Image to WebP Converter 🚀

Quickly convert your PNG, JPG, JPEG, TIFF, and BMP images to the modern WebP format. Optimize images for the web, reduce file sizes, and save disk space!

This project offers a user-friendly Graphical User Interface (GUI) for easy, visual batch conversion of images.

A command-line interface (CLI) is also offered to support automated workflows.

Join our Discord community! https://discord.gg/HhBSvM9gBY

Table of Contents

1. Features
2. Requirements
3. Getting Started: Installation
   • Prerequisites: Install Python
   • Setup Instructions
4. How to Use the GUI
5. Troubleshooting
6. Contributing (Coming Soon)
7. License

1. Features

• Batch Image Conversion: Convert entire folders of images to WebP.
• Single Image Conversion: Select and convert individual image files.
• Recursive Folder Processing: Option to process images within subfolders of your selected input folder.
• Flexible Output:
  • Save converted WebP images alongside the originals.
  • Specify a separate output folder.
  • Create new output subfolders directly from the GUI.
• WebP Quality Control: Adjust the quality level (0-100) for lossy WebP compression.
• Lossless Compression: Option for lossless WebP for maximum image fidelity.
• Overwrite Protection: Choose whether to overwrite existing WebP files or skip them.
• Zip Output: Automatically zip the contents of the output folder after conversion.
• Real-time Progress: Visual progress bar and status log within the GUI.
• Theming: Select from various light and dark themes for the GUI (requires qt-material).
• Adjustable Window Size: Choose from predefined window sizes for comfortable viewing.

2. Requirements

To run the Image to WebP Converter GUI, you'll need the following Python libraries:

• PyQt6: For the graphical user interface.
• Pillow (PIL Fork): For image processing and WebP conversion.
• qt-material (Optional but Recommended): For enhanced GUI themes and a modern look.

The tqdm library is used by the image_converter.py backend for its standalone testing/CLI mode, but is not strictly required if you only use the GUI and the GUI's progress updates.

3. Getting Started: Installation

Follow these steps to get the converter up and running on your system.

Prerequisites: Install Python

If you don't have Python installed, you'll need to get it first. We recommend Python 3.8 or newer.

• Windows:
  1. Download the latest Python installer from python.org/downloads/windows/.
  2. Run the installer. Important: Check the box that says "Add Python to PATH" during installation.
• macOS:
  • Python often comes pre-installed. Open Terminal (Applications > Utilities > Terminal) and type python3 --version.
  • If not installed or you need a newer version, you can download it from python.org/downloads/mac-osx/ or use a package manager like Homebrew (brew install python3).
• Linux:
  • Python is usually pre-installed. Open your terminal and type python3 --version.
  • If not, use your distribution's package manager. For example, on Debian/Ubuntu:

    sudo apt update
    sudo apt install python3 python3-pip python3-venv

Setup Instructions

1. Get the Code:

   • Recommended (using Git): If you have Git installed, clone the repository. This is the best way to get the code and easily update it later.

     git clone https://github.com/Ktiseos-Nyx/Webp_Gui_Converter WebPConverter 
     # Example: git clone https://github.com/Ktiseos-Nyx/Webp_Gui_Converter.git WebPConverter
     # This clones the repo into a folder named "WebPConverter"

     If you don't have Git, you can download it from git-scm.com.

   • Alternative (Download ZIP):

     • Go to the project's repository page (e.g., on GitHub).
     • Click the "Code" button and select "Download ZIP".
     • Extract the ZIP file to a folder on your computer (e.g., C:\Users\YourName\Documents\WebPConverter or /home/yourname/WebPConverter). Note that with this method, you'll need to re-download the ZIP to get updates.

2. Open a Terminal or Command Prompt:

   • Windows: Search for "Command Prompt" or "PowerShell".
   • macOS/Linux: Open your Terminal application.
   • Navigate to the folder where you cloned or extracted the project files:

     cd WebPConverter # Or the name you used

3. Create and Activate a Virtual Environment (Recommended): This isolates the project's dependencies from your system's Python.

   python3 -m venv .venv  # Creates a virtual environment folder named .venv

   Activate it:

   • Windows (Command Prompt):

     .venv\Scripts\activate.bat

   • Windows (PowerShell):

     .venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1
     # If you get an error about execution policies, run:
     # Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope Process
     # Then try activating again.

