Can't Open a WebP File? Here's the Fix for Windows, Mac, and iPhone

A WebP file won’t open because the program you’re using doesn’t support WebP format. The fastest fix is to convert it to JPG — which opens in every program on every device without issues. You can do this in your browser right now, no software to install. Here’s why it happens and exactly how to fix it.

Why You Can't Open WebP Files

WebP is Google’s image format — it was designed for websites, where smaller file sizes improve page load speed. Modern web browsers display WebP perfectly, but many desktop apps, photo editors, and older devices were built before WebP existed and never added support.

Programs that commonly fail to open WebP:

• Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook) — particularly older versions
• Adobe Photoshop older than version 23.2 (released 2022)
• Lightroom Classic — no native WebP import
• Windows Photo Viewer (the legacy one from Windows 7/8)
• Paint on Windows 10 before the 22H2 update
• Email clients — Outlook, Thunderbird may not render WebP inline
• Mobile apps — many older apps or apps that haven’t been updated

The format itself is fine — the problem is that your specific program predates or doesn’t include WebP support. The solution is conversion.

The Fastest Fix: Convert It to JPG

Rather than updating your software, installing plugins, or trying to find WebP viewers, the fastest solution is to convert the WebP to JPG. JPG is the most universally supported image format — it opens in literally every program ever made that handles images.

You can convert a WebP file in your browser right now:

1. Open any browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) and go to the WebP to JPG converter.
2. Drop in your .webp file — or click to select it.
3. Click "Convert to JPG."
4. Download the .jpg file.

The whole process takes under 10 seconds. The converted JPG opens in every program, attaches to every email, and uploads to every form without issues. There is no quality loss visible to the eye at the default quality setting.

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Opening WebP on Windows Without Converting

If you specifically want to open the WebP without converting it, here are your options on Windows:

• Windows 11 Photos app — opens WebP natively in updated versions
• Windows 10 Photos app — may need the HEIF Image Extensions and Web Media Extensions from the Microsoft Store (free)
• Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge — drag the .webp file into a browser tab to view it instantly
• IrfanView — free image viewer that supports WebP out of the box
• XnView — another free viewer with WebP support

For editing WebP directly on Windows, newer Photoshop (2022+) and GIMP both support it natively. But if you just need to send or use the file somewhere, converting to JPG is faster than updating your apps.

Opening WebP on Mac and iPhone

Mac: macOS Preview opens WebP files natively — just double-click. If Preview shows a blank or broken image, the file may be corrupted or may not actually be a WebP despite the extension. Try opening it in Chrome by dragging it to a browser tab.

iPhone and iPad: iOS Photos app displays WebP files. If you saved a WebP from Safari, it goes to the Files app (Downloads folder), not directly to Photos. Open the Files app, find the .webp file, and tap it — iOS will preview it. To add it to Photos, tap Share › Save Image.

Still can’t view it? The file might have a wrong extension. A file named "image.webp" that’s actually a JPG or PNG will fail to open. Try renaming it to .jpg or .png to see if that helps.

For converting, the browser method works on iPhone too: open Safari, go to the converter, and follow the same steps.

Preventing the Problem: Stop Getting WebP Files

If you regularly download images from websites and they keep arriving as WebP, a few options:

• Right-click and "Save image as" in Chrome — sometimes the filename will show .webp, indicating the site serves WebP. You’ll still get WebP, but you’ll know before trying to open it.
• Browser extensions that auto-convert WebP on download exist, but they’re complex to configure and some have privacy issues.
• The easiest approach: just keep a tab open with the WebP to JPG converter. When a WebP arrives, drop it in, convert, done. Takes 10 seconds.

For bulk situations — if a supplier always delivers product images as WebP — set up a simple workflow: download all files, batch convert them, continue with your work. The batch converter guide covers this in detail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my WebP file have no thumbnail in Windows File Explorer?

Windows generates JPG and PNG thumbnails by default but may not generate WebP thumbnails on older Windows 10 builds. Install the "Web Media Extensions" app from the Microsoft Store (free) to add WebP thumbnail support to File Explorer.

Can I just rename a WebP file to .jpg to open it?

No — renaming the extension does not convert the file format. The file will still be encoded as WebP internally and most programs will fail to open it or show an error. You must actually convert it.

Is there a way to make Photoshop open WebP files?

Photoshop 23.2 (released January 2022) and later versions support WebP natively. If you have an older version, the WebPShop plugin from Google (free, on GitHub) adds WebP support to older Photoshop versions.

My WebP file was downloaded as "Chrome HTML Document" — is it still a WebP?

Yes — Chrome sometimes saves WebP images with a generic "Chrome HTML Document" label in the file type. The file is still a valid WebP image. Rename it to add .webp at the end, then convert it normally.