AVIF is a modern image format that compresses photos and graphics into files roughly 50% smaller than JPEG at the same visual quality. Developed by the Alliance for Open Media (last verified April 2026), which includes Google, Apple, Mozilla, Microsoft, and Netflix, AVIF is open and royalty-free. So what is AVIF, exactly, and does it belong in your workflow? For most people working with images in 2026, yes.

Convert your JPG or PNG images to AVIF right in your browser. No upload, no software needed.

Table of Contents

What Is AVIF

AVIF (AV1 Image File Format) is an image format that uses the AV1 video codec to compress still images. The AV1 codec specification (last verified April 2026) was released in March 2018, and the AVIF image format builds on that codec to handle single images and image sequences.

The format supports both lossy and lossless compression. It handles transparency (alpha channels), HDR content with wide color gamuts, and color depths of 8, 10, or 12 bits per channel. That's a feature set that took JPEG, PNG, and WEBP three separate formats to cover. AVIF handles all of it in one format.

The "open and royalty-free" part matters too. Unlike HEIC, which depends on the patent-encumbered HEVC codec, anyone can implement AVIF encoding or decoding without paying licensing fees. That's a big reason browser vendors adopted it as quickly as they did.

How AVIF Compression Works

AVIF compression relies on the AV1 codec, originally designed for video streaming. Video codecs are good at finding redundancy in visual data because they were built to compress 30 or 60 frames per second. Applying that same engine to a single still image produces impressive results.

One technical detail most guides skip: AVIF supports 4:4:4 chroma subsampling, meaning it can preserve full color resolution for every pixel. JPEG forces 4:2:0 subsampling in most implementations, which discards 75% of the color detail. If you've ever noticed fuzzy edges around text in a JPEG screenshot, that's chroma subsampling at work. AVIF doesn't have that problem when you encode at 4:4:4.

When you convert a photo to AVIF, the encoder analyzes the image in blocks, predicts pixel values based on surrounding context, and stores only the difference between prediction and reality. The prediction engine in AV1 is more sophisticated than JPEG's DCT-based approach or WEBP's VP8 codec, which is why the output files end up smaller.

The trade-off is speed. Encoding a 4000x3000 pixel photo to AVIF can take 5 to 15 seconds on a modern laptop, compared to under a second for JPEG. In a browser-based converter, you'll notice this pause. These times were measured using ConvertSafe's browser-based AVIF encoder on an M2 MacBook Air. Results vary by device and image complexity, but the wait is real.

Why AVIF Matters for File Size and Quality

The numbers tell the story clearly. Converting a 3.8MB JPEG photo to AVIF at a visually equivalent quality setting produced a 1.6MB file, a 58% reduction. The same image as WEBP came out to 2.4MB, a 37% reduction. These file sizes come from direct testing using ConvertSafe's AVIF encoder, built and benchmarked as part of the tool's development, on a 4032x3024 iPhone photo (tested April 2026; results vary by image content and quality setting).

For anyone running a website, those savings compound fast. A product page with 8 images could drop from 30MB of JPEG to around 13MB of AVIF. That gap affects real metrics. Google's Core Web Vitals (last verified April 2026) directly measure this: Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) is heavily influenced by your largest image, and a smaller file means a faster LCP score.

For email and messaging, the savings matter differently. A batch of vacation photos that would hit Gmail's 25MB attachment limit as JPEG might fit comfortably as AVIF. The visual quality difference at normal viewing distances? Most people genuinely can't spot it.

AVIF vs WEBP vs JPEG vs PNG: A Quick Comparison

Feature JPEG PNG WEBP AVIF
Compression vs JPEG Baseline Larger (lossless) 25-35% smaller 50% smaller
Transparency No Yes Yes Yes
Lossy mode Yes No Yes Yes
Lossless mode No Yes Yes Yes
Max color depth 8-bit 8-bit 8-bit 12-bit
HDR support No No No Yes
Chroma subsampling 4:2:0 only N/A (lossless) 4:2:0 only 4:2:0, 4:2:2, 4:4:4
Browser support (2026) 100% 100% ~97% ~95%

JPEG is still the most compatible format in existence, and nothing about AVIF changes that. PNG remains the right pick for lossless screenshots and graphics where you need pixel-perfect accuracy without any compression artifacts. The practical recommendation: use AVIF for new images when you control the viewing environment (your own website, apps you build). Use JPEG when you're sending files to someone and don't know what software they'll open it with.

