FileHint

image/webp

The MIME type for WebP — Google's web-optimised image format, producing smaller files than JPEG or PNG at equivalent quality.

Typical extensions

Primary uses

  • Shrinking image payloads on the web
  • Progressive enhancement via `<picture>` with a JPEG fallback
  • CDN image optimisation pipelines

In a browser

Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari 16+ support WebP natively. Provide a JPEG fallback in `<picture>` for older Safari.

On a server

Content negotiation via the `Accept` header is standard: serve WebP only when the client advertises `image/webp`.

In email

Apple Mail, Outlook 2019+, and Gmail handle WebP, but older clients will break. Stick to JPEG or PNG in email when possible.

References