What is an AVIF file?
AVIF stands for AV1 Image File Format. It was created by the Alliance for Open Media and first released in 2019. AVIF uses the AV1 video codec to compress still images and often beats WebP by another 20 percent. Encoding it is slow and many desktop programs cannot open it yet.
| Type | image |
|---|---|
| Compression | Lossy or lossless |
| Colour | up to 12 bits per channel, including HDR |
| Transparency | Yes |
| Animation | Yes |
| In a browser | opens in current Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Edge |
| Common uses | images served by modern websites and CDNs |
| MIME type | image/avif |
Which format should you convert AVIF to?
- AVIF to JPG for photos that must open everywhere and stay small.
- AVIF to PNG for screenshots, logos and anything with transparency.
- AVIF to WebP for the smallest file on a website.
- AVIF to PDF to print, or to attach as a document.
- AVIF to ICO to use as a website favicon.
AVIF is lossy or lossless depending on how it was saved, so check what a program needs before converting.
How to open an AVIF file
Whether an AVIF file opens with a double click depends on the device. Here is what works on each, without buying software:
| Windows | The Photos app opens common image formats. If AVIF is not among them, a browser or a free viewer such as IrfanView will open it. |
|---|---|
| Mac | Preview opens most image formats and PDF files; Quick Look (press the space bar in Finder) shows a preview without opening an app. |
| iPhone and iPad | The Files app and Photos show common image types and PDF files. Other formats need an app, or converting here. |
| Android | Google Photos and Files by Google open common images and PDFs. Other formats need a viewer app, or converting here. |
| Web browser | AVIF opens in current Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Edge. |
Want the technical details? See what a .avif file is, with its MIME type, file signature and a viewer.
AVIF compared with other image formats
How AVIF stacks up against the formats people most often convert it to or from:
| Format | Compression | Transparency | Released | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AVIF | Either | Yes | 2019 | images served by modern websites and CDNs |
| JPG | Lossy | No | 1992 | camera photos, web images and email attachments |
| PNG | Lossless | Yes | 1996 | screenshots, logos, diagrams and anything with transparency |
| WebP | Either | Yes | 2010 | images served by websites to save bandwidth |
| HEIC | Lossy | Yes | 2017 | photos taken on iPhones and iPads since iOS 11 |
How to use the AVIF converter
- Choose the format you want in the Convert to menu.
- Drop your AVIF files on the box, or press Choose AVIF files. Several files can go in at once.
- Adjust the settings if you need to; the defaults suit most people.
- Press Convert and save each file with its Download button. Conversions from other formats to this one use our server, which deletes the file right after; the rest never leave your device.
Tips for converting AVIF files without losing quality
AVIF can be lossy or lossless depending on how the file was saved. Either way, converting to a lossless format keeps exactly what is there, and converting to a lossy one trades a little detail for a much smaller file.
- Choose by content: photos belong in JPG or WebP, while screenshots, logos and anything with transparency belong in PNG or WebP.
- Resize before you send. A modern phone photo is far wider than any screen, and scaling it to 1920 pixels removes most of the file size.
- Keep originals. Re-saving a JPG again and again slowly degrades it; convert from the original each time.
- Converting through the browser removes EXIF metadata such as GPS location, which is useful when sharing photos publicly.
Convert AVIF files from the command line
Everything this page does can also be done in a terminal. The most common AVIF conversion, to PNG, looks like this with ImageMagick:
magick input.avif output.pngChange the output extension to pick another format. The converter above runs the same kind of conversion inside your browser, so you get the result without installing anything.
AVIF converter FAQ
What is an AVIF file?
AVIF stands for AV1 Image File Format, an image format created by the Alliance for Open Media in 2019. AVIF uses the AV1 video codec to compress still images and often beats WebP by another 20 percent. Encoding it is slow and many desktop programs cannot open it yet.
How do I open an AVIF file?
AVIF opens in current Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Edge. If the program you need will not open it, convert it to a more widely supported format above.
What is the most common AVIF conversion?
AVIF to PNG is the conversion people search for most. The image is decoded and written as a lossless 32-bit PNG.
Does converting AVIF files here upload them?
Only for some conversions. Conversions from other formats to this one use our conversion server, where files are deleted as soon as the result is sent back; the other conversions run inside your browser and never leave your device.
Is the AVIF converter free?
Yes. There is no sign-up and no watermark. Conversions that use our server accept files up to 25 MB, with a fair-use limit per hour. The site is supported by advertising.
Can I convert AVIF files on iPhone or Android?
Yes. Open this page in Safari on iPhone and iPad, or in Chrome on Android, choose your AVIF files and download the results to your Downloads folder.
Can I convert several AVIF files at once?
Yes. Drop as many as you like; they are converted one after another, each with its own download button.