If you’ve ever tried downloading images from modern websites, chances are you’ve come across the WebP format. Created by Google, WebP delivers high-quality images at much smaller file sizes, making it extremely popular for web optimization. But while WebP works great on the web, many Windows apps still don’t open it by default—leaving users confused or looking for easy ways to view or convert these images.
If you’re here reading this guide, you’re likely trying to open a WebP image on Windows 10 or Windows 11 and wondering which apps support it natively. The good news? Windows now offers multiple built-in and third-party options to open, view, and even edit WebP files without hassle.
In this step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through five of the best ways to open WebP images on Windows, along with alternatives for editing and converting them.
1. Open WebP Images Using the Photos App
Both Windows 10 and Windows 11 include the Microsoft Photos app, which natively supports WebP.
How to Open WebP in Photos
- Right-click your WebP image.
- Select:
Open with → Photos - The image will open instantly.
If Photos is your default viewer, simply double-clicking the image will open it.
Why Use Photos?
- Pre-installed on Windows
- Supports WebP, JPG, PNG, HEIC, GIF, and more
- Offers basic editing: crop, rotate, filters
If you just want to view WebP images without installing anything, this is the best method.
2. Use Paint or Paint 3D to Open WebP
Windows 11’s updated Paint app supports WebP out of the box. Paint 3D (Windows 10) also supports WebP for viewing and editing.
Open WebP in Paint
- Right-click your WebP file.
- Choose:
Open with → Paint
Edit or Convert WebP to JPG/PNG
Once the file is open:
- Click File → Save as.
- Choose:
- JPEG picture
- PNG picture
- BMP
Paint doubles as a lightweight WebP converter.
3. Use a Web Browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox)
All major browsers support WebP natively. If you don’t want to install apps or change settings, a browser is the simplest fallback.
- Right-click your WebP file.
- Select:
Open with → Choose another app - Pick Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or Firefox.
Your browser will open the image in a new tab.
Why Use a Browser?
- Fast and reliable
- No extra software needed
- You can zoom, save, or inspect metadata
This is especially useful when handling WebP images from downloaded web pages.
4. Open WebP Using IrfanView (Best Lightweight Viewer
If you frequently work with images, IrfanView is one of the best offline image viewers for Windows. It supports WebP and dozens of other formats.
Steps to Use IrfanView
- Download IrfanView from: https://www.irfanview.com
- Install the app (optionally install plugins for extended features).
- Open IrfanView → press Ctrl + O → select your WebP image.
Why Use IrfanView?
- Extremely fast
- Supports batch conversions
- Includes editing tools
- Lightweight and free
Great for users who handle large groups of WebP images.
5. Use GIMP or Photoshop (For Editing WebP Files)
If you want to edit WebP images—not just view them—professional editors are the best option.
Use GIMP (Free & Open Source)
- Download GIMP from: https://www.gimp.org
- Install and open your WebP image.
- Edit, convert, or export as needed.
GIMP supports WebP natively.
Use Adobe Photoshop (With Plugin)
Older Photoshop versions do not support WebP by default, but you can install a plugin.
- Download the WebP plugin from Google (for older versions).
- Place it in Photoshop’s Plug-ins folder.
- Restart Photoshop.
Photoshop 23.2 and above support WebP without plugins.
This is helpful when websites or software do not support WebP.
Wrapping Up
And that wraps up our guide on the 5 Best Ways to Open WebP Images on Windows 10/11. Whether you’re viewing, editing, or converting WebP files, Windows offers plenty of built-in and third-party tools to make the process seamless. From the Photos app to powerful tools like IrfanView and GIMP, you can open WebP images effortlessly on any PC.
