Conventional image formats, such as PNG, JPG, and JPEG, are suitable for saving bigger image files. But they are not space savvy. That is why Google has introduced the WebP image format, which comes with the .webp extension at the end of the file.
Unlike other image formats, WebP lets you save a smaller image file. But you can be sure that this will not ruin the image quality and still leave you with enough storage space. However, there are some limitations.
The WebP files cannot be opened on Photoshop for use. But that does not make it an impossible task. With Photoshop being one of the most popular and widely used editing tools, you can get a few things done to ensure you can open, edit and save WebP images.
In this article, you will get to learn about Photoshop WebP hacks to get your work done easily. So let’s not waste any more time and get started.
Installing WebP Plugin For Photoshop
Before I go on to explain further, you need to know and understand the WebP plugin. Installing plugins allows you to add more features to Photoshop and make working on images easier. And as for the WebP plugin, it is necessary to download and install it in your device’s operating system to let Photoshop open WebP files.
But whether you require to install it depends on the version of Photoshop you are using or have installed on your device. If you are using an older version of Photoshop (older than 22.0), it might not have a built-in WebP plugin. That is because the plugin is more of the latest version. In that case, you have to download and install one.
On the other hand, if you have the latest version of Photoshop software, you don’t need to install a plugin because it might already have it.
Now, how do you download and install the Photoshop WebP plugin? Let’s check it out.
How To Download Photoshop WebP Plugin
It is important to download the plugin based on which device you use. So to download the WebP plugin accurately, follow these instructions-
Step 1: Go To Google Or GitHub
You can download the plugin from two locations. You can either choose Google link, which will download the plugin directly from the developer. It will provide you with universal/ARM support. Or, you can download it from GitHub, which runs under an Apache 2.0 license.
Step 2: Choose Plugin Based On Your Device Operating System
Once you enter the shop link, you will find that there are download links available for both Windows and macOS operating systems. You just have to choose the right file based on your device’s operating system. If you are using Windows, you click on the link that says Windows or MAC if you are a macOS user.
Step 3: Download The Plugin
Once you click on the chosen link, it will automatically download the plugin. So wait for the plugin to download and then proceed to the next steps.
How To Installing WebP Plugin in Photoshop
Once you are done downloading the WebP plugin, follow these steps to install it in Photoshop-
Step 1: Extract Plugin File And Locate Photoshop File
If the plugin file you uploaded is a zip file, you need to extract it to a chosen location on your device. After that, find where the Photoshop file is located on your device. If you cannot find it instantly, try looking into Program Files or Application folders.
If you are still unable to find the Photoshop folder, go to the search bar at the Start Menu and type Photoshop. The file should show up instantly.
You can right-click on it and select Open File Location to go to the Photoshop file.
Step 2: Copy-Paste The Plugin
Once you locate the Photoshop file, open it. And then, open the plugin folder that you downloaded. From there, you have to copy the extracted file from your selected location and paste it to the Photoshop WebP plugin folder.
If you are a Windows user, the extracted file that you need to copy should say WebPShop.8bi. And if you are a MAC user, you need to copy WebPShop.plugin and paste it. You might have to enter your MAC password to verify the plugin.
Step 3: Close And Restart
With that, you have successfully installed the WebP plugin in Photoshop that will help you work on WebP image files. But before you work on anything, close all your programs and restart the Photoshop app.
Opening WebP Files In Photoshop
Photoshop is an advanced photo editing software that is suitable for editing a wide variety of image formats. However, it also has certain limitations when it comes to image formats that are not compatible with its version.
When a plugin wasn’t possible, users would often convert the images to make them eligible for opening Photoshop to edit and save them. But what about WebP images after you have installed the plugin?
How To Open WebP Files In Photoshop
If you have downloaded and installed the WebP plugin, you have already done the majority of the task. You don’t even have to bother with converting the image. And to let Photoshop open WebP files, you only have to follow some very simple steps.
Step 1: Make Sure To Install The WebP Plugin
In case you missed the previous section, I must add it again. To make it easier to work on WebP format images, you must install the WebP plugin for Photoshop. I have explained everything in the section above for you to follow.
Step 2: Launch Photoshop Application
After you are done installing the plugin, you need to close Photoshop and launch it again.
Once you do, wait a few seconds for the workspace to adjust.
Step 3: Go To File Panel And Select Open
Once you have the Photoshop workspace opened, go to the top menu bar. And from there go to the File panel. Click on File and it will open a drop-down menu.
