AVIF (AV1 Image File Format)

.avif · image/avif · 2019 · Alliance for Open Media

The best compression available in browsers today — often half the size of JPEG. Below is what AVIF is best at, where it falls short, and how it compares — plus free, in-browser tools to convert AVIF to and from other formats, with nothing uploaded.

AVIF applies the AV1 video codec to still images. At typical web quality it produces files around 50% smaller than JPEG and 20–30% smaller than WebP, with support for transparency, HDR, and 10/12-bit color. Chrome, Firefox and Safari all support it (Safari since 16.4, 2023). Encoding is slower than other formats — that is the price of the compression — but for web delivery it is currently the strongest choice.

Compression

Lossy + lossless

Transparency

Yes

Animation

Yes

Browser display

Modern browsers

Strengths & limitations

Strengths

  • Best-in-class compression — often 50% smaller than JPEG
  • HDR, wide gamut, 10/12-bit color, transparency
  • Royalty-free and supported in all modern browsers

Limitations

  • Slow to encode, especially large images
  • Limited support in desktop software and older devices
  • Maximum image dimensions are lower than JPEG (8K tiles)

Best used for

Tools for AVIF

Compress AVIFAVIF → JPEGAVIF → PNGAVIF → WebPHEIC → AVIFWebP → AVIFJPEG → AVIFPNG → AVIF

Frequently asked questions

Is AVIF lossy or lossless?+

AVIF supports both: a lossy mode that trades a little detail for much smaller files, and a lossless mode that keeps every pixel. You choose per file.

Does AVIF support transparency?+

Yes — AVIF has an alpha channel, so it can store transparent areas. It also supports animation.

Can browsers open AVIF files directly?+

Recent Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari display AVIF natively; older browsers may not. Converting to JPG or PNG guarantees it opens everywhere.

How do I open or convert a AVIF file for free?+

Drop your AVIF file into the EditItAll converter and choose an output format — it decodes and re-encodes entirely in your browser, with nothing uploaded, no account and no watermark.