How WebP compression works
WebP applies two related techniques. Lossy WebP reuses ideas from JPEG to drop detail the eye is unlikely to miss, while lossless WebP rebuilds the exact image from a compact description of repeated patterns.
The format also carries an alpha channel for transparency, which PNG traditionally provides. A single file can therefore hold a photographic subject with a soft, transparent edge. Because stills and animations share one container, the extension stays the same either way.
Static and animated WebP
A static WebP is a single still frame, exactly like a JPEG or PNG. An animated WebP holds a sequence of frames and plays them in a loop, similar to a GIF.
The distinction matters for tools. Converting or compressing software must read every frame, so many tools accept only static files and reject animations rather than silently flattening them.
Using WebP with Filekind
Filekind converts static WebP to JPEG and PNG, and converts JPEG and PNG into static WebP, all inside the browser. Animated WebP files are rejected instead of losing their animation without warning.
Inputs follow the shared image limits of 25 MB, 16,000 pixels per side, and 48 megapixels. Older software that does not recognize WebP can be served by converting a copy to JPEG or PNG first. Small outputs also help when a page or form sets a strict ceiling on image weight.