AVIF Explained: The Modern Image Format at Half the Size
When images need to shrink another notch, AVIF is the most efficient general answer today: similar visual quality at roughly half the JPG footprint, derived from AV1 video coding and fully supported by modern browsers. Where the savings come from, where compatibility ends, and how to split duties with WebP.
Where the savings come from
AVIF borrows AV1's intra-frame coding, an order more efficient than JPG's decades-old algorithm: comparable quality at roughly half the size, smaller than WebP besides. It also carries alpha, wide gamut, and HDR — capabilities JPG never had.
Setting the quality parameter
The converter's quality slider runs 0.3-0.95, defaulting to 0.8. AVIF's efficiency means 0.8 matches the look of JPG at 0.9 — do not port JPG experience values over. Start at 0.8 and step down only if the size still matters more than the pixels.
The compatibility boundary
Modern Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari all support AVIF — the web is safe territory. The boundary is desktop software and older systems: some image viewers, old OS galleries, and legacy devices will not open the file. That is a format problem, not corruption.
- Web images, app media: AVIF first
- Sending to unknown devices: keep a JPG fallback
- Transparency with wider compatibility: WebP middle ground
How it splits duties with WebP
Pick AVIF for maximum savings; pick WebP for maximum compatibility (older in-app browsers, legacy Android WebViews). Both carry transparency and lossy modes, and every conversion runs locally — compare size and quality per batch before committing to a format.