Convert your JPG or PNG images to AVIF right in your browser. No upload, no software.

The WEBP vs JPG vs PNG comparison covers the older format decision in more detail.

AVIF Format Browser Support in 2026

As of April 2026, AVIF image compression is supported in all major browsers according to Can I Use (last verified April 2026):

  • Chrome: since version 85 (August 2020)
  • Firefox: since version 93 (October 2021)
  • Edge: since version 85 (August 2020)
  • Safari: since version 16 (September 2022)

Global browser support sits at approximately 95% of web traffic. The remaining 5% consists mainly of devices stuck on older iOS versions (15 and below), legacy enterprise browsers, and some regional browsers.

That 5% gap still matters if your audience includes corporate users on locked-down machines or older iPhones that can't update past iOS 15. The standard approach is the HTML <picture> element with a WEBP or JPEG fallback:

<picture>
  <source srcset="photo.avif" type="image/avif">
  <source srcset="photo.webp" type="image/webp">
  <img src="photo.jpg" alt="Description">
</picture>

The browser picks the first format it supports. No JavaScript required, no compatibility detection needed.

When AVIF Is Not the Right Choice

AVIF isn't the answer to everything.

Encoding speed is a real constraint. If you're generating thumbnails on the fly for thousands of user uploads, the encoding time adds up. JPEG and WEBP encode 10 to 20 times faster. For batch processing workflows, that difference translates directly into server costs or wait times.

Some older image editors can't open AVIF files. Photoshop added AVIF support in version 23.2 (February 2022). GIMP supports it in version 2.10.32 and newer. If you're working with a team that uses older software, sharing AVIF files will create friction.

File size savings diminish for very small images. Icons, tiny thumbnails, and images under 10KB as JPEG sometimes grow slightly when converted to AVIF because of the codec's overhead. The compression advantage shows up most clearly on images larger than 50KB.

Animation support exists but isn't mature. AVIF can store animated sequences (like GIF), but tooling and browser rendering for animated AVIF is less polished than for GIF or animated WEBP. If animation is your primary need, those formats are still the safer bet.

If you want to see the file size difference yourself, ConvertSafe's JPG to AVIF converter handles the conversion entirely in your browser. No files leave your device.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is AVIF?

AVIF (AV1 Image File Format) is an open, royalty-free image format developed by the Alliance for Open Media. It uses the AV1 video codec to compress images, producing files roughly 50% smaller than JPEG at the same visual quality. It supports lossy and lossless compression, transparency, HDR, and 10-bit color depth.

Is AVIF better than WEBP?

AVIF produces files roughly 20 to 30% smaller than WEBP at the same visual quality, especially for photographic images. AVIF also supports HDR and 10-bit color, which WEBP does not. The trade-off is encoding speed: AVIF takes significantly longer to compress. For most web images in 2026, AVIF is the better choice with WEBP as a fallback.

Does Safari support AVIF?

Yes. Safari added AVIF support in version 16, released in September 2022. Safari 16 runs on macOS Ventura, iOS 16, and iPadOS 16 or later. Devices on iOS 15 or earlier cannot display AVIF images natively. As of April 2026, approximately 95% of Safari users are on version 16 or newer.

How do I create an AVIF file?

You can convert existing JPG or PNG images to AVIF using a browser-based converter like ConvertSafe, which processes the conversion entirely on your device. Desktop tools like Squoosh, GIMP (2.10.32+), and command-line encoders like libavif also support AVIF output. Most major image CDNs can serve AVIF automatically.

What is the difference between AVIF and JPEG?

JPEG was standardized in 1992 and uses DCT-based compression limited to 8-bit color and 4:2:0 chroma subsampling. AVIF uses the AV1 codec, supports 8, 10, and 12-bit color, full 4:4:4 chroma subsampling, transparency, and HDR. AVIF files are typically 50% smaller than JPEG at equivalent visual quality.

If you're ready to try the format, convert a JPG to AVIF now and see the file size difference yourself.