Are you facing a problem in opening Webp Files (.webp) in Adobe Photoshop or any other photo viewer?
Because I was facing this issue. As a digital marketer, very often I need images to share on social accounts. But, the main problem is, nowadays, most of the websites are using webp codec images.
Before sharing an image to make it attractive, people always use a little bit of Photoshop. Webp file download is easy as the regular photos, but you can’t open it in Photoshop. There is no support to open webp in Photoshop for Mac and Windows. But, there is a third-party solution to this problem.
What is webp File Format?
The .webp file extension is developed by Google to reduce the file size without reducing its quality.
WebP images are designed to load web pages faster with rich and high-quality images. It follows the technique to compress the size of an image that can help you make your website to load quickly.
WebP is also known as the Weppy file format. It is the sister project of WebM video container format. If you like numbers, then WebP lossless compressed images are 26% smaller in size than PNG files and up to 34% smaller than lossy JPEG files. Is not it amazing?
If you use webp images on your website, it not only reduces the page loading time, but also uses less bandwidth, and saves battery power on mobile devices.
Open webp File in Photoshop on Windows
Photoshop has the feature to add plugins. There is a free plugin available to open webp file in Windows computer. First of all, you have to choose the right version for your computer.
WebP Photoshop Plugin for Windows:
1. Once you download the ZIP file, extract it on your computer.
2. Now, navigate to the Photoshop folder according to your PC’s configuration,
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CC 2024\Plug-ins (For 64-bit)
C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS6\Plug-Ins (for 32-bit)
(The Photoshop folder may vary according to your software version)
3. Copy the WebP.8bi file from the 32-bit or 64-bit folder which you have extracted before and paste it to the Plug-ins folder.
4. After that, Open Photoshop again and test with a webp file. It’ll definitely open. That’s it.
You can use this Plugin in Adobe Photoshop 7.0, CS2, CS3, CS4, CS5, CS6 and all of the CC versions. I have tested it with the latest CC 2024 and it’s working fine.
Open webp File in Photoshop on Mac
If you are using Photoshop on a Mac computer, then there is also support for webp extension files. You have to download the plugin and install it on Photoshop.
WebP Photoshop Plugin for Mac:
1. Download WebP_v0.5b5_mac ZIP file by using the above link and extract the WebP.plugin folder on your computer.
2. After that, go to the Application folder.
3. Select Adobe Photoshop. Right-click on it and select “Show Package Contents“.
4. Here, open Contents → Plug-ins folder and paste the WebP.plugin folder there. That’s it.
After all, you need to launch the Photoshop app and start working with webp files on Mac.
Troubleshoots for macOS users
If you are facing the message “WebPShop.plugin can’t be opened because Apple cannot check it for malicious software.“, don’t worry, here’s a simple fix to it:
- You need to Click the Apple logo which is present on the top left of the menubar.
- There, you have to Select System Preferences, then click Security & Privacy.
- Under the ‘General’ tab, click Allow Anyway to allow running of WebPShop.plugin.
Now, you will not face any kind of error message, it’s our guarantee. If the issue persists, write your comment below.
What is the main feature of Webp File Format?
The main feature of this format is that it gives you a smaller file size compared to the conventional formats like JPG, PNG, and GIF.
Is WebP format compatible with Adobe Photoshop?
No, currentlyWebP format is not compatible with Adobe Photoshop.
Conclusion
These are the easy ways to open webp files in Photoshop on Windows and Mac computers. If you liked the guide, then do share it with your friends.