Why a WebP will not open where you need it
Websites serve WebP because it is small. When you save such an image, you get a .webp file. Current browsers show it fine, but plenty of other places still do not: some older photo editors, print and photo-book services, document templates, upload forms and email tools. JPG works almost everywhere, so converting is the quickest way around the problem.
If the image is a logo or graphic that must stay transparent, convert it to PNG instead with WebP to PNG. JPG cannot keep transparency.
What changes when WebP becomes JPG
- Size. A JPG at the same visual quality is usually bigger than a lossy WebP. Expect the file to grow, sometimes noticeably.
- Quality. Both are lossy, so converting adds a second round of compression. Use 90 or higher to keep the copy close to the original, and keep the WebP if you may need it again.
- Transparency. The see-through parts are blended onto the background colour you choose. Light artwork on a transparent background needs a dark background, or it will vanish against white.
- Animation. An animated WebP gives only its first frame as the JPG.
- Metadata. Pictures from websites rarely carry camera data. Where an EXIF block exists, Keep copies it into the JPG.
Getting a good result
Pick quality 90 to 95 for pictures you will edit or print, and 80 to 85 for pictures that only need to display. Check the first result before converting a long list. If the same files also need to go the other way, JPG to WebP does it, and the full image converter offers PNG and AVIF too.