The Modern Image Management Dilemma: Navigating WebP with ThumbsPlus
Windows lacks the WebP codec or ThumbsPlus’s file type list is missing .webp . Fix: Install WebP Extensions. Manually add "webp" to Tools > Options > File Types.
ThumbsPlus will now invoke the Windows WIC codec to draw and store WebP thumbnails inside its local database. Batch Converting WebP to JPEG/PNG in ThumbsPlus thumbsplus webp
Technical Overview: Integrating WebP in ThumbsPlus , a long-standing digital asset management (DAM) and image organization tool, has traditionally excelled at cataloging vast libraries with robust metadata management. As the WebP format—developed by Google to provide superior lossy and lossless compression—becomes the web standard, users of ThumbsPlus often seek to integrate it into their professional workflows. 1. Current State of WebP Support
Around 2020, the developer, Cerious Software, announced that was in the works. This update was specifically promised to include support for modern formats, including HEIC (Apple’s format) and WebP , alongside necessary bug fixes. However, the project appears to have ground to a halt. The last official communication cited the COVID-19 pandemic as a reason for shifting to work-from-home, but years passed without further progress or status reports from the company. The Modern Image Management Dilemma: Navigating WebP with
ThumbsPlus WebP — Fast, native WebP support for ThumbsPlus
This is often a "bit-depth" issue. Older versions of ThumbsPlus (specifically the 32-bit version) may struggle to load 64-bit codecs, or vice versa. ThumbsPlus will now invoke the Windows WIC codec
WebP is a modern image format developed by Google, designed to provide superior lossy and lossless compression for images on the web. Its key advantages include:
While newer updates may handle basic viewing, some versions of ThumbsPlus may not generate thumbnails (thumbnails appear as white boxes or default icons) for .webp files without specific plugins or system-level codecs.
Enter . For over 25 years, ThumbsPlus (from Cerious Software) has been the gold standard for professional image organization, batch processing, and thumbnail management. But a burning question has lingered on forums and support threads: Does ThumbsPlus support WebP? And if so, how do you make it work?