How to prevent Google Chrome from saving images in WebP format on Windows

However, most users prefer to download images in JPEG or PNG format instead of WebP because the WebP format is difficult to open on Windows.

In this article, TipsMake.com will help you understand exactly what the WebP format is, why Chrome saves images in this format, and how to prevent it.

What is the WebP format?

The WebP image format was introduced by Google itself over a decade ago and in the last few years it has gained popularity. The photos in this format are smaller and lighter than other formats and its superior compression has made it popular in recent times. Although small in size, WebP still ensures high image quality.

Why does Chrome save images as WebP format?

According to Google Developers documentation, WebP images are 25% smaller than other popular formats. As a result, they are relatively easy to load on the web, making them load faster. This leads most web developers to prefer to provide WebP images on their websites to load quickly and increase their page rank on search engines.

So, if Chrome saves the image as WebP, the fault is not with Chrome, but rather the website owner is providing the image in WebP format for the visitor to load the site faster. So is it possible to prevent Chrome from saving images in WebP format?

How to prevent Chrome from saving images in WebP format?

Technically, Chrome doesn't convert images to WebP when you download them from a website. In fact, the images are delivered in WebP format by the websites that host them. Therefore, there is no direct way to prevent Chrome from saving images as WebP format.

However, there are some workarounds that you can use to download images in your preferred format from Chrome.

How to save WebP images in a different format on Chrome

If you regularly download images from the web and don't want them to be downloaded as a Web format, here are some solutions you can try:

1. Use the extension Save image as Type

The easiest way to save WebP images in another format is to use a browser extension. Among hundreds of extensions available, Save image as Type is the best choice. With this extension, you can download images directly from the context menu (right-click menu) in any format you like.

Here's how to download the image in the correct format you like with the help of the Save image as Type extension:

1. Download the Save image as Type extension from .

How to prevent Google Chrome from saving images in WebP format on Windows Picture 1

1. After adding the extension to your browser, navigate to the image you want to download in a format other than WebP.
2. You open the context menu by right clicking on the photo and you will see the option Save image as Type .
3. To download the image in the desired format, go to the Save image as Type menu and select the format you like.

How to prevent Google Chrome from saving images in WebP format on Windows Picture 2

The extension supports JPEG, WebP, and PNG files, so you can download images in any format you want. If you don't like this solution, you can refer to the next solution.

2. Use the Paint application on Windows

The Paint application on Windows supports the WebP format and allows you to convert to another format easily. Here's how you can download WebP images in the format you want or convert downloaded images on Windows with the help of Paint application.

1. Find the image you want to download in a format other than WebP.
2. Right-click the image then select Copy image from the context menu.

How to prevent Google Chrome from saving images in WebP format on Windows Picture 3

1. Open the Paint application.
2. Press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + V to paste the copied image into the Paint application.
3. Click the File tab in the upper left corner of the Paint window, select Save as , and then select the format in which you want to save the image.

How to prevent Google Chrome from saving images in WebP format on Windows Picture 4

If you have downloaded images in WebP format, you can open them in Paint and follow the same steps to convert to another format.

Note : Although in most cases this method does not affect the image quality, if the image quality is too degraded, you should download them in WebP format and then use the Paint application to convert.

3. Use a web wallpaper converter

You can also use a web-based Image converter to convert WebP images to other formats. This is the solution that you should use when you have downloaded WebP images to your computer.

Among many popular options, Online Converter is a reliable website for converting WebP images. To convert images using the tool that Online Converter provides, follow these steps:

1. Visit website .
2. Click Image converter in the drop-down menu.

How to prevent Google Chrome from saving images in WebP format on Windows Picture 5

1. Select the format you want to convert and then from your WebP image.
2. Click Choose Files and choose a photo from your device to upload.

How to prevent Google Chrome from saving images in WebP format on Windows Picture 6

1. Click Start when the photos have been uploaded.
2. After converting the image, click the Download button to download the image.

How to prevent Google Chrome from saving images in WebP format on Windows Picture 7

To batch convert photos, you need to sign up for a premium account of Online Converter.

4. Use a browser version that does not support WebP

Finally, if you don't want to use the methods above, you can use a browser version that doesn't support WebP images. The image will then be provided in its original format.

Is it possible to open WebP images on Windows?

The official Windows photo viewer, Windows Photos, does not support WebP photos. As a result, you cannot open WebP images on Windows in the mainstream way. However, you can open images in WebP format with a browser, with image editing tools, with Paint.

You can refer to the article how to open WebP images on Windows to learn more.

Kareem Winters

Update 17 February 2023