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PNG to WebP Converter — 25-35% Smaller, Transparency Preserved

Convert PNG to WebP online. Shrink files 25-35% or more with full transparency support and modern-browser coverage. Ideal for CDN delivery and CMS uploads.


Why convert PNG to WEBP?

WebP is a modern image format built by Google on the VP8/VP8L codec. Unlike JPG, it can run in either lossy or lossless mode and keeps a proper alpha channel, which means it compresses both photos and PNG-style graphics well without forcing you to give up transparency. For typical screenshots, UI exports, and photo PNGs, WebP produces files 25-35% smaller than the source with quality that's visually indistinguishable at standard viewing distances. Every current browser (Chrome, Safari 14+, Firefox, Edge) decodes WebP natively, making it the default choice for CDN-backed sites where every byte costs page-speed budget.

Alpha channel stays intact

WebP carries full 8-bit transparency, so transparent PNG regions translate 1:1 without the flattening JPG forces. Cut-outs, UI overlays, and logo marks survive the conversion cleanly.

Smaller for web without PNG's bloat

Default Sharp WebP encoding targets quality 80, which typically produces WebPs 25-35% smaller than a comparable PNG for photographic content and even more aggressive savings on screenshots with large flat-color regions.

Works on every modern browser

Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari 14+ decode WebP without a fallback image. Unless you're targeting IE11 or ancient Android browsers, you can ship WebP as the primary asset.

PNG vs WebP decision points

WebP covers most of what PNG does at smaller sizes — use PNG only when you need its specific niche features.

Delivering images to browsers or CDNs where file-size matters: WebP almost always wins.

Supporting screenshots or UI exports with large flat regions: WebP's VP8L lossless mode beats PNG on compression ratio.

Archival or editor handoff where exact PNG chunks matter: stay on PNG.

Targeting IE11 or extremely old Android browsers: serve PNG as a <picture> fallback.

Our secure conversion process

We show you exactly what happens when you convert, so you know where data goes and what stays untouched.

Upload a PNG

Drop your PNG above. We identify whether it's indexed-color, grayscale, or truecolor with alpha before encoding.

Choose WebP

WebP is preselected; click Convert to generate a WebP at Sharp's default quality 80.

Download your WebP

Download in-browser from the results page. Serve it directly or plug it into a <picture> element with a PNG fallback.

Want to try it out? Upload your file above, no signup required.

What you get

Every conversion here runs on a temporary copy, delivers a ready download, and clears out quickly after you’re done.

  • Transparency survives end-to-end — WebP's alpha channel is a 1:1 replacement for PNG's.
  • Default encoding at quality 80 balances visual fidelity with CDN-friendly file sizes.
  • Output is single-image (still) WebP suitable for every modern browser and CDN.
  • Runs on a temporary server-side copy that we delete right after conversion.

Frequently asked questions

Is the WebP output lossless or lossy?

We use Sharp's default WebP encoder settings, which produce lossy WebPs at quality 80. That's a strong match for photographic PNGs and still visually indistinguishable for most UI content. If you need truly lossless output for archival work, stay on PNG or use PNG to TIFF instead.

Will transparency be preserved?

Yes. WebP supports a full 8-bit alpha channel, so transparent PNG regions translate directly without flattening. Partial-transparency anti-aliased edges (text, soft shadows) survive cleanly.

What about browser compatibility?

WebP is supported natively in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari 14+ (macOS Big Sur / iOS 14 and later). If you need to support older browsers, use a <picture> element with a PNG fallback — the browser picks the best supported source.

Why is my WebP bigger than expected?

If your PNG was already a screenshot with small dimensions or heavily indexed colors, WebP's savings are proportionally smaller. The biggest wins come from photo-content PNGs and large UI exports. Also, extremely simple images with only a few colors can compress very tightly in PNG already.

Does this support animated PNG (APNG) input?

We encode single-frame WebP output, so APNG input gets flattened to a still image (first frame). For animated output you'd need a different tool that supports WebP animation explicitly.

Related conversions

Other common conversions people run alongside this one.

PNG to AVIF

Newer codec, even smaller files, same transparency support.

More tools for PNG files

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