What Is AVIF?
AVIF (AV1 Image File Format) is a modern image format based on the AV1 video codec, developed by the Alliance for Open Media. Released in 2019, it offers significantly better compression than JPEG, PNG, and WebP. AVIF supports HDR, wide color gamut, transparency, and both lossy and lossless compression.
AVIF vs WebP vs JPEG
| Feature | AVIF | WebP | JPEG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compression vs JPEG | 40-50% smaller | 25-35% smaller | Baseline |
| Lossless support | Yes | Yes | No |
| Transparency | Yes | Yes | No |
| HDR / wide gamut | Yes | No | No |
| Browser support | Chrome 85+, Firefox 93+, Safari 16+ | All modern | Universal |
| Encoding speed | Slow | Fast | Fast |
When to Use AVIF
AVIF is best for new web projects targeting modern browsers where maximum compression matters. Encoding is slow — suitable for images encoded once and served many times, not real-time processing.
Converting to AVIF
- JPEG to AVIF
- PNG to AVIF
- WebP to AVIF
- AVIF to JPEG — for compatibility with older software