What is AVIF Format and Why Should You Use It?

The AVIF (AV1 Image File Format) is a next-generation image format that has revolutionized how we think about image compression on the web. Based on the AV1 video codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media, AVIF delivers remarkable improvements in compression efficiency—producing files that are 30-50% smaller than JPEG at equivalent visual quality.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore what makes AVIF special, its technical capabilities, current browser support, and why major companies like Netflix, Google, and Meta are adopting it for their platforms.

What is AVIF?

AVIF stands for AV1 Image File Format. It was developed by the Alliance for Open Media (AOM)—a consortium that includes major tech companies like Google, Mozilla, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, and Netflix. The format was first released in 2019 and has since gained rapid adoption across the web.

The primary goal of AVIF is to deliver high-quality images at significantly smaller file sizes. According to Netflix's research, AVIF can reduce image file sizes by up to 50% compared to JPEG while maintaining the same visual quality—a breakthrough for web performance and user experience.

Key Features and Benefits of AVIF

1. Superior Compression Efficiency

AVIF's most impressive feature is its compression efficiency. Multiple independent studies have confirmed these results:

• 30-50% smaller than JPEG at equivalent visual quality
• 20-30% smaller than WebP at equivalent visual quality
• Particularly effective for photographic content with complex details and gradients

This compression advantage translates directly to faster page loads, reduced bandwidth costs, and improved user experience—especially on mobile devices or in areas with limited connectivity.

2. Excellent Image Quality

AVIF doesn't just produce smaller files—it also delivers superior image quality:

• Fewer compression artifacts (blocking, banding, mosquito noise)
• Better color accuracy, especially in challenging areas like shadows and highlights
• Smoother gradients without visible banding
• Better preservation of fine details in complex images

3. HDR and Wide Color Gamut Support

AVIF supports High Dynamic Range (HDR) imaging and wide color gamut, making it ideal for:

• 10-bit and 12-bit color depths (vs. 8-bit in JPEG/WebP)
• HDR10 and PQ (Perceptual Quantizer) transfer functions
• Wide color gamuts like BT.2020 and Display P3

This makes AVIF particularly well-suited for professional photography, HDR displays, and content that benefits from vibrant, lifelike colors.

4. Transparency (Alpha Channel) Support

Unlike JPEG, AVIF fully supports alpha channel transparency. This makes it excellent for:

• Logos and icons that need to blend with different backgrounds
• Product images with transparent backgrounds
• Overlays and UI elements

AVIF's transparency support is more efficient than PNG, often producing files 5-10x smaller for images with transparency.

5. Animation Support

AVIF supports animation, similar to GIF and animated WebP, but with significantly better compression:

• Full color support (vs. GIF's 256 colors)
• Transparency in animations
• Much smaller file sizes than GIF or animated PNG

6. Lossless and Lossy Compression

AVIF supports both compression modes, giving you flexibility based on your needs:

• Lossy compression: For photographs and complex images where some quality loss is acceptable
• Lossless compression: For images where every pixel must be preserved exactly

Technical Specifications

AVIF vs. Other Image Formats

AVIF vs. JPEG

Compared to JPEG (developed in 1992), AVIF offers:

• 30-50% smaller file sizes at equivalent visual quality
• Better preservation of details and fewer compression artifacts
• Support for transparency and animation (JPEG has neither)
• Higher bit depth (10-12 bit vs. 8-bit) and wider color gamut
• HDR support

When to use JPEG instead: For maximum compatibility with legacy systems or when encoding speed is critical.

AVIF vs. PNG

Compared to PNG, AVIF offers:

• Dramatically smaller file sizes, especially for photographs
• Better lossy compression for photographic content
• Animation support (PNG requires APNG which has limited support)
• HDR and wide color gamut support

When to use PNG instead: For simple graphics with text, line art, or when you need guaranteed lossless compression.

AVIF vs. WebP

Compared to WebP (developed by Google in 2010), AVIF offers:

• 20-30% smaller file sizes at equivalent quality
• Better quality at the same file size, especially for complex images
• HDR support (WebP doesn't support HDR)
• Higher bit depth (10-12 bit vs. WebP's 8-bit)

WebP currently has slightly broader browser support, but AVIF is rapidly catching up. For a detailed comparison, see our AVIF vs WebP Comparison article.

