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PicsCompressor

Convert PNG to WebP Online

Convert transparent PNG images to WebP and keep the transparent background. Ideal for product cut-outs and illustrations with soft shadows.

Drop your image here

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Supported: PNG

Maximum file size: 20 MB

Your image is processed for compression and is not permanently stored. In modern browsers, compression runs on your device, so the image is not uploaded. Older browsers that cannot encode WebP or PNG fall back to our server, where the image is processed in memory and discarded as soon as the result is returned. Privacy policy

Simple, free and private

  • Free to use

    Compress and convert as many images as you like, with no fees or watermarks.

  • No registration

    No account or email needed. Open the page and start right away.

  • JPG, PNG and WebP

    Works with the most common image formats and converts between them.

  • Up to 20 MB

    Upload large photos straight from your phone or camera.

A product cut-out PNG with a soft transparent shadow next to the WebP version, which keeps the same transparency
The PNG with transparency is 15.3 KB; the WebP at quality 80 is 8.7 KB and keeps the transparent background and soft shadow. Measured with the PicsCompressor server encoder.

Transparency without the PNG file size

PNG is the usual choice for images with transparent backgrounds: product photos cut out from their background, illustrations with soft drop shadows, stickers and hero graphics. Because PNG is lossless, those images are often very large, especially when they contain photographic detail or smooth gradients.

Converting to JPG would make them smaller but fill the background with white. Palette-based PNG compression keeps transparency, but soft shadows and gradients can show banding when the colours are reduced. Lossy WebP sits between the two: it keeps the alpha channel and compresses photo-like content efficiently.

This page is set up to output WebP. Upload a PNG, choose a quality, and download a .webp file with its transparency intact. For JPG photos, use the JPG to WebP converter.

How to convert PNG to WebP

  1. Add your PNG

    Drag and drop, choose a file or paste an image. WebP output is already selected.

  2. Choose a quality

    Start around 80% and raise it if edges or small text look soft.

  3. Check edges, then download

    Zoom in on outlines and shadows in the comparison slider, then download the .webp file.

Checking quality when converting PNG to WebP

Good candidates for WebP

  • Product cut-outs for online stores, where the background must stay transparent.
  • Illustrations with soft shadows or gradients that band when reduced to a small palette.
  • Photos saved as PNG that also need transparency, such as portraits with a removed background.

Check transparent edges

The output is lossy WebP, and the transparency itself is compressed along with the colours. Around the outline of a cut-out, hair, fur or a soft shadow, lower quality settings can produce slightly rough or blurred edges. Zoom in on those areas in the comparison slider. If you see halos or jagged outlines, raise the quality until they disappear.

UI graphics, icons and text

Screenshots, interface elements and images containing small text rely on sharp, pixel-exact edges. Lossy WebP can soften them. Check lettering and thin lines carefully at full size, not just in a small preview, and use a high quality if you convert these at all. If they still look soft, keep them as PNG.

When a palette PNG is better

Simple logos, icons and flat illustrations with only a handful of colours often compress very well as an indexed palette PNG, while staying perfectly crisp. Try the PNG compressor on the same file and compare the result with the WebP. If transparency does not matter at all, the PNG to JPG converter gives maximum compatibility.

Browser support and compatibility

All current major browsers display WebP, including transparent WebP, so it works well for websites and stores. Some older software, upload forms and print services still only accept JPG or PNG, so keep your original PNG as the master copy.

Where conversion happens

Current Chrome, Edge and Firefox can encode WebP, so the PNG is converted on your device. Other browsers fall back to our server, which converts the image in memory, keeps transparency and discards the file afterwards. Need to shrink an existing WebP? Use the WebP compressor.

Why convert PNG to WebP?

  • Keeps transparency

    Transparent and semi-transparent areas stay transparent, unlike JPG.

  • Lighter cut-outs

    Photo-like PNGs with transparency are often much smaller as lossy WebP.

  • Compare before download

    Use the slider to check edges, shadows and text at your chosen quality.

  • Browser support

    Displayed by all current major web browsers.

Frequently asked questions

Does PNG to WebP keep the transparent background?

Yes. WebP supports an alpha channel, so transparent and semi-transparent areas are kept. This is the main difference from the PNG to JPG converter, which fills transparency with white.

Is the converted WebP lossless?

No. The converter creates lossy WebP. Most photos and soft illustrations look very close to the original at a good quality setting, but sharp edges, thin lines and small text can soften. Use the comparison slider to check before downloading.

Should I convert logos and icons to WebP?

It depends. Simple graphics with a few flat colours can be small and perfectly sharp as a palette PNG, which the PNG compressor creates. WebP tends to help more with photo-like images, gradients and soft shadows. Try both and compare the file sizes and edges.

Can I use WebP images with transparency on my website?

Yes. All current major browsers display WebP, including its transparency. Some older software, upload forms and print services only accept JPG or PNG, so keep your original PNG for those.

Is my PNG uploaded during conversion?

Not in browsers that can encode WebP, such as current Chrome, Edge and Firefox. In other browsers the image is sent to our server, converted in memory with transparency kept, and discarded.

Is there a size limit?

You can convert one PNG at a time, up to 20 MB. Very large images are also limited by pixel count: 50 megapixels in the browser and 25 megapixels when the server fallback is used.

More answers in our image compression FAQ.

All tools

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