How to Batch Convert WebP Images to JPG on Mac

If you’re looking to share or transfer a bunch of WebP photos, you may want to convert them to JPEG first so that you don’t run into any compatibility issues as you switch between devices. The good news is that macOS makes it pretty easy to batch convert WebP image files, and you don’t even have to download a third-party app.

For those who aren’t aware, WebP is a format developed by Google for image files with the aim to keep the file size low with barely any noticeable difference in image quality. When compared against an identical JPEG file, WebP can be anywhere between 25-35% smaller in size, depending on whether lossy or lossless compression was used. Having said that, since WebP is still an emerging format, it’s affected by compatibility issues and that’s why file conversion may be necessary. While you can convert webp to JPG one at a time, if you have a lot of them you may find it easier to perform a batch file conversion instead.

How to Batch Convert WebP Images to JPG on Mac

Regardless of what macOS version your device is running, you can convert various image file formats to JPEG natively on macOS with the Preview app.

1. Open a new Finder on your Mac and head over to the folder where your WebP images are located. Select all the files you want to convert by clicking and dragging your mouse. Once selected, right-click or Control-click on your mouse to access the context menu. Choose “Open With” and select “Preview”.
   
   
2. Once Preview app launches on your Mac, click on “Preview” from the menu bar and choose “Preferences” from the dropdown menu.
   
   
3. This will launch a tiny Preferences window on your screen. Here, head over to the “Images” section and select the option “Open all files in one window” as shown in the screenshot below.
   
   
4. You can close this window now and go back to the Preview app. Now, click and drag your mouse to select all the images that you see on the left pane of the Preview app.
   
   
5. Once selected, right-click or Control-click again and select “Export As” to bring up the export menu.
   
   
6. In the new window that opens up, click on “Options” to get more control over the image files you’re trying to export.
   
   
7. Now, you’ll be able to choose the Format, which in this instance is “JPEG”. Also, you can use the slider below to adjust the image quality of the exported files. Select the folder where you want to save the exported files and click on “Choose”.
   
   

That’s it. Within a few seconds, the Preview app will finish exporting the image files.

You can now use the Finder app to open, view, and share the JPEG files that you just exported. That being said, your original WebP image files will remain in their original location, as you’re basically just duplicating the images using the Preview app’s export feature. You can remove them if you no longer need them or you’re running low on storage.

For what it’s worth, you can perform batch image conversion with Preview with any compatible file format, and it’s not limited to WebP as the input file, nor is it limited to JPEG as the export image file format. You could choose to export the WebP as PNG, GIF, or other image file formats too if you’d prefer.

This just one of the ways to convert all the WebP images stored on your macOS machine. Of course, you can download and install a third-party app like The File Converter from the Mac App Store that pretty much does the same thing. Or, you can rely on a completely online solution like CloudConvert to get your files converted within a matter of seconds, provided you stay connected to the internet.

Hopefully, you were able to quickly convert WebP images in bulk to JPEG without any problems. What’s your overall take on using the stock Preview app for file conversion? Have you converted any other files using macOS Preview? Do you have a different approach? Let us know your experiences and thoughts in the comments.