To convert a WebP to JPG, open it in Windows Paint (File > Save as > JPEG) or Mac Preview (File > Export > JPEG), or drop it into a free online converter and download the JPG. The one thing that does not work is renaming the file, and we'll get to why in a second.
What is WebP, and why do you keep getting it?
WebP is an image format made by Google to make web pages load faster. It packs photos and graphics into smaller files than JPG or PNG at similar quality, so sites use it to save bandwidth. That's great for the people running the website. It's less great for you when you save an image and end up with a .webp file that your photo editor, a school portal, or an older printer flat-out refuses to open.
This trips people up constantly. You right-click an image, choose Save image as, and expect a JPG, but the browser gives you back the exact WebP file the site was serving. Nothing you did was wrong. The site simply doesn't store a JPG version for you to grab.
You'll usually notice the problem later, not at the moment you save. The file sits in your downloads looking fine, then you try to attach it to a form, drop it into a presentation, or send it to a printer, and the software says the format isn't supported. WebP has been around since 2010 and most modern browsers show it without complaint, but plenty of desktop apps, older phones, and office tools still haven't caught up. Converting it to JPG once solves the problem everywhere at once.
Does "Save image as" give you a JPG?
Sometimes, and it depends on the browser. In Chrome, right-click and Save image as usually hands you the original WebP. In some versions of Chrome and in Firefox, a "Save image as" dialog will let you pick JPEG from a format list, which does convert it on the spot. Edge behaves like Chrome most of the time. Because it's inconsistent, the reliable move is to save whatever you get and convert it yourself with one of the methods below.
Convert WebP to JPG on Windows (Paint)
Paint reads WebP on both Windows 10 and Windows 11, so no download is needed.
- Right-click the WebP file and choose Open with > Paint.
- Click File in the top-left.
- Choose Save as, then JPEG picture.
- Name the file and click Save.
If Paint ever says it can't open the file, the Windows Photos app is a good backup: open the image, click the three-dot menu, and choose Save as with JPG as the type.
Convert WebP to JPG on a Mac (Preview)
- Double-click the WebP so it opens in Preview. If it opens elsewhere, right-click and choose Open With > Preview.
- Go to File > Export in the menu bar.
- Set Format to JPEG.
- Adjust the Quality slider and click Save.
To do a whole folder at once, select the WebP files in Finder, right-click, and pick Quick Actions > Convert Image, then choose JPEG.
Why renaming .webp to .jpg breaks the file
It's tempting to just change the extension from .webp to .jpg and call it done. Don't. A file extension is only a name tag. It tells your computer which program to try, but it doesn't touch the actual bytes of the image, which are still encoded as WebP. So you get a file that claims to be a JPG but isn't one. Depending on the program, it either throws an error, shows a broken image, or opens fine in a few apps and fails in every other one you send it to. Real conversion re-encodes the pixels into genuine JPG data. Renaming skips that step entirely, which is exactly the problem.
The clean route: an online converter
When Paint and Preview aren't handy, or you're on a phone, a browser converter is the simplest path. The WebP to JPG converter takes your WebP file, turns it into a proper JPG in your browser, and lets you download it in seconds. Nothing installs, and the conversion happens on your own device rather than on a server. It's the fastest way to get a file that opens everywhere.
If you also deal with other formats like HEIC, PNG, or RAW, the broader guide on how to convert any image to JPG covers the same steps for each of them.