Performance6 min read·Updated

Compress JPG for the Web by Re-Encoding as WebP

Re-saving a JPEG as JPEG stacks artifacts. Convert from the best master (studio JPEG or PNG) to WebP at 80% and a sane width. That is compression that still looks like a photograph.

One generation of loss

If you only have a 400 KB JPEG, WebP can still save 20–30%. If you have the original, convert that. Do not run five 'compressors' in a row.

Why it matters

  • Email forwards of JPEGs are already mushy.
  • WebP from a clean master beats JPEG-from-JPEG.
  • Width cap is often a bigger win than quality.

How to do it

  1. Prefer the original. Convert to WebP 80% / 1600 px.
  2. If the JPEG is the only file, still convert — you usually win bytes.
  3. Stop using online 'quality 40' JPEG smashers.

Settings that work

Already-small JPEGs (<80 KB): conversion may not be worth it. Focus on the 500 KB+ pile.

Convert a batch in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.
Open the converter

Put it into practice

Convert your images to WebP right now, free and privately in your browser.

Open the converter

Frequently asked questions

From the same master at sensible quality, it looks the same and weighs less. It will not restore a destroyed JPEG.

WebP wins on size. Progressive JPEG is a legacy trick.

Keep reading

Tutorial6 min read

Best WebP quality setting

What quality should you use when converting to WebP? We tested photos, screenshots and graphics at every level. Get concrete recommendations per image type.

Read more
Performance6 min read

Reduce image size

Five techniques to shrink image files by 80–95% with no visible quality loss: modern formats, resizing, smart quality, metadata stripping and avoiding double compression.

Read more