Improving Website Performance with WebP Image Format on WordPress: A Detailed Guide

What is WebP?

WebP is a modern image format created by Google that supports superior lossless and lossy compression of images on the web, including WordPress. This format reduces the file size of images, resulting in faster downloads and less data consumption when presenting images to users.

WebP has its own file extensions, such as "your-file-name.WebP". In addition, WebP supports transparent (alpha) backgrounds and animation features, similar to the GIF format.

Why Choose WebP Format on WordPress

The WebP format is an efficient form of image compression that can significantly reduce file size without compromising image quality. By using WebP format on WordPress, the visual quality of the image will not change, but the file size will be reduced significantly. Therefore, using WebP canSpeed up website loading, enhance the user experience.

Converting images to WebP format is alsoPageSpeed InsightsupperLighthouseA recommendation from the performance report.

WebP, JPEG, PNG file size comparison

WebP and JPEG
Generally after converting JPEG images to WebP format, the original file sizeReduced 70%And the two images are visuallyThere's almost no difference.Google found that the average size of WebP files is larger than that of JPEG files.Small 25%-34%The

WebP vs. PNG
Similarly, WebP lossless images are better than PNG imagesSmall about 26%. It was measured that by converting a PNG image to WebP, the file sizeReduction of 96%The

How WebP Images Work on WordPress

Starting with WordPress version 5.8, users can work with WebP images just as they would with JPEG, PNG, or GIF formats.WordPress supports the WebP image format and does not require special settings to render it correctly.

How to Upload WebP Images in WordPress

To upload WebP images in WordPress:

• Go to the WordPress dashboard.
• Select "media, esp. news media">"Add file".

• Upload new WebP images. They can also be dragged and dropped directly into the media library.

How to check if WebP is working on my WordPress site

• To check if the WebP image is working correctly on the front-end, you can add the WebP image to the page and check the elements using Chrome Developer Tools. Another way to save the image on your computer is to right-click on the image and select "Save the image as", the downloaded image should have a WebP extension.

Can I use WebP?

WebP format can be used in your next WordPress development project. Providing images using this modern format will improve site performance and avoid heavy pages containing unnecessarily large images.

Which Web browsers support WebP images?

All major web browsers (such asChrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox and Opera) all now support WebP images and render them correctly. This is also true on mobile devices, except for older versions of Safari and Android browsers that do not support WebP.

How to enable WebP in WordPress?

Although WordPress automatically supports WebP format, it won't convert your uploaded JPEG or PNG files to WebP.There are some useful tools and plugins that can help you easily convert files to WebP format.

How to Use WebP Images in WordPress

WordPresswill not (act, happen etc)Automatically converts your JPEG or PNG files to WebP, but will beFront-end displayWebP images and make them available to users. Files can be converted to WebP format by the following methods

1. Use of design software

utilizationLightroom,PhotoshopmaybePhotopeaand other software to convert the images manually, and then upload the converted WebP images to the WordPress media library.

2. Use of online platforms

Utilize online tools to convert files to WebP. for example:

Cloudconvert: Convert any type of image file to WebP online.

Ezgif: Another free and fast online WebP to JPG converter tool.

3. Using WebP Converter WordPress Plugin

This is the easiest way to take all existing images directly from WordPress "batch"Convert to WebP. for example.Smush ProPlug-ins.

concluding remarks

Understanding and using the WebP format can significantly improve the performance and user experience of your website. Whether it's through manual conversions, online tools, or plugins, WordPress users have a variety of ways to convert images to WebP format.