How to use it
- Drop in WebP files.
- Each becomes a GIF with the best 256 colours for it.
- Download them.
Still images only
Browsers expose only the first frame of an animated WebP to web pages in a way that works across every browser, so animated WebPs come out as a still GIF of their opening frame. For still WebPs, the result is a faithful GIF within the format's limits.
Those limits
GIF supports 256 colours and on-or-off transparency. Stickers, icons and simple graphics convert very well. Photographic WebPs will show some banding. Soft shadows around cut-out images become hard-edged.
If the goal is simply to use the image somewhere WebP is not accepted, WebP to PNG keeps full colour and smooth transparency and works in most of the same places. Use GIF when GIF is specifically required.
WebP and GIF compared
| WebP | GIF | |
|---|---|---|
| First released | 2010 | 1987 |
| Compression | Lossy or lossless | Lossless, but 256 colours at most |
| Transparency | Yes | On or off only |
| Animation or pages | Animation | Animation |
| Best for | Images on websites | Simple animations |
| Support | All current browsers; some apps and forms still refuse it | Universal |
Questions people ask
Can I convert an animated WebP to an animated GIF?
Not yet; you get the first frame. The GIF maker can animate separate frames.
Does transparency survive?
Yes, as fully transparent or fully solid pixels.
Is PNG a better choice?
For still images, usually. Use GIF when a site or tool specifically requires it.