Browser and Platform Support (2025)

As of 2025, AVIF has achieved excellent browser support. According to Can I Use, AVIF is now supported by approximately 93-95% of global users.

For more detailed browser support information, see our Browser Support for AVIF in 2025 article.

How to Implement AVIF on Your Website

Using the HTML <picture> Element

The recommended way to serve AVIF images with fallbacks is using the HTML <picture> element:

<picture>
  <!-- AVIF for browsers that support it -->
  <source type="image/avif" srcset="image.avif">

  <!-- WebP fallback -->
  <source type="image/webp" srcset="image.webp">

  <!-- JPEG fallback for maximum compatibility -->
  <img src="image.jpg" alt="Description" width="800" height="600" loading="lazy">
</picture>

This approach serves AVIF to modern browsers while maintaining compatibility with older browsers through progressive fallbacks.

Converting Images to AVIF

There are several ways to convert your images to AVIF:

• Online Converters: Use our AVIF2Anything tool to convert images in your browser—no uploads required.
• Command-Line Tools: libavif provides avifenc for encoding and avifdec for decoding.
• Image Processing Libraries: Sharp (Node.js) and Pillow (Python) support AVIF.
• Image CDNs: Services like Cloudinary, imgix, and Fastly can automatically generate and serve AVIF.
• Build Tools: Webpack, Vite, and Next.js have plugins for automatic AVIF generation.

AVIF Quality Settings

When encoding AVIF, quality settings typically range from 0-100. Here are recommended settings:

• 60-70: Good balance of quality and file size for most web images
• 70-80: High quality for hero images and important visuals
• 80-90: Very high quality for photography portfolios
• 50-60: Thumbnails and less critical images

Real-World Adoption and Case Studies

Major companies have adopted AVIF with impressive results:

• Netflix: Uses AVIF for thumbnails, achieving significant bandwidth savings across their platform.
• Google: Supports AVIF in Chrome, Android, and Google Photos.
• Meta (Facebook/Instagram): Uses AVIF for image delivery to supported browsers.
• Cloudflare: Offers automatic AVIF conversion through their Polish feature.

Considerations and Limitations

While AVIF offers numerous advantages, there are some considerations:

• Encoding Speed: AVIF encoding is more computationally intensive than JPEG or WebP. For real-time processing, WebP might be faster. However, for pre-generated assets, this is less of an issue.
• Decoding Performance: AVIF decoding is more CPU-intensive, which can impact performance on older or low-powered devices. However, the smaller file sizes often compensate for this.
• Progressive Loading: AVIF doesn't support progressive loading like JPEG does. Images load all-at-once rather than gradually.
• Software Support: While improving rapidly, some older image editing software may not support AVIF yet. Adobe Photoshop added support in version 23.2 (February 2022).

The Future of AVIF

AVIF continues to evolve with ongoing improvements:

• Faster encoding algorithms (hardware acceleration is becoming available)
• Better progressive loading solutions
• Expanded software support in creative tools
• Integration with emerging web technologies
• Potential addition to JPEG XL standardization efforts

As browser adoption reaches near-universal levels and tooling continues to mature, AVIF is positioned to become the default image format for the modern web.

Conclusion

AVIF represents a significant leap forward in image compression technology. With file sizes 30-50% smaller than JPEG, support for HDR and wide color gamut, and near-universal browser support in 2025, it's an excellent choice for anyone looking to improve web performance and image quality.

The format's advantages are clear: smaller files mean faster page loads, reduced bandwidth costs, better Core Web Vitals scores, and ultimately a better user experience. While there are still some considerations around encoding speed and legacy support, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks for most use cases.

Ready to try AVIF? Use our free AVIF converter to convert your images, or check out our specific conversion tools:

• Convert AVIF to JPG
• Convert AVIF to PNG
• Convert AVIF to WebP
• Convert AVIF to PDF