Why WebP images often need converting
WebP is an image format created by Google. It makes image files smaller than JPG or PNG at similar quality, which is why so many websites use it.
The trouble starts after you save the picture. Some older photo viewers, office programs, print shop systems and upload forms do not accept .webp files. A PDF gives you a format that every device can open and print.
You can spot a WebP file by the .webp ending in its name, or when an app says the picture format is not supported.
Need a single picture as an image rather than a document? Use WebP to JPG or WebP to PNG instead.
Choosing WebP to PDF settings
| Your goal | Settings |
|---|---|
| Read on screen only | Fit to image, Margin None |
| Print outside North America | A4, orientation Auto, Small margin |
| Print in the US or Canada | US Letter, orientation Auto, Small margin |
| A mix of tall and wide images | Orientation Auto, so each page follows its picture |
Each image is stored in the PDF as a JPG at 90% quality. Pictures longer than 4000 pixels on one side are scaled down to 4000 pixels, which is still plenty for reading and printing.
Everyday uses
A student saves diagrams from several web pages and wants them in one revision file. A shop owner downloads product images from a supplier's website to print a catalog page. A family compares furniture saved from different online shops and shares one PDF instead of twelve pictures.
Keep the original WebP files if you may need them again: the PDF holds JPG copies of the pictures, not the WebP files themselves.
Animated WebP files, such as stickers or short loops, become a still page showing the first frame. If the finished PDF is too heavy for email, shrink it with Compress PDF.