What Is a .webp File? .webp Format, MIME & How to Open

Quick facts

Extension.webp

File typeWebP Image

MIME typeimage/webp

CategoryImage

Charset—

Compressible—

Format familywebp

What is .webp

What is a .webp file?

A .webp file is a WebP Image — Modern web image format with lossy and lossless modes plus transparency.

In the mime-db registry it maps to image/webp. When serving .webp over HTTP, set the Content-Type header as shown in Developer info below.

Related entities: it maps to image/webp — and is delivered over HTTP via the Content-Type header.

How to open .webp files

Use Photoshop or GIMP to open and edit .webp files.
Any text editor (Notepad, VS Code) can inspect the raw content as text.

Developer info

When served over HTTP, responses should set the following header:

Content-Type: image/webp

Common software that reads/writes .webp:

PhotoshopGIMPChrome

Relation chain

.webpextension of

format

webpserved as

mime type

image/webpsent via header

http header

Related extensions

Related MIME types

Common uses

Web graphics and photos
Design assets and icons
Print and photography

How to edit .webp files

Open the file with Photoshop, make your changes and save.
Most editors preserve the original formatting and encoding — avoid changing the charset.

How to create .webp files

Create a new file and save it with the .webp extension, or export this format from Photoshop.

Frequently asked questions

What programs can open .webp files?

Common options include Photoshop, GIMP, Chrome. You can also open many of these files with built-in viewers or a browser.

How do I create a .webp file?

Create a new file in any text editor or the app that owns the format and save it with the .webp extension.

What is the relationship between .webp and the image/webp MIME type?

image/webp is the media type identifier used for .webp files during network transfer (for example in the HTTP Content-Type header).

Sources & standards

Updated 2026-09-13

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