WebP file on a Mac?

Double-click a .webp file to open it in Preview, or press Space in Finder for a Quick Look preview. Both work on macOS Big Sur and later. For editing in an app that predates WebP, convert to PNG first.

Full cross-platform steps are in How to Open a WebP File on Windows, Mac & Linux; convert with WebP to PNG.

Should you still ship a fallback for Apple devices?

Ship a <picture> fallback if your audience includes pre-2020 Apple devices. On any reasonably current iPhone or Mac, WebP works without a fallback. The fallback costs nothing and covers the small remaining share of older hardware.

For most sites a single <picture> element is enough insurance. See WebP Browser Support.

Where to go from here

On any iPhone or Mac from 2020 onward, WebP simply works — in Safari, Preview, Photos, and Mail. Keep a <picture> fallback only for the shrinking pool of older Apple devices.