   • macOS/Linux (bash/zsh):

     source .venv/bin/activate

   Your terminal prompt should now show (.venv) at the beginning.

4. Install Dependencies: With the virtual environment activated, you can install the required libraries.

   • Option A (Install key packages manually): This installs the main libraries, and pip will automatically fetch their necessary sub-dependencies.

     pip install Pillow PyQt6

     For the enhanced themes (optional but highly recommended):

     pip install qt-material

   • Option B (Using requirements.txt for specific versions): A requirements.txt file is provided in the project root. This file lists all necessary packages (including sub-dependencies) with specific versions known to work. Using this ensures a consistent environment.

     pip install -r requirements.txt

4. How to Use the GUI

Once the setup is complete:

1. Ensure your virtual environment is activated (see step 3 in Setup).
2. Navigate to the project directory in your terminal if you're not already there.
3. Run the GUI script:

   python webp_gui.py  

   (The main GUI Python file is the one containing the ImageConverterGUI class).

Using the Interface:

• Input Folder/File:
  • Click "Browse..." next to "Input Folder/File".
  • A dialog will ask if you want to "Select Folder" or "Select File".
  • Choose accordingly to select either an entire folder of images or a single image file.
• Use Separate Output Folder (Checkbox):
  • Unchecked (Default): Converted WebP images will be saved in the same location as their original files (maintaining any subfolder structure if "Process Subfolders" is active).
  • Checked: Allows you to specify a different folder for all converted WebP images.
    • Output Folder: If the checkbox is checked, you can type a path or click "Browse..." to select an existing folder where all WebP files will be saved.
    • Create New Output Subfolder: Click this to create a new subfolder within the currently selected Input or Output folder.
• WebP Quality (0-100): Adjust the slider for lossy compression. Higher values mean better quality and larger files.
• Lossless Compression: Check for perfect quality (larger files). Overrides the quality setting.
• Process Subfolders: If your input is a folder, check this to also convert images in its subdirectories. The subfolder structure will be mirrored in the output location.
• Overwrite Existing WebP:
  • Unchecked (Default): If a WebP file with the same name already exists in the output location, it will be skipped.
  • Checked: Existing WebP files will be overwritten.
• Zip Output After Conversion: If "Use Separate Output Folder" is checked and an output folder is specified, this option will create a ZIP archive of the output folder's contents after conversion.
• Convert to WebP: Click this button to start the conversion process.
• Progress Bar & Status Log: Monitor the conversion progress and see detailed messages or any errors.
• Menu Bar (Top of Window):
  • File > Exit: Closes the application.
  • View > Set Window Size: Choose from predefined window dimensions.
  • View > Theme: (If qt-material is installed) Select a visual theme for the application.

5. Troubleshooting

• DeprecationWarning: sipPyTypeDict() is deprecated...: This is a common warning with some PyQt6 versions. It's usually internal to the library and doesn't affect functionality. Try upgrading PyQt6: pip install --upgrade PyQt6 PyQt6-sip. If it persists and the app works, it can often be ignored.
• "ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'X'": Make sure you have activated your virtual environment (.venv) before running pip install or python your_gui_script_name.py. Also, double-check that you've installed all required libraries listed in the "Requirements" section.
• GUI looks very basic/old: You might not have qt-material installed, or it failed to apply a theme. Try installing it: pip install qt-material.
• Cannot select an input folder: Ensure you are using the latest version of the GUI script. The "Browse..." button for input should now clearly ask if you want to select a folder or a file.

If you encounter other issues, please feel free to open an issue on GitHub or ask in our Discord community.

6. Contributing (Coming Soon)

Information on how to contribute to the project will be added here. We welcome bug reports, feature suggestions, and code contributions!

7. License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.