WordPress.org has announced that it will support the advanced WebP image format. WordPress version 5.8, scheduled for release in late July 2021, will include full support for this relatively new image format.
WebP Image Format
WebP is a next-generation image format suitable for replacing images encoded in JPG, PNG, and GIF formats. WebP can produce superior image quality at significantly smaller sizes.
WebP lossless images retain the quality of the original image while maintaining a smaller size. These lossless images are 26% smaller than the original images. Lossy WebP images, which may have slightly reduced quality, can be compressed to an even smaller size, being 25% to 34% smaller than the original image.
Web Server and Browser Support for WebP
WebP was announced by Google as an open-license image format in 2010. The Internet has reached a point where this new format is supported in all modern browsers. This makes 2021 an ideal year for switching images to the WebP format. Most modern browsers and web hosts now support WebP.
WordPress Support for WebP
WordPress has announced that handling images in the WP media library will be exactly the same as with any other currently supported image format.
According to WordPress.org:
"From WordPress version 5.8 forward, you can upload and use WebP images in WordPress like you would a JPEG or PNG image today (as long as your hosting service supports WebP)."
The only potential issue in WordPress support for WebP is if the web host does not support the format.
WordPress.org cautions:
"In WordPress, the lossless WebP format is only supported when the hosting server uses Imagick until LibGD adds support. In addition, animated and alpha formats are not yet supported for resized images (lossy images are created instead when you upload in these formats)."
WordPress 5.8 Site Health Notices Updated
WordPress 5.8 will include an updated Health Notices section featuring new fields to indicate whether the web host can support the WebP format. This update will make it easier for publishers to know whether they can take advantage of the new WordPress capabilities and, if not, to request this support from their web hosting provider.
A comment in the WordPress.org announcement noted:
"5.8 also adds new fields to Site Health to help determine if a site is capable of processing WebP format image files.
…The following fields are new in WP 5.8:
- Imagick version
- ImageMagick supported file formats
When WebP is not listed as a supported file format, the site owner will need to reach out to their hosting provider."
WordPress May Convert Images to WebP
WordPress 5.8 currently cannot convert images to WebP. However, there are many popular WordPress plugins that can convert images to this new format, significantly speeding up the website. Future support for WebP image conversions at the point of upload is planned, meaning publishers may be able to upload a JPG image and choose to convert it to WebP.
WordPress.org described the project:
"The media component team is also exploring the option of having WordPress perform the image format conversion on uploaded images – using WebP as the default output format for sub-sized images."
WordPress 5.8 WebP Support
This announcement is significant because it demonstrates WordPress.org’s ongoing focus on helping publishers achieve fast website performance. Supporting WebP is a major milestone for WordPress, aiding publishers in achieving higher Google Page Experience scores and keeping WordPress at the forefront of content management systems.
Citations
Official WordPress.org Announcement:
WordPress 5.8 adds WebP Support
WordPress WebP Image Conversion GitHub Page:
WordPress Modern Images
Google Developer WebP Technical Explainer:
A New Image Format for the Web
