Google may have made the WebP image format available in 2010, but there is still no native support for this format on most operating systems, including Microsoft Windows and macOS. Many people find it difficult to work with Play Store images downloaded from here, as the default image viewer (Windows Photo Viewer) and default image editor (Paint) in Windows do not yet offer out-of-the-box support for WebP. WebP format by default for people using Google Chrome. If you’re one of those people who prefer to tinker with JPGs or PNGs, here’s how you can avoid WebP files altogether when downloading images from the Play Store or elsewhere on the internet:
note: If and only if you use Google Chrome, the Play Store offers WebP images, so you can use Firefox, Opera or Internet Explorer to download these images as JPG or PNG by default. In this case, the tutorial below is for Chrome users only.
How to Save WebP Images as JPG or PNG Using Extensions
- The easiest way to avoid saving Play Store images as WebP even when using Google Chrome, download an extension wanted ‘Save Image as JPEG, PNG, WebP, Base64’. Once there, simply click ‘Add to Chrome’ as seen in the image below.
- After installing the extension, go to any Play Store page (or any web page on the internet for that matter) and right click on an image. You will get options for save in any of three different formats Just make your selection, as seen in the image below.
That’s it guys, it’s that simple to save any Play Store image as JPG or PNG even when using Google Chrome.
Saving WebP Images Locally as JPG or PNG
While the method described above lets you save WebP images as JPG or PNG with a simple right click, you can do the same without installing this extension, but it will require a few extra steps. First, right-click the picture you want to save and Select ‘Copy Image’ instead of ‘Save As’ as shown in the image below.
Open MS Paint or any image editing application and paste the copied image Using Ctrl+V or any keyboard shortcut supported by your image editing software. if you are Click on the blue button in the top left using MS Paintand hover your mouse cursor over it ‘Save as’You will have options to save your image as JPG, PNG, BMP or GIF.
SEE ALSO: Enabling Material Design in Chrome Browser
Download WebP Images as JPG or PNG in Chrome
The WebP format was a good idea from Google given all the advantages it has over the more common JPG files, but unfortunately, it hasn’t been a success even after all these years. That’s why Google’s insistence on using it for Play Store images creates a lot of problems in the tech media like us who have to work with them on a fairly regular basis. As a dedicated Firefox user, I’ve never encountered any problems with WebP, but now you have the know-how to save yourself all the headaches if you need to break through the hoops to save those images in a more universal format. So give it a try and let us know how it goes, because we love to hear from you.