Which Browsers Do Not Support WebP Images?

I have been working with web images for years, and WebP keeps coming up as the format everyone should be using. It offers smaller file sizes and great quality. But before you switch every image on your site to WebP, it helps to know which browsers might leave some of your visitors staring at a broken image.

What is WebP and Why Does it Matter?

WebP is a modern image format developed by Google. It uses advanced compression to make images smaller without a noticeable drop in quality. For website owners, that means faster load times and better user experience.

I think of it as a smart upgrade from JPEG and PNG. The format supports transparency (like PNG) and animation (like GIF), all while keeping the file size lean.

Where WebP Support Stands Today

Here is the good news: as of now, the vast majority of browsers in active use do support WebP. According to browser usage data, WebP coverage reaches well above 95% of all global users worldwide.

Still, that remaining percentage matters, especially if your audience includes users on older devices or legacy systems. Knowing the gaps helps you plan accordingly.

Browsers That Do Not Support WebP

The main browsers that lack WebP support are older versions rather than current ones. Here is a quick breakdown of where the gaps exist:

• Internet Explorer (all versions) — Microsoft's legacy browser never added WebP support before it was retired.
• Safari versions below 14 — Apple added WebP support in Safari 14, released in 2020. Older Safari versions cannot render WebP images.
• Opera Mini — This lightweight browser has historically had limited codec support, and WebP falls into that gap.

Outside of these, most modern browsers handle WebP just fine right out of the box.

The Safari Situation Explained

Safari deserves its own section because it tripped up a lot of developers. For years, Safari was the one major browser that refused to support WebP, which made it tricky to use the format safely across all Apple devices.

That changed with the release of macOS Big Sur and iOS 14 in late 2020, when Apple finally added WebP support to Safari 14. I noticed a big shift in the conversation around WebP adoption right around that time.

What About Older iPhones and iPads?

Devices that cannot update past iOS 13 are still running a Safari version that does not support WebP. These are older iPhones and iPads, mainly models from 2015 and earlier. The user base is small but worth considering if you run a site with a broad demographic.

Android Browser Support for WebP

On Android, WebP support has been solid for a while. Chrome for Android has supported the format since version 23, and that covers the overwhelming majority of Android users today.

The one exception is very old versions of the native Android browser (not Chrome) from Android 4.0 and earlier. These browsers are essentially extinct in real-world usage, so I would not lose sleep over them.

Does WebP Support Animation?

Yes, it does. Animated WebP is a real thing, and it works similarly to how animated GIFs behave, but with much smaller file sizes. This makes it a compelling alternative for lightweight animations on the web.

As the Google Developers documentation puts it: "Animated WebP supports lossy, lossless, and transparency, making it a versatile replacement for animated GIF."

Browser Support for Animated WebP

Animated WebP support follows the same browser compatibility pattern as static WebP. Browsers that handle regular WebP also handle the animated version. The same older browsers that lack static WebP support will not render animated WebP either.

Can I Use WebP Right Now?

I would say yes, with a simple safety net in place. Using the HTML picture element, you can serve WebP to browsers that support it and fall back to a JPEG or PNG for those that do not. Here is what that looks like:

• Use the picture element with a WebP source as the first option.
• Add a standard img tag with a JPEG or PNG as the fallback.
• Browsers that support WebP will pick the first source. Others will fall through to the img tag.

This approach lets me use WebP freely without worrying about breaking the experience for anyone.

A Side-by-Side Browser Comparison

How to Check Support Before You Commit

I always recommend checking a resource like "Can I Use" before rolling out any new web technology. It gives you real-time usage data on browser support across the globe, broken down by version and platform.

For WebP specifically, the numbers are quite encouraging. The format has crossed the threshold where it is safe to use it as your primary image format, as long as you have that fallback in place.

What Happens When a Browser Cannot Load WebP?

If a browser does not support WebP and you serve it a WebP image directly through a standard img tag, the image simply will not load. The user sees a broken image placeholder instead.

This is why the picture element fallback strategy is so important. It takes the guesswork out of the equation and ensures every user gets a working image, no matter what browser they are on.

Should You Still Bother With WebP?

Absolutely. The performance gains are real. WebP images are typically 25 to 35 percent smaller than comparable JPEGs, and 26 percent smaller than PNGs of the same quality. That directly translates to faster page loads.

As web developer Alex Russell once noted: "Performance is not just a technical detail. It is access. It is who gets to use the web and who gets left out." WebP helps you serve more people faster, and that is worth something.

Conclusion

The short answer is that Internet Explorer, older versions of Safari (below version 14), and Opera Mini are the main browsers that do not support WebP images. On Android, support has been strong for years across modern browsers.

I recommend using WebP with the picture element fallback as your standard approach. That way you get the performance benefits of WebP while making sure no visitor is left looking at a broken image. The browser landscape has shifted dramatically in WebP's favor, and right now is a great time to make the switch.

See also: How to Automatically Convert Mac Screenshots to WebP Format