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AVIF

AVIF is an AV1-based image format with the strongest compression of the web formats.

Also known as AV1 Image File Format.

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What is a AVIF file?

A still-image format built on the AV1 video codec, producing the smallest files of any widely supported web image format.

Technical characteristics

Representation
binary
Compression
AV1 intra
Lossy
Yes
Transparency
Yes
Animation
Yes
Open specification
Yes

History and origin

Introduced
2019
Organisation
Alliance for Open Media

Compatibility

  • Windowspartial
  • macOSfull
  • Linuxfull
  • Androidfull
  • iOSfull

Browsers: Chrome 85+, Firefox 93+, Safari 16+, Edge 121+.

Advantages of AVIF

  • Smallest files at a given visual quality
  • Wide colour gamut and HDR support
  • Royalty-free

Limitations to know about

  • Slow to encode
  • Desktop application support still lags browsers

When to use AVIF

  • Bandwidth-critical web imagery
  • HDR photography delivery

Convert AVIF files

AVIF scores

Deterministic scores calculated from the structured facts above. Identical facts always produce identical scores.

Overall score

77/100

  • Web score

    93
    • browsers render it natively, so no conversion step is needed at request time
    • every major browser engine renders it natively
    • it compresses lossily, which produces much smaller files than lossless coding
    • smaller payloads mean less I/O and faster first paint

    Confidence 78% · evidence coverage 100%

  • Openness score

    87
    • the specification is published openly
    • an openly specified format can be implemented without a licence negotiation

    Confidence 63% · evidence coverage 100%

  • Longevity score

    87
    • it is actively maintained and current
    • the specification is published openly
    • the specification is public, so a decoder can always be rebuilt
    • it sits at the centre of the format ecosystem, with many documented relationships

    Confidence 78% · evidence coverage 100%

  • Archiving score

    84
    • the specification is published openly
    • it is actively maintained and current
    • the specification is public, so a decoder can always be rebuilt
    • it embeds colour-profile metadata

    Confidence 73% · evidence coverage 100%

  • Streaming score

    83
    • it compresses lossily, which produces much smaller files than lossless coding
    • smaller payloads mean less I/O and faster first paint
    • every major browser engine renders it natively

    Confidence 76% · evidence coverage 63%

  • Compatibility score

    83
    • every major browser engine renders it natively
    • Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS all open it without extra software
    • an open specification means cloud SDKs can implement it without licensing friction
    • it opens by double-clicking on every mainstream device
    • only a narrow set of applications handles it

    Confidence 82% · evidence coverage 100%

  • Performance score

    74
    • it compresses lossily, which produces much smaller files than lossless coding
    • smaller payloads mean less I/O and faster first paint

    Confidence 72% · evidence coverage 100%

  • Photography score

    61
    • it embeds colour-profile metadata
    • it compresses lossily, which produces much smaller files than lossless coding
    • it opens by double-clicking on every mainstream device
    • each edit-and-save cycle compounds compression damage
    • it discards detail during encoding, and every re-save compounds the loss

    Confidence 61% · evidence coverage 100%

  • AI score

    59
    • the specification is published openly
    • smaller payloads mean less I/O and faster first paint
    • only a narrow set of applications handles it
    • lossy artefacts add noise that models can learn by mistake

    Confidence 60% · evidence coverage 100%

  • Printing score

    46
    • it embeds colour-profile metadata
    • only a narrow set of applications handles it
    • it discards detail during encoding, and every re-save compounds the loss

    Confidence 70% · evidence coverage 100%

  • Editing score

    39
    • it embeds colour-profile metadata
    • it discards detail during encoding, and every re-save compounds the loss
    • only a narrow set of applications handles it

    Confidence 62% · evidence coverage 100%

What AVIF is recommended for

Every conclusion below is derived from the structured facts on this page — nothing is written by hand.

  • Compression efficiency100/100

    • Because it compresses lossily, which produces much smaller files than lossless coding.
    • Because it uses a recent codec generation, which encodes more efficiently than older designs.
    • Because it defines a documented compression scheme.

  • Transparency100/100

    • Because it supports transparency.
    • Because it stores a full alpha channel, allowing soft edges and partial opacity.

  • Animation100/100

    • Because it stores multiple frames, so animation is supported natively.

  • Browser compatibility100/100

    • Because every major browser engine renders it natively.
    • Because at least one shipping browser renders it.

  • Operating system compatibility100/100

    • Because Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS all open it without extra software.
    • Because most platforms handle it natively.

  • Web suitability100/100

    • Because browsers render it natively, so no conversion step is needed at request time.
    • Because lossy compression keeps transfer sizes and Core Web Vitals in check.
    • Because the specification is open, so tooling and CDNs implement it freely.

  • Cloud compatibility100/100

    • Because an open specification means cloud SDKs can implement it without licensing friction.
    • Because it converts into many other formats, which suits automated pipelines.

  • Everyday consumer usage100/100

    • Because it opens by double-clicking on every mainstream device.
    • Because small files are easy to email, message and upload.
    • Because it is a current format that people and services still expect.

  • Open standards100/100

    • Because the specification is published openly.

  • Future-proofing100/100

    • Because it is actively maintained and current.
    • Because open specifications outlive the companies that create them.
    • Because nothing in the graph supersedes it yet.

  • Popularity71/100

    • Because it sits at the centre of the format ecosystem, with many documented relationships.
    • Because every mainstream operating system handles it.
    • Because it is still current rather than being phased out.

What AVIF is not recommended for

  • Professional editing27/100

    • Because each edit-and-save cycle compounds compression damage.
    • Because it does not satisfy: professional applications read and write it.

  • Image quality33/100

    • Because it discards detail during encoding, and every re-save compounds the loss.

  • Software compatibility33/100

    • Because only a narrow set of applications handles it.

Successors and legacy considerations

Supersedes: WebP.

Related to AVIF

File extensions

Media types

Succeeds

Codecs

Compared with

Data quality

Every claim on this page is classified as a verified fact, a derived fact or an assumption.

Overall confidence
95%
Verification status
verified
Last reviewed
2026-08-03
Verified facts
2

2 classified claims backed by 2 sources.

Sources and review status

Review status: verified · confidence 95%

Last reviewed 2026-08-03 (revision 1).