- WebP and AVIF offer great compression and quality, but they generate many compatibility problems with outdated programs and systems.
- Browsers do not convert to WebP on their own; they receive that format from the servers when they detect that it is supported.
- To bypass WebP in Chrome, you can use extensions, changes to the URL, editors like Paint, or online converters.
- Completely disabling WebP in the browser or system usually causes more errors, so it's more sensible to learn how to manage it and enable it when necessary.
If every time you try to save a photo from your browser you see that dreaded format WebP instead of JPG or PNGYou're not alone. Many users are finding their lives complicated by a change that, in theory, was meant to improve the website, but in practice is causing incompatibilities with programs, workflows, and OS that are not up to date.
What for Google And for the developers, it's a performance improvement, for those who just want Download an image and open it without any hassle. This can become a real headache. Let's take a closer look at why this happens, what role Chrome, Firefox, and other browsers play, and above all, what you can do to avoid (as much as possible) downloading WebP images and work with classic formats.
What exactly is WebP and why do you see it everywhere?
In addition to being lightweight, WebP supports compression with and without lossTherefore, it can behave like an optimized (lossy) JPG or a compressed (lossless) PNG while maintaining excellent detail. This flexibility is precisely what has made it so attractive for modern web design and development.
Another point in its favor is that supports transparency (like PNGs) and also animations, functioning in practice as a substitute for a GIF but with less file size and better quality. For those who create fast and optimized websites, it's almost the perfect format.
The logical consequence is that, as WebP has matured and had stable libraries (around 2018 it was considered truly production-ready), more browsers and platforms have adopted it: Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari (since version 14) they offer support, and more and more CMS, editors and image viewers have jumped on the bandwagon.
However, this transition has not been so rapid for the average user: there are many small programs, older viewers, or niche tools that They haven't opened WebP yet, or they're doing so in a limited way.which explains much of the frustration it generates.
Why does your browser download images as WebP?
One of the biggest misconceptions is thinking that Chrome or Firefox They automatically "convert" JPGs into WebP when saving them. Actually, in most cases this is not the case: the server is already delivering the image in WebP because it detects that your browser supports it.
Many modern websites use techniques such as content negotiation or alternative formats on the same server. If the browser indicates that it supports WebP, the server responds with the WebP version of the imageEven if the original file on the server is a .jpg or a .png, what you see in Chrome when you right-click and select "Save image as..." is simply the file that the server provided.
Therefore, even if you have the feeling that "Chrome is forcing me to save everything as WebP", in practice what is happening is that the website you are visiting is primarily serving WebP to modern browsers. Chrome simply downloads the content as it is sent to it.
From a performance standpoint, this makes perfect sense: Lighter pages, less data consumption, and better search engine rankingsBut, of course, if you then want to open that image in a viewer that doesn't support WebP, or integrate it into an established graphic workflow, you have to deal with conversions and extra steps.
The problem is compounded because some systems still do not handle WebP natively or do so with certain limitations, so You encounter files that won't open, or that you can't upload to certain websites. or that cause errors in older applications.
Technical advantages of WebP (and why Google is pushing it so much)
If we disregard the drawbacks, we must acknowledge that WebP has solid arguments. Its main advantage is that significantly reduces file size compared to JPEG and PNG, with savings that multiply the performance improvements when we talk about hundreds or thousands of images on a website.
In terms of quality, with lossy compression, a well-configured WebP is comparable or superior to a JPEG For the same weight, and in lossless compression, it can maintain very faithful details and colors, in line with a PNG but taking up considerably less space.
Its compatibility with transparency and animations makes it a tool many developers see as a all-in-one formatA single, open standard, maintained by Google and with growing support across browsers, operating systems, and publishers. Fewer formats to manage means fewer headaches in the future.
In the professional environment, from content management systems like WordPress to design suites like Photoshop or Pixelmator, WebP support has been gradually incorporatedMore modern office suites and image viewers have also added it.
The big "but" comes with small tools, old utilities, or very basic viewers, especially in Linux or on computers with outdated systems: there WebP may not be supported by default, forcing the installation of plugins or resorting to prior conversions, which negates the supposed convenience of the format.
AVIF, the next format that further complicates the landscape
While WebP continues its expansion, there is another format that is making a strong entrance: AVIFDerived from the AV1 video codec and promoted by the Alliance for Open Media, AVIF promises even greater efficiency than WebP and JPEG.
In compression tests, AVIF usually outperform both WebP and JPEG at the same perceived quality. It also supports images HDR with color depth of up to 12 bits, improving on what other modern formats like HEIF or WebP itself offer, which fall short.
The problem remains the same: while the latest browsers (Chrome and Firefox in their latest versions) are starting to support it, Edge and Safari do it partially or not at all, And in iOS And macOS only the most recent versions work with AVIF without any workarounds.
On desktop operating systems, AVIF also requires modern versions: Windows 10 and later and macOS Ventura These are the environments where it truly works seamlessly. If your computer or system is a bit outdated, you might not be able to open AVIF directly.
This leaves us in a situation where websites are opting for increasingly efficient and modern formats, but a portion of users He doesn't have the tools ready yet.generating errors, incompatibilities and more manual work, the exact opposite of what is intended.
Why do so many people want to avoid downloading WebP images?
Beyond theory, the daily experience of many users is very similar to this: you browse, see a photo you want to save, right-click, "Save image as..." and it only lets you Save as .webp even if the original site used JPG or PNGIf you then can't open that image with your usual viewer or certain websites don't accept it when you upload it, frustration is guaranteed.
Some professional users, such as photographers or graphic designers, consider WebP to be a format. impractical for your workflowTheir tools, scripts, and automations have been designed around JPG and PNG for years, and reconfiguring everything for WebP doesn't always pay off.
