How to Open WebP Files in Older Paint.NET
While modern releases of Paint.NET support the WebP format out of the box, legacy versions require an external add-on to decode and encode these files. This guide identifies the specific plugin needed to enable WebP compatibility in older Paint.NET installations and outlines the straightforward process to install it.
The Required Plugin
To open and save WebP files in older versions of Paint.NET (specifically versions prior to 4.2.5), you need the WebP FileType Plugin created by community developer null54.
This plugin bundles Google’s libwebp library to allow
Paint.NET to read and write both lossy and lossless WebP images,
including support for metadata and transparency. (Paint.NET officially
integrated this exact plugin directly into the software starting with
version 4.2.5).
How to Install the WebP Plugin
- Close Paint.NET: Ensure the program is completely closed before adding plugin files.
- Download the Plugin: Locate and download the
WebPFileTypezip archive provided by null54 (commonly found on the official Paint.NET forums or GitHub). - Extract the Files: Unzip the downloaded folder to
access
WebPFileType.dll. - Locate the Installation Folder:
- For the classic installer version, navigate to:
C:\Program Files\paint.net\FileTypes - For portable or alternate custom installations, locate the folder
where Paint.NET is stored and open the
FileTypessubfolder.
- For the classic installer version, navigate to:
- Move the DLL: Copy or move
WebPFileType.dlldirectly into theFileTypesdirectory. If prompted for administrator permissions, grant them. - Relaunch Paint.NET: Start the application.
Once installed, .webp will appear in the "Files of type"
drop-down menu when using both the Open and
Save As dialogs.