Did you know that GIMP has the built-in capability to save WebP files? If you didn’t know this, and you’re unsure why you’d ever save a file as a WebP in the first place, read on to explore this filetype and how to use it.
How to Export Files to WebP in GIMP
Exporting files to WebP in GIMP is very easy. If you don’t have it already, go ahead and download GIMP for free. Despite its non-existent price tag, GIMP is a powerful tool that’s a good pick if you don’t feel like paying for Photoshop.
To save an image as a WebP in GIMP, open up the image inside GIMP, then select “File -> Export As.”
GIMP is a little odd, as if you try to save an image, GIMP will only let you save as an XCF file. If you want it saved as any other file type (like WebP, JPG, or PNG), you need to export it.
When the export window is open, select “.WebP” in the drop-down menu. You can also manually delete the image’s current filetype and replace it with “.webp,” and GIMP will understand what you want to do.
Before GIMP exports your image into a WebP format, you’ll see a window pop up asking how much quality you want to carry over to the new image. If you don’t want any quality to be lost, tick the “lossless” box; If this is not a concern for you, adjust the sliders to fit your needs.
According to CanIUse, Google Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Opera support the webp image format, which makes up a majority of the share of web browsers. This also means that it is a good time to consider switching your web images to the webp format. Another trick is to resize and optimize your images so they can load faster on your site.
Want to optimize your GIMP routines? Get our free GIMP keyboard shortcuts cheatsheet.
Simon Batt is a Computer Science graduate with a passion for cybersecurity.
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