What Is AVIF? How It Compares to JPEG and WebP, and How to Convert It When It Won't Open

What kind of image format is AVIF?

AVIF (AV1 Image File Format, extension .avif) is a relatively new still-image format built on video compression technology. Its biggest selling point is that it tends to fit the same visual quality into a smaller file than JPEG, and it spread as a way to make websites load faster.

• Small files: at similar quality, files can drop to around half the size of a JPEG. The gap is biggest for images with lots of colors, such as photos.
• Transparency: like PNG, it can have a transparent background, covering cases where you needed transparency and couldn't use JPEG.
• Wide tonal range: it is less prone to banding, where gradients in dark areas look like stripes, and handles high-contrast photos well.
• Animation: it can hold short animations as a replacement for GIF.

In short, it combines the small size of JPEG, the transparency of PNG and the animation of GIF. The one reason JPEG hasn't disappeared comes down to the question covered next: can the other person open it?

How it compares with JPEG, PNG and WebP

No single format does everything. The four things to weigh are file size, transparency, image quality and, above all, how widely it's supported.

WebP and AVIF play similar roles: both fill in the weaknesses of JPEG and PNG. Roughly speaking, AVIF wins on compression and WebP wins on support. For diagrams with fine lines or text, pushing compression too far makes edges blur even in AVIF, so screenshots and document graphics are safer left as PNG.

When you shouldn't hand over an AVIF as is

Most "my AVIF won't open" problems aren't a fault in the format; the recipient's setup simply doesn't support it. In the following situations, convert to JPEG or PNG before you pass the file on.

• Inserting into documents or reports: depending on the version, word processors and spreadsheets may not read it, so you can't insert it at all.
• Sending to print: printers' file guidelines usually specify JPEG, PNG, PDF and the like, and AVIF is almost never on the list.
• Uploading to submission forms: forms that only accept certain extensions won't even let you select it.
• Emailing clients or people you don't know: if you don't know their setup, you're sending something they might not be able to open.
• Using older devices or software: some OS and app versions from a few years ago still lack support.

On the other hand, AVIF is fine as is for images on a website you manage, or images only you will view on your own device. Split the decision by asking "will only I open this, or someone else?" and you won't go wrong.

How to convert an AVIF that won't open

Renaming the extension to .jpg by hand doesn't change the contents, so it won't make the file open. You need a conversion that rebuilds the contents. A converter that works in the browser means you don't need to install anything.

1. 1

   Decide on the output format

   Choose JPEG for photos and PNG for images where you want to keep transparency, diagrams and screenshots. Converting a transparent AVIF to JPEG fills the transparent areas with white or another color.

2. 2

   Load the file into an image format converter

   A converter that processes images inside the browser lets you convert locally without uploading anything. That makes it easier to handle images you'd rather not send anywhere, such as photos of people or internal documents.

3. 3

   Convert and save

   Choose the output format, convert and save. Check that the file name's extension matches what you chose.

4. 4

   Open it to check

   Open the converted file in the software you'll actually use, such as the submission form, word processor or printing app. Only then is it really ready to hand over.

If a website serves AVIF and everything you save from it ends up as .avif, converting it once on your side makes it easier to work with from then on. Conversely, if your goal is to make your own site lighter, the standard approach is to serve AVIF and fall back to JPEG for setups that don't support it. File sizes and support for each format are compared in the differences between PNG, JPEG and WebP, and WebP, which also fails to open in some setups, is covered in what to do when a WebP won't open.

FAQ

What is AVIF, and how is it different from JPEG?

It's a still-image format built on video compression technology, and it tends to fit the same quality into a smaller file than JPEG. It also supports transparency, which JPEG can't do, and handles gradients in dark areas better. The difference that matters is support: JPEG opens almost anywhere, while AVIF can't be handled by some older software and submission forms.

My AVIF file won't open. What should I do?

Most likely the software you're using doesn't support AVIF. Renaming the extension to .jpg doesn't change the contents, so it won't help. Convert it to JPEG or PNG with an image format converter: JPEG for photos, PNG for images and diagrams where you want to keep transparency. Then open the result in the software you'll actually use to be sure.

Should I use AVIF or WebP?

Choose AVIF if compression matters most and WebP if broad support matters most. For images on your own website where you can provide JPEG for unsupported setups, AVIF has the edge. For files you hand to other people, or wherever you don't know how they'll be opened, even WebP isn't completely safe, so JPEG or PNG is the safer choice.

Can I use AVIF for printing or submitting documents?

Usually not. Printers' file guidelines and submission forms generally accept only formats such as JPEG, PNG and PDF, and AVIF isn't among them. Word processors may not let you insert it either. Check the destination's requirements, and if none are given, convert to JPEG or PNG before sending.