Why Images Download as WebP (and How to Get JPG)

Why "Save image as" gives you a WebP or AVIF file, why the website is doing it, and four ways to end up with a normal JPG or PNG instead.

By xconverter editorial team. Updated

You right-click a picture on a website, choose Save image as, and get a file ending in .webp that your photo viewer, editor or upload form refuses to open. Sometimes it is .avif instead. Nothing is wrong with your browser. This guide explains what is happening and how to get a JPG or PNG.

Why websites send WebP and AVIF

Images are usually the heaviest part of a web page. WebP files are typically 25–35% smaller than JPG at the same quality, and AVIF files smaller still. Smaller images mean faster pages, lower bandwidth bills and better scores in Google’s page speed tests, so most large websites now serve modern formats.

How the server decides

Every time your browser asks for an image, it tells the server which formats it understands, in a request header called Accept. Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari all say they accept WebP, and most also accept AVIF. The website, or the image service in front of it, then sends the smallest format your browser can show.

That is why:

  • the same picture can download as JPG in one browser and WebP in another
  • an image address ending in .jpg can still give you WebP data
  • the file you save is whatever your browser received, not the original the site owner uploaded

Four ways to get a JPG or PNG

1. Convert the file you saved

The quickest fix. Save the WebP or AVIF as normal, then convert it:

These converters run in your browser, so the image isn’t uploaded anywhere, and you can do a whole batch at once.

2. Open and re-save with a built-in app

Most current computers can open WebP files directly:

  • Windows 10 and 11: open the file in Paint, then File › Save as › JPEG picture or PNG picture. Older Windows 10 installations may need the free WebP Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store first.
  • Mac (macOS Big Sur and later): open the file in Preview, then File › Export, and choose JPEG or PNG.

Support for AVIF in these apps is newer and less consistent, so converting is often simpler for AVIF files.

3. Use a browser extension

Extensions exist for Chrome, Edge and Firefox that add options such as “Save image as JPG” or “Save image as PNG” to the right-click menu. They convert the picture inside your browser as you save it. Install only extensions with a good reputation, since they can see the pages you visit.

4. Find the original file

Some sites, especially stock photo libraries and press pages, offer a separate Download button that gives the original JPG or PNG at full size. When it exists, it is the best option: you get the original quality instead of a compressed web copy.

Should you keep the WebP?

If the picture opens fine where you need it, there’s no reason to convert. WebP keeps quality well and saves space. Convert when:

  • an app, form or marketplace rejects .webp files
  • you need to print the picture at a photo kiosk or print shop
  • you’ll edit it in software that can’t open WebP

Things to know before converting

  • Quality can’t go up. A web image was already compressed for speed. Converting it to JPG at high quality only makes the file bigger without restoring detail. 85% is plenty.
  • Transparency survives conversion to PNG but becomes white in JPG.
  • Animated WebP files become a single still picture in JPG or PNG.
  • Copyright still applies. Saving or converting a picture doesn’t give you the right to reuse it. Check the website’s terms or ask the owner.

The format pages for WebP and AVIF explain how each format works, and image formats compared helps you choose between JPG, PNG, WebP and AVIF.

Converters for this guide

Formats in this guide