# IFG WebP Image Optimizer. > Shopify app that converts catalogue images to WebP, file by file, preserving the original and managing references. Not yet on the Shopify App Store. Canonical URL: https://ifgdigital.com/en/ifgdevelopment/ifg-webp-image-optimizer/ · Language: English · Updated: 2026-10-16 IFG WebP Image Optimizer is a Shopify app that really converts catalogue images to WebP, file by file: it creates the new file next to the original and moves the reachable references to the WebP, without deleting the source. It is not yet available on the Shopify App Store. It is developed by Francesco Guiducci for IFG Development. ## At a glance - **Type**: Shopify app, used from the store admin - **Purpose**: Real conversion of images to WebP - **Original**: Preserved: the source file is not deleted - **References handled**: Product gallery, variant images, images in descriptions (where supported) - **Undo**: Provided: references can go back to the original - **Developed by**: Francesco Guiducci, IFG Development - **Availability**: Not yet on the Shopify App Store ## The problem it addresses WebP is a modern image format, lighter than many traditional ones. Converting a store’s catalogue by hand means creating the new files and then updating every reference: product gallery, variant images, images embedded in descriptions. It is long, easy to get wrong, and risks losing the originals. The app converts files one by one, keeps the original and moves the references it can reach to the new file. The promise is deliberately precise: real conversion, original preserved and links managed within the supported scope, not a generic speed boost. ## How it works - **1. Finds the images**: Starts from the store’s image catalogue. - **2. Converts file by file**: Creates a new .webp file next to the original, without renaming or simulating the format. - **3. Moves the references**: Updates the references reachable within the supported scope: gallery, variants, descriptions. - **4. Keeps a way back**: Keeps the information needed to point references back to the original. ## Main features - **Real WebP conversion**: Creates a new .webp file instead of just renaming or simulating the format. - **Original preserved**: The source file is not deleted and keeps existing at its address. - **Product gallery**: Moves the gallery references reachable within the supported scope to the new file. - **Variant images**: Keeps image-to-variant associations during the reference migration. - **Product descriptions**: Finds and updates image references in the description HTML, where supported. - **Undo**: The flow keeps the information needed to point references back to the original. ## When it makes sense - **Catalogue with many images**: A controlled conversion avoids redoing every reference by hand. - **External references to the originals**: Because the original stays at its address, references that are external or unreachable by the app keep working. - **Wanting to be able to go back**: The undo flow makes it possible to restore the supported links. ## Scope and limits Shopify already serves optimised formats in many contexts, and converting the master file does not automatically mean a measurable speed improvement. That is why the app does not promise a performance gain: it converts files and manages references. ## Frequently asked questions - **What is IFG WebP Image Optimizer?**: A Shopify app that converts catalogue images to WebP, file by file, preserving the original and managing the supported references. It is not yet available on the Shopify App Store. - **Does the app really convert images to WebP?**: Yes. It creates real .webp files and moves to them the references the product can handle. - **Does it delete the original images?**: No. The original is preserved, so any external references, or ones the app cannot reach, keep working. - **Does it keep images associated with variants?**: The flow is designed to preserve and update variant associations during the conversion. - **Will it definitely make my store faster?**: No. Shopify already optimises many images served from the CDN, and the result depends on how the theme and browsers request assets. - **Can I go back?**: The product keeps the reference to the original and provides an undo flow to restore the supported links. ## Where to find it Not yet available on the Shopify App Store. - [All IFG apps on the Shopify App Store](https://apps.shopify.com/partners/ifg-ecommerce2?locale=it) ## Related products and further reading - [IFG GEO Optimizer](https://ifgdigital.com/en/ifgdevelopment/ifg-geo-optimizer/): Audit and optimisation of the technical signals that help SEO, GEO and catalogue readability for AI systems. - [IFG Build Your Box](https://ifgdigital.com/en/ifgdevelopment/ifg-build-your-box/): Mix & Match builder with a fixed box price and selection rules. - [Tensor](https://ifgdigital.com/en/ifgdevelopment/tensor/): Premium Online Store 2.0 Shopify theme with five presets and flexible merchandising, no page builder. - [All IFG Development products](https://ifgdigital.com/en/ifgdevelopment/): Apps and themes for Shopify and apps for Apple platforms. - [Custom Shopify development](https://ifgdigital.com/en/ifgwebdesign/ecommerce/): For a store’s specific needs: integrations, theme extensions, particular logic. - [Francesco Guiducci](https://ifgdigital.com/en/francesco-guiducci/): The founder who designs and develops IFG Development’s products. --- Contact: info@ifgecommerce.com · +39 378 083 2717 · https://ifgdigital.com/en/contact/