What is AVIF?
AVIF is an image format based on the AV1 video codec. It comes from the Alliance for Open Media, a group whose members include Google, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and Netflix. It compresses photos very efficiently and supports transparency, so image heavy websites like it.
Current Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari all display AVIF on web pages. Outside the browser, support is uneven. On Windows, the Photos app needs the AV1 Video Extension from the Microsoft Store before it shows AVIF, and many editors and office apps show an error or a blank icon.
Why convert AVIF to JPG?
- Edit the image in software that does not read AVIF
- Paste it into a report or slide deck that others will open on their own PCs
- Upload it to a form, marketplace or print shop that accepts only JPG or PNG
- Send it to someone whose phone cannot preview AVIF
Expect the JPG to be noticeably larger than the AVIF. That is the price of wide compatibility.
How to spot AVIF: the file name ends in .avif, or your computer shows a generic icon with no preview. Some sites send AVIF even when the saved name ends in .jpg. If such a file will not open, try Convert to JPG, which accepts many image formats in one place.
Transparent images and other formats
JPG cannot store transparency, so any transparent area in the AVIF becomes white. For logos or cutouts that need a clear background, use AVIF to PNG instead.
Running a website yourself? Keep AVIF on your pages and use JPG copies only where you need compatibility. If a JPG ends up too large for an upload limit, Compress JPG brings it down without changing the format.