The feeling that it's something "imposed" from above doesn't help either: since Google is behind Chrome and WebP, some perceive that The platform's interests are prioritized over user convenience., forcing users to install converters, extensions, or rely on the browser for basic viewing tasks.
Although there are extensions and plugins to save images in other formats, many people would prefer a native and simple way to disable WebP without completely giving up seeing the images on the pages. And that's where the Tricks, adjustments and compromise solutions that we will see below.
Ultimately, the underlying complaint is clear: JPEG and PNG have been the standard for over two decades without too many problems, and the switch to WebP and AVIF, while technically justified, is leaving a trail of errors, incompatibilities, and extra steps that many are not willing to accept without further ado.
How to avoid downloading WebP images in Chrome (or at least circumvent them)
In Chrome there is no magic button of the type “Stop saving everything in WebPAs we've seen, it's the server that decides which format to deliver. However, there are several ways to circumvent this problem and get the image in JPG or PNG with minimal hassle.
A commonly used strategy is to manipulate the Image URLOn some sites that serve variations, the path ends in .webp, but the same resource is available as .jpg or .jpeg. If you copy the image address, paste it into the address bar, and manually change the extension to .jpg or .png, sometimes the server will deliver the original version in that format, and you can save it without further ado.
When that doesn't work, the most direct way in Chrome is to go to specific extensionsOne of the most popular is "Save image as type," available in the Chrome Web Store. Once installed and pinned to the toolbar, it adds an option to the context menu to save the image as JPG or PNG instead of WebP.
It works simply: you right-click on the image, choose “Save image as type"and select the desired format (JPG, PNG, or WebP). The file is downloaded already converted, without you having to use an editor afterward. It's one of the fastest solutions for those who constantly struggle with WebP."
Another possibility, less well-known but equally valid, is to resort to online convertersSites like Online Convert allow you to upload a WebP file and download it back as a JPEG or PNG. They're useful if you already have several images in WebP format and want to convert them later, although batch conversion usually requires paid subscriptions or more advanced tools.
Save WebP images in other formats using desktop applications
If you're on Windows, you have a solution at hand that doesn't require extensions or third-party websites: the old application Paint, which in its modern versions supports WebP without problems and allows exporting to other classic formats.
A very quick way to get an image in JPG or PNG format is to copy it directly from the browser. Right-click on the image, select “Copy image”Open Paint, paste with CTRL+V, and then use "Save As" to choose JPG, PNG, or another compatible format.
If you have already downloaded the WebP file, you can open it directly in Paint and repeat the process of “Save as"Choosing the type you prefer. In most cases, the quality will be virtually identical to what you see in the browser, although if the image was already highly compressed, slight losses may be noticeable when recompressing."
For those who work with many images, the ideal is to combine this method with batch tools (editors, scripts or dedicated converters) that automate the conversion of dozens or hundreds of WebP files to JPG or PNG without having to go one by one.
On other operating systems, the idea is the same: use an editor or viewer that supports WebP and includes export options. GIMP Even many third-party viewers, almost any modern tool already incorporates this conversion capability.
Disable or limit WebP in specific browsers
Some users prefer to go a step further and try disabling WebP completely to stop websites from serving that format to your browser. The possibilities vary considerably depending on the browser.
In Firefox, for quite some time there was a trick via about:config to disable WebP support. Some users report that disabling this support caused the browser to malfunction. It stopped requesting WebP images and started receiving JPGs again.which solved the problem of having to deal with constant conversions.
The drawback is that, by doing this, images that were only available in WebP are no longer available. they simply stopped showing themselvesThis particularly affected thumbnails on platforms like YouTube and other highly optimized websites that don't support alternative formats. In other words, the "fix" came at a price in usability.
In Chromium-based browsers (Chrome, Brave, Edge, etc.), there isn't such a clear native option for Disable WebP from the settingsSome users migrating from Firefox find that they cannot easily replicate that behavior, and are forced to live with WebP or use extensions.
There are even "sledgehammer" solutions at the system level. For example, modifying the Windows registry key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MIME\Database\Content Type\image/webp, changing the associated extension from .webp to .jpg. This causes WebP files to be identified as JPGs at the MIME type association level, even though it is a risky solution which can cause side effects and is not recommended for inexperienced users.
In short, completely disabling WebP in your browser these days usually causes more problems than it solves, so the most sensible approach is usually to learn to dodge it or turn it when it's actually in the way, instead of trying to remove its support altogether.
Use other browsers or older versions to bypass WebP
Another somewhat radical strategy is to resort to browsers that do not support WebP or older versions of current browsers where the format was not yet implemented. If the browser does not declare support for WebP, many servers stop serving that format and revert to using JPEG or PNG.
This has several major drawbacks: firstly, using older versions of browsers It poses an obvious security risk.because you don't receive patches or fixes for recent vulnerabilities. Furthermore, some modern websites rely on features that are only available in current versions.
In some specific cases, it can be useful to have a secondary browser (or an isolated profile) configured for Use only when you need images in classic formatsBut as a general solution for everyday use, it remains a workaround with quite a few compromises.
For many users, the best combination remains using their usual updated (and therefore WebP-compatible) browser and relying on extensions, editors or converters when they really need a JPG or PNG for compatibility.
It is also worth remembering that as operating systems, programs, and tools are updated, support for WebP and AVIF will also change. it will gradually return to normal And it is likely that in a few years this whole problem will be reduced to something anecdotal.
Passionate writer about the world of bytes and technology in general. I love sharing my knowledge through writing, and that's what I'll do on this blog, show you all the most interesting things about gadgets, software, hardware, tech trends, and more. My goal is to help you navigate the digital world in a simple and entertaining way.