AVIF
/ˈeɪvɪf/ · noun · image format · AV1 Image File Format
A newer image format based on the AV1 video codec. Very small files, but not every app opens it.
In more detail
AVIF uses the AV1 video codec to compress still images. It gets some of the best compression available today. An AVIF is often smaller than a WebP at the same quality.
Support is fairly new. A JPG fallback still helps when an older app or device can't open the file.
How AVIF works
AVIF stores an image with compression methods built for AV1 video. One file can hold a normal color image, transparency, HDR, wide color and even an image sequence. It has a lossy mode for photos and a lossless mode for graphics where every pixel must stay exact.
Its encoder has more ways to describe repeated texture and slow color changes than older formats. That often means a smaller download. The trade is speed. Encoding an AVIF usually takes longer than encoding a JPG or WebP.
When to use AVIF
AVIF works well for photos, product shots and detailed artwork on modern websites. It helps most when bandwidth matters and you can create the files ahead of time, not while a visitor waits.
Keep a JPG or PNG original for editing and backups. If an email client, design app, marketplace or older device rejects the AVIF, convert a copy. Use JPG for photos, or PNG if you need transparency.
Key points
- AVIF can be lossy or lossless, and it can keep transparency and HDR.
- It is often smaller than JPG and WebP, but slower to encode.
- Keep a JPG or PNG fallback when compatibility matters more than size.