.avif — AV1 Image File Format
A modern web image format based on AV1, built for very small photo files, HDR, transparency, and animation.
About this format
AVIF stores still images with the AV1 codec inside an ISO-based image container. It is most useful for web photos where file size matters and the audience uses modern browsers.
AVIF can carry lossy photos, lossless images, transparency, HDR color, and even image sequences. The trade-off is tooling: browser support is now strong, but many older editors, CMS uploaders, and email clients still expect JPG, PNG, or WebP.
Real-world samples & file sizes
Four real AVIF files from an upstream sample suite, converted to common preview sizes: 16:9, 4:5, 9:16, and 1:1 with alpha. The browser renders each file directly when AVIF is supported.
Hato
A wide AVIF photograph cropped and resized to a full-HD canvas.
Fox
A photographic AVIF sample prepared for the common 4:5 feed ratio.
Kimono
A vertical AVIF sample prepared for phone-first previews.
Plum Blossom
A square AVIF asset with an alpha channel, resized to a common preview size.
Pros
- +Excellent compression for photos and web artwork
- +Supports alpha transparency
- +Supports HDR and wide color workflows
- +Royalty-free AV1 codec family
- +Native support in modern Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari
Cons
- −Older browsers and image editors may not open it
- −Encoding is slower than JPG or WebP
- −Some CMS and social upload forms still reject .avif
- −Not a safe choice for email attachments or print workflows
Where it works
- macOS 13+ ✅
- iOS 16+ ✅
- Windows 10/11 ✅ via modern browsers
- Linux ✅
- Chrome ✅
- Firefox ✅
- Edge ✅
- Safari 16.4+ ✅
- IE 11 ❌
- Figma ✅
- Photoshop ✅ newer versions
- ImageMagick ✅
- Squoosh ✅
- Older CMS uploaders ⚠️
Related tools
Frequently asked questions
- Why do websites use AVIF?
- AVIF often produces smaller image files than JPG or WebP at similar visual quality, especially for photographic images.
- Can I use AVIF everywhere?
- Use it on modern websites, but keep JPG, PNG, or WebP alternatives for older software, email, and upload forms.