Convert All Your Images to WebP (Python Script)
- → WebP gives up to 80% smaller file sizes than JPEG/PNG
- → All modern browsers support it since 2020
- → Use the Python script to batch convert entire directories
- → Faster pages = better Core Web Vitals = better rankings
In This Guide
Why WebP?
Google released WebP over a decade ago. It offers up to 80% reduction in image file size with minimal impact on quality.
Since 2020, WebP is supported by all modern browsers. If you're still serving JPEGs and PNGs, you're leaving page speed on the table.
The Problem
Converting images to WebP is a pain. You either:
- Use slow, resource-heavy plugins that kill your server
- Waste time on online tools that charge outrageous fees
- Do it manually, one by one (no thanks)
The Script
This Python script scans your images directory and all subdirectories, converting everything to WebP. Fast.
import os
import PIL
from PIL import Image
MY_DIR = "." # Your images directory
for root, dirs, files in os.walk(MY_DIR):
for _this_file in files:
if _this_file.endswith('.webp'):
continue
_source = root + os.sep + _this_file
try:
im = Image.open(_source).convert("RGB")
im.save(_source.rsplit('.', 1)[0] + ".webp", "webp")
except PIL.UnidentifiedImageError:
passHow to Use It
Step 1: Install Pillow
Open your terminal and run:
pip install pillow
Step 2: Run the Script
Save the script as convert_webp.py, update MY_DIR to your images folder path, and run:
python convert_webp.py
Step 3: Done
That's it. All your images are now WebP. Update your HTML/CSS to reference the new .webp files.