From there select Open. You can also open the menu using the shortcut command by pressing CTRL+O (COMMAND+O on MAC) from the keyboard.
Step 4: Select Image From The Storage And Open It
As you select Open, it will take you to your device’s storage. From there you can navigate through the WebP image files you have and select the image you want to edit. Then click Open and wait for the image to open on Photoshop workspace.
Before you move to the editing part, it is important to know why it is better to edit WebP files with Photoshop rather than any other app. So here is more-
Benefits Of Using Photoshop For Editing Webp Files
The reason these WebP image files are now popular for all sorts of projects and businesses is because they are better than conventional image formats in many ways. Not only do they minimize the file size without damaging the image quality, but they also work as a combined result of all other formats.
So before you move to learn how you can edit WebP files in Photoshop, make sure you know how this new format can benefit you.
Smaller File Size
Regular image formats, such as JPG, JPEG, PNG, GIF, etc., always save images in larger sizes. But unlike them, the WebP image files are smaller. That means you can work on them and save or upload them easily without having to wait longer.
More Storage Space
Conventional image formats usually take up so much storage space because they are bigger, especially the PNG and GIF formats. But with the WEbP image files, you get more storage space and can store more images than usual.
High Image Quality
When you attempt to resize an image to reduce the file size, the final result is not always very pleasant. Unless you are using some high-end editing software and spending so much of your time correcting everything, it is quite challenging to ensure a high-quality image format after resizing. But if you edit and save an image as a WebP file, you can save yourself a lot of trouble and time because it can save your image without reducing the quality.
Transparency
Another advantage of using WebP images is the ability to make them transparent. Well, in a way, you can. The WebP images can be saved with a transparent background. You can also create images of this format with alpha channels. Such photos are more handy when it comes to using fast-loading images on websites, social media, or other relevant platforms.
Supports Animation
Usually, animation images or GIFs are saved as bigger files. But the good thing is WebP supports animation, making it easier and more convenient to create such files in smaller sizes.
Versatility
Versatility is more like a feature than a benefit of WebP files. With all the advantages this file type comes with, users can use these images in many forms. You can edit and save anything from images to GIFs or animations. Thus, WebP files prove to be more versatile than conventional image formats.
Editing WebP Files In Photoshop
Being a high-end photo editing tool, Photoshop offers a wider range of editing capacities for WebP tools. Here is more on what Photoshop can do when it comes to editing WebP files.
Photoshop WebP File Editing Capacities
Basic Image Editings
Basic photo editing in Photoshop involves some of the basic works that are frequently used in pretty much any photo. This type of editing includes basic cropping and resizing, color, brightness, or contrast adjustments, etc.
Advanced Image Editings
The advanced photo editing that Photoshop does for WebP files involves slightly complex editing tasks. It usually includes advanced retouching, layer editing, masking, filters, etc. This type of editing helps add more details.
Text Editing
Does your WebP image file need a title, heading, or captions on the images? If so, you can use text editing tools to do that. The perk of using Photoshop for this type of edit is that it will keep your image quality intact.
Saving For Web
“Save for Web” is one of Photoshop’s best and handiest features when it comes to saving photos, particularly for the web. And this feature is exceptionally useful for WebP images as their size needs to be compressed without damaging the quality.
How To Edit WebP Photos On Photoshop
Here is some step-by-step guideline on how you can edit WebP files on Photoshop for various editing purposes.
Step 1: Adjust Brightness/Contrast And Color
To adjust Brightness/Contrast, go to the top menu bar and select the Select panel. Then click Adjustment from the drop-down menu. In the dialogue box, you will get Brightness and Contrast sliders that you can move to adjust Brightness/Contrast.
Then you can adjust the color, select the Select panel from the top menu bar and then select Adjustment from the drop-down menu. Next, you will find the Color Balance option to adjust the color. You can also adjust the color from the Hue/Saturation menu.
Step 2: Cropping And Resizing
Cropping the image is easy. You can do it with the Crop Tool from the left side Toolbar. It also lets you crop images in various sizes. But if you want to resize the image without cropping out any portion of it, you can just resize it.
For that, choose Image and then select Image Size. When the dialogue box appears, set up your desired width and height in inches and then select OK.
Step 3: Adding Texts And Graphics
To add text on images, go to the left side Toolbar and select the Type tool. Click anywhere on the image and then type whatever text you want to add to the image. You can adjust the font style, and color and even add other texts. You can use the Move tool to move the texts around the images.
