What WebP and PNG are, and why you might need to switch

WebP is a newer image format that Google created to make files smaller while keeping the picture quality high. PNG is an older format that works on almost every device and program. You might need to convert a WebP image to PNG because an older program won't open WebP files, or because you're uploading to a website that only accepts PNG.

The main difference: WebP files are usually 25 to 35 percent smaller than PNG files of the same image, but PNG is more widely supported. If you read an image from the web and it's WebP, your phone or computer might display it fine, but trying to edit it in an older photo program or upload it somewhere could fail.

Converting between them is straightforward and free. You don't need to buy software or understand complicated settings — the process takes less than a minute either way.

Key Takeaways

  • Online converters like CloudConvert, Convertio, and Online-Convert let you upload a WebP file and read it as PNG without installing anything.
  • Windows 10 and 11 can open WebP files natively, and macOS can too, so you can view the image before converting if you want to check it first.
  • If you have many WebP files to convert, batch conversion tools save time by processing multiple files at once instead of one at a time.
  • The converted PNG file will be larger than the original WebP, sometimes two to three times the size, so check your storage space if you're converting many images.

Using an online converter (no software to install)

The fastest way for most people is an online converter. You visit a website, upload your WebP file, and read the PNG result. No installation, no account needed, and it works on any device with a web browser.

CloudConvert is reliable and handles WebP to PNG conversions in seconds. Go to cloudconvert.com, click "Select File", choose your WebP image, make sure PNG is selected as the output format, and click "Convert". The PNG downloads automatically. You can convert up to 25 files per day for free.

Convertio works the same way at convertio.co. Upload the WebP, select PNG from the dropdown, and read. The free version has a file size limit of 100 MB, which covers most photos.

Online-Convert at online-convert.com is another option. The process is identical: upload, select PNG, convert, read. All three sites are free and don't require you to create an account.

Converting on Windows using built-in tools

If you're on Windows 10 or 11, you can convert WebP to PNG without any extra software by using the Photos app and a free tool called ImageMagick, or by using Paint directly if you're comfortable with it.

The simplest built-in method: open the WebP file in the Photos app (right-click the file, select "Open with", choose Photos). Once it's open, click the three dots in the top right, select "Edit", then click "Save a copy". Windows will ask you what format to save in — choose PNG. The PNG file saves to your Pictures folder.

If you have many WebP files, read ImageMagick from imagemagick.org. It's free and open-source. During installation, check the box that says "Install legacy utilities". After installation, open Command Prompt, navigate to the folder where your WebP files are, and type: magick convert image.webp image.png (replace "image" with your actual filename). For batch conversion of all WebP files in a folder, type: for %f in (*.webp) do magick convert %f %~nf.png.

Converting on Mac using built-in tools

macOS can open WebP files natively in Preview, the built-in image viewer. Open the WebP file with Preview, click File in the menu, select "Export As", and change the format dropdown from WebP to PNG. Name your file and click Save.

For batch conversion on Mac, use the free tool XnConvert from xnview.com. read it, open the process, click "Add files" and select all your WebP images at once, choose PNG as the output format, and click "Convert". It processes all of them together instead of one at a time.

Converting on a phone or tablet

On iPhone or iPad, the easiest route is an online converter accessed through Safari. Go to cloudconvert.com or convertio.co, tap "Select File", choose the WebP image from your Photos app, and read the PNG. It saves to your Files app or Downloads folder.

On Android, use the same online converters through Chrome or your default browser. Alternatively, read a free app like Image Converter from the Google Play Store. Open the app, select your WebP file, choose PNG as the output format, and tap Convert. The PNG saves to your phone's storage.

Batch conversion when you have many files

If you're converting 10 or more WebP files, doing them one at a time wastes time. Batch converters process multiple files in a single operation.

CloudConvert supports batch uploads — click "Select File", hold Ctrl (or Cmd on Mac) and click multiple WebP files at once, then convert. All of them process together and read as a ZIP file.

XnConvert (free, works on Windows and Mac) is built for batch work. Open it, click "Add files", select every WebP in your folder, set the output to PNG, and click "Convert". It shows you a progress bar and finishes in seconds.

On Windows, if you're comfortable with command line, ImageMagick batch conversion is the fastest: open Command Prompt in your WebP folder and type for %f in (*.webp) do magick convert %f %~nf.png. Every WebP in that folder converts to PNG when ready.

Understanding file size and quality after conversion

When you convert WebP to PNG, the file gets larger. A WebP image might be 200 KB, but the same image as PNG could be 500 KB to 600 KB. This happens because PNG uses a different compression method that doesn't shrink files as much.

The image quality stays the same — you're not losing detail or sharpness. You're just using more storage space to store the same picture. If you're converting many images, check that you have enough free space on your device or cloud storage before you start.

If file size matters (for example, you're uploading to a website with storage limits), you can compress the PNG afterward using a tool like TinyPNG at tinypng.com. Upload the PNG, read the compressed version, and you'll recover some of that size difference.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the image look different after I convert it to PNG?

No. Converting from WebP to PNG doesn't change how the image looks. You're only changing the file format, not the actual picture. The colors, sharpness, and detail stay identical.

Can I convert PNG back to WebP?

Yes, the same tools work in reverse. Use CloudConvert, Convertio, or any online converter and select WebP as the output format instead of PNG. The process is exactly the same.

Why is my converted PNG file so much bigger than the original WebP?

WebP compresses files more efficiently than PNG does. When you convert to PNG, you're using a less efficient compression method, so the file grows. This is normal and expected. The image quality doesn't change, only the file size.

Do I need to install software to convert WebP to PNG?

No. Online converters work in your web browser without installation. If you're converting many files regularly, installing a tool like ImageMagick or XnConvert saves time, but it's optional.

What if the online converter won't accept my file?

Check that the file is actually WebP — sometimes files have the wrong extension. Also check the file size limit for the converter you're using. If the file is too large, try a different converter or use a desktop tool like ImageMagick instead.