PNG to WEBP Converter
PNG files can be large. WEBP gives you similar quality at a fraction of the size — and unlike PNG-to-JPG, it keeps transparency intact.
Why convert PNG to WEBP?
PNG is the standard for graphics and screenshots because it's lossless — every pixel is preserved exactly. The downside is file size: PNG can produce surprisingly large files, especially for screenshots or images with many colors. WebP gives you a way out: it supports lossless compression too, but typically produces files 20–30% smaller than the equivalent PNG.
If you're publishing graphics on a website, WebP is now the better default — modern browsers all support it, and the bandwidth savings add up across an entire site.
WebP also supports both lossless and lossy compression. For graphics where pixel-perfect accuracy matters, use lossless WebP. For images where some quality loss is acceptable in exchange for much smaller files, lossy WebP can be 50% smaller or more.
About PNG
PNG (Portable Network Graphics) is a lossless image format from 1996. It's the standard for screenshots, logos, icons, and any graphics that need to be pixel-perfect or include transparency.
About WEBP
WebP is Google's image format, released in 2010. Unlike most formats, WebP supports both lossy and lossless compression, plus full transparency and animation. Lossless WebP is typically 20–30% smaller than PNG; lossy WebP can be 50% or more smaller.
PNG vs WEBP at a glance
| PNG | WEBP | |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossless only | Lossless or lossy |
| Transparency | Yes | Yes — including in lossy mode |
| Typical size | Baseline | 25–35% smaller lossless, far smaller lossy |
| Support | Universal | All current browsers; some older software struggles |
| Best for | Archiving and editing | Anything you’re putting on a website |
When converting is the right call
- You’re putting images on a website and page weight matters.
- You need transparency and a small file — the one thing JPG can’t give you.
- You have a folder of screenshots taking up more space than they should.
- You’re serving modern browsers and can fall back to PNG for the rest.
WebP in lossless mode preserves every pixel, but in lossy mode it discards detail permanently, exactly like JPG. Keep the PNG if it’s a master copy you’ll edit again — you can always make another WebP from it, but you can’t recover a PNG from a lossy WebP. Screenshots benefit most: one 243 KB PNG screen capture came out at 65 KB as lossless WebP.
Quality and file size
Lossless WebP preserves every pixel exactly, just like PNG — but in a smaller file. Lossy WebP can offer additional size savings with minor quality loss that's invisible on most graphics. Either way, transparency is preserved during conversion.
Measured on one 1080 × 2400 photo with large dark areas and visible sensor noise: 2,327 KB as PNG, 176 KB as lossy WebP — 92% smaller.
How these figures were measured →
Filesmith runs entirely in your browser using WebAssembly. Files are never uploaded to any server — conversion happens locally on your device, instantly and privately.