And if you want to add graphics to the image, you have 2 ways. You can either add existing graphics from your device or create new graphics using Photoshop tools. To import one, go to File and then select Place to find and select your existing graphics. You can create new graphics using the tools from the Toolbar.
Step 4: Using Layers And Masks
If you want to edit images using Layers and Masks, you need to learn to create new Layers. And you can do it by selecting the New Layer icon from the Layer panel on the right. Or, you can press CTRL+Shift+N (COMMAND+Shift+N on MAC) as shortcuts.
As for masking, you can use the Brush Tool for masking. You can select the black or white background or foreground to reveal or hide the Layers with the masking tool. You can adjust the Opacity to control how much masking you want to apply to the Layers.
Learn More: How To Remove White Background In Photoshop
Saving WebP Files In Photoshop
The last step of working on WebP files in Photoshop is to let Photoshop open WebP files anytime without any hassle. But how will saving these images help you? Well, here is how-
Benefits Of Saving WebP Files On Photoshop
Better Compatibility
Since Photoshop is a high-end editing software, editing WebP files and saving them in Photoshop will make the images more compatible when it comes to using them with other Adobe software. You can also learn about top free Photoshop alternatives.
Quality Control
With Photoshop, when saving an image, it gives you the choice of compressing or not compressing the image. Thus you get better control over the quality of the image.
More Convenient
Saving the WebP files on Photoshop is quite straightforward. You can follow the tutorial I shared below to save the WebP image files in less than a minute.
Learn More: Adobe Lightroom vs Photoshop Express
How To Save WebP Files On Photoshop
Here is a step-by-step guide on how you can save a WebP file in Photoshop-
Step 1: Go To Save A Copy
Once you are done editing the WebP file, you need to save it in the right way. So go to the File panel from the top menu bar and select it.
Then select Save A Copy from the drop-down menu.
Step 2: Select Your Path
Clicking Save A Copy will show you the available WebP file-saving options. From the Save as Type box, you need to select WebP, which is usually found at the bottom of the list.
Step 3: Make Adjustments To Save
Once you select Save, a saving dialogue box will appear.
From there, you can choose to compress the image and adjust the quality before finally saving it.
FAQs about WebP
What is WebP?
WebP is a newer image format that offers a number of advantages over older formats, such as JPEG and PNG. WebP files can be compressed more efficiently, which can lead to smaller file sizes. WebP files can also support transparency, which is not possible with JPEG files.
How do I open a WebP file in Photoshop 2023?
Photoshop 2023 natively supports WebP files, so you can simply open them by double-clicking on them. If you are using an older version of Photoshop, you can install the WebPShop plugin to enable WebP support.
What can I edit in a WebP file in Photoshop 2023?
ou can edit all of the same things in a WebP file in Photoshop 2023 that you can edit in a JPEG or PNG file. This includes things like the image size, the color mode, the contrast, and the brightness. You can also add layers, filters, and effects to WebP files in Photoshop 2023.
How do I save a WebP file in Photoshop 2023?
To save a WebP file in Photoshop 2023, go to File > Save As. In the Save as Type drop-down menu, select WebP. You can then adjust the compression settings for the WebP file.
What are the benefits of editing WebP files in Photoshop 2023?
There are a number of benefits to editing WebP files in Photoshop 2023. First, Photoshop is a powerful image editing software that offers a wide range of features. Second, Photoshop natively supports WebP files, so you can open and edit them without having to install any additional software. Third, Photoshop offers a number of features that are not available in other image editing software, such as the ability to add layers, filters, and effects.
What are the limitations of editing WebP files in Photoshop 2023?
There are a few limitations to editing WebP files in Photoshop 2023. First, not all web browsers support WebP files, so you may need to convert them to another format before uploading them to the web. Second, WebP files are not as widely supported as other image formats, such as JPEG and PNG. Third, WebP files can be larger than other image formats, such as JPEG and PNG, when they are saved with the same level of quality.
Conclusion
Photoshop WebP files are the new way to change how images are used everywhere from e-commerce websites to social media platforms. Though these images are compressed, they still offer you high-quality results.
And now that you know how to edit WebP files in Photoshop, you can easily work on such files without going through any unnecessary hassles. Besides, they make managing these photos more convenient. So if you ever need to use WebP files for anything, follow the tutorials above to get your job done like a pro!
