AVIF file: what it is and how to open it
The image format many websites now use, explained: what it contains, where it opens and what to do when it doesn’t.
An AVIF file (AV1 Image File Format) is an image compressed with AV1, the video codec created by the Alliance for Open Media, a group whose members include Google, Apple, Microsoft, Mozilla and Netflix. It is royalty-free and compresses more than JPG and WebP, which is why more and more websites serve their images in AVIF.
That is usually how an AVIF reaches your computer: you save an image from a website and it turns out to be a .avif file. Current browsers show it without trouble, but many photo viewers, editors and older systems don’t. Below you will find how to open it on each system and, if you need it to work everywhere, how to turn it into a JPG or a PNG in seconds.
Convert an AVIF file
How to open an AVIF file
In a web browser
This is the easiest way: current versions of Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari display AVIF images. Drag the file into a browser window and it will open. It is also why websites can use AVIF: their visitors’ browsers already support it.
On Windows 10 and 11
The Photos app opens AVIF files when the AV1 Video Extension from the Microsoft Store is installed. It is free and many Windows 11 computers already have it; if Photos shows an error, install it from the Store and try again. Older programs, such as classic image viewers or old versions of Paint, may still not recognise the format.
On a Mac
Since macOS Ventura, Preview and Safari open AVIF files directly: double-click the file. On earlier versions of macOS, open it in an up-to-date Chrome or Firefox.
On iPhone and iPad
Since iOS 16 and iPadOS 16, Safari and the Files app display AVIF images. Some apps still don’t accept them when you try to share or edit them.
On Android
Android 12 and later can display AVIF images, and Chrome opens them on any version. On older phones, or in apps that don’t support the format, the image may not appear.
In editing programs
Support depends on the program and its version: GIMP opens and saves AVIF, and other editors have added it in recent versions, but many older programs, office suites and online services still reject it.
What an AVIF file contains
AVIF uses the same container as HEIC (HEIF, based on the ISO media file format), but with the image compressed in AV1 instead of HEVC. The format supports:
- 10 and 12 bits per channel, in addition to the usual 8, and HDR images.
- Transparency, including soft, semi-transparent edges.
- Animation, as an alternative to animated GIF.
- Metadata such as EXIF, although images from websites usually carry very little.
Advantages and drawbacks
| AVIF | |
|---|---|
| File size | Smaller than JPG and usually than WebP at similar quality |
| Features | Transparency, animation, HDR and more than 8 bits of colour |
| Licence | Royalty-free |
| Compatibility | Current browsers; limited in older viewers, editors and systems |
In short: it is excellent for serving images on the web and still awkward for editing, printing or uploading them elsewhere.
When to convert an AVIF file, and to which format
- To JPG: to open a photo anywhere, upload it to a form or send it to someone. It is the right choice for photographs.
- To PNG: if the image has transparency (logos, icons, stickers) or you are going to edit it. The file will be larger, but nothing is lost.
Converting creates a copy in the new format: the original AVIF is not modified. Your images are deleted from our server as soon as you download the result (within an hour at most if you don’t).
Frequently asked questions
Why do images I save from websites download as AVIF?
Because the website serves them in that format to load faster: AVIF takes up less space than JPG at the same quality. Your browser displays it, so you only notice when you try to open the saved file in another program.
Can I rename a .avif file to .jpg?
No. Changing the extension doesn’t change the image inside, so programs that can’t read AVIF still won’t open it. To get a real JPG or PNG, the image has to be converted.
Is AVIF the same as AVI?
No, despite the similar name. AVIF is an image format from 2019 based on the AV1 codec; AVI is an old video container from Microsoft. They are not related and open with different programs.
Is AVIF better than WebP?
In compression, usually yes: at similar quality an AVIF tends to weigh less than a WebP, and it supports more bits of colour and HDR. WebP, on the other hand, has been around longer and more programs open it.