What is AVIF?

AVIF (AV1 Image File Format) is a modern image format developed by the Alliance for Open Media. It uses the same compression technology as the AV1 video codec to achieve file sizes 50% smaller than JPEG while maintaining better image quality. AVIF supports HDR, wide color gamut, and transparency with alpha channels.

AVIF is designed as the successor to JPEG, PNG, and WebP. It offers superior compression efficiency, making it perfect for web use where bandwidth and load times matter. Major browsers including Chrome, Firefox, and Safari now support AVIF, making it increasingly viable for production websites.

Did you know? AVIF can reduce image file sizes by up to 50% compared to JPEG with better quality!

History

AVIF was developed by the Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia), a consortium including Google, Mozilla, Netflix, Apple, and other tech giants, as part of their AV1 codec initiative.

Key Milestones

  • 2015: Alliance for Open Media formed
  • 2018: AV1 video codec finalized
  • 2019: AVIF specification published
  • 2020: Chrome 85 adds AVIF support
  • 2021: Firefox and Safari add support
  • Present: Growing adoption for web images

Key Features

Core Capabilities

  • Superior Compression: 50% smaller than JPEG
  • High Quality: Better quality at same file size
  • HDR Support: 10-bit and 12-bit color depth
  • Transparency: Alpha channel support
  • Wide Color Gamut: P3, Rec. 2020 color spaces
  • Progressive Decoding: Load images incrementally
  • Animation: Animated image sequences

Common Use Cases

Web Images

Faster loading websites

Mobile Apps

Reduced bandwidth usage

Photography

High-quality image storage

HDR Content

Wide color gamut images

Advantages

  • Best compression efficiency available
  • Superior quality vs JPEG/WebP
  • Supports transparency and HDR
  • Royalty-free and open standard
  • Growing browser support
  • Animation capabilities
  • Future-proof format

Disadvantages

  • Slower encoding/decoding than JPEG
  • Limited older browser support
  • Requires fallback images for compatibility
  • Less software support currently
  • Higher CPU usage for encoding

Technical Information

Format Specifications

Specification Details
File Extension .avif
MIME Type image/avif
Format Type Raster image
Compression AV1 codec (lossy/lossless)
Color Depth 8-bit, 10-bit, 12-bit
Transparency Yes (alpha channel)
Animation Yes
Max Dimensions 65536 x 65536 pixels

Common Tools

  • Encoders: libavif, avifenc, ImageMagick
  • Converters: Squoosh, GIMP, Photoshop (plugin)
  • Browsers: Chrome 85+, Firefox 93+, Safari 16+
  • Libraries: libavif, Sharp, Pillow