Do you hate working with WebP files? Unlike PNGs or JPGs, you can’t just double-click a .webp and expect it to open in Photoshop. Instead, you’ll get a weird dialog saying “Done” or “Move to Trash.” You might even see a “Could not complete your request because it is not the right kind of document” error prompt. The issue stems from the file format, not your editing software. You can work around it by setting Photoshop as the default app, installing a WebP plugin, or adjusting file association settings.
These settings are easy enough to navigate, but they’re not exactly obvious. No one wants to waste time poking around System Settings when you’re just trying to get back to editing. Let’s walk through the fixes that actually let you open WebP files in Photoshop without the extra friction.
Update Photoshop to the Latest Version
Time needed: 5 minutes
Before anything else, check if there’s an update available on the App Store. WebP support is officially built into Photoshop 23.2 and later. If you’re running an older version, you’ll likely hit compatibility errors or weird preview bugs.
- Open the App Store app.
- Click your profile icon > Updates.
- Find Photoshop and select Update.
- Wait for the installation to finish.
- Try opening the .webp file again.
Set Photoshop as the Default App for WebP
macOS doesn’t associate .webp files with Photoshop by default. So when you try to open one, the system has no idea what to do and throws an error. Setting Photoshop as the default tells macOS that these files should always open in Adobe’s app, even if Finder doesn’t recognize the format natively.
- Right-click the .
webp filein Finder.
- Choose Get Info.
- Under Open with, select Adobe Photoshop.
- Click Change All to apply to every .
webp file. - Confirm when prompted.
Install the WebP Plugin for Photoshop
Older versions of Photoshop didn’t support WebP out of the box. If you’re not on the latest version or using legacy installs, WebP files might fail to load entirely. Installing the official WebP plugin from Adobe or using Google’s legacy plugin ensures Photoshop can decode and display the format properly.
- Quit Photoshop completely.
- Go to the Adobe Plugin Exchange or download the WebPShop plugin from GitHub.
- Copy the plugin into:
/Applications/Adobe Photoshop [version]/Plug-ins/- Relaunch Photoshop and try opening the
.webp fileagain.
Disable App Restrictions in Privacy & Security
macOS Sequoia might block unknown files from launching properly in Photoshop. This is especially true for downloads flagged as unverified. Disabling strict Gatekeeper restrictions (or allowing the file manually) lets you bypass these one-off blocks and open .webp images normally.
- Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security.
- Scroll to Security section.
- If there’s a button labeled Open Anyway under “Allow applications from…”, click it.
- Enter your admin password when prompted.
- Try opening the
.webp fileagain.
Use “Open Anyway” for Each Blocked File
If nothing else works, this is your stopgap. macOS treats each downloaded .webp file as a potential threat until you manually approve it. You’ll have to go through the “Open Anyway” dialog for every file. It’s a bit tedious but consistently works.
- Try opening the
.webp filein Photoshop. - Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Security.
- Look for an Open Anyway button next to the file warning.
- Click it and confirm with your password.
- Repeat this process for each
.webpfile you need to use.
Still stuck? You can reach out to Apple Support for help with macOS security settings or system permissions. Adobe Support might be able to walk you through Photoshop-specific issues, but don’t expect them to fix every .webp file you throw at it. If you’re tired of the hassle, you might want to check out these top Photoshop alternatives for iPhone.