AVIF Format Explained: The Next-Gen Image Format

By Gaurav Bhowmick·May 5, 2026·6 min read

AVIF is the newest image format making waves on the web. It promises files 30-50% smaller than JPEG with equal or better visual quality. But is it ready for everyday use? Here is a clear-eyed look at what AVIF does well, where it falls short, and how it fits into the format lineup.

What is AVIF?

AVIF stands for AV1 Image File Format. It is based on AV1, a video codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media (which includes Google, Apple, Mozilla, Netflix, and others). AVIF takes the compression technology from AV1 video and applies it to still images.

The format supports both lossy and lossless compression, transparency (alpha channel), HDR content, and wide colour gamuts. It is an open, royalty-free format — no licensing fees for anyone to use it.

How AVIF compares to other formats

Feature	JPEG	WebP	AVIF	PNG
Compression (photos)	Good	Better	Best	Poor
Transparency	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
HDR support	No	Limited	Yes	No
Browser support	Universal	Near-universal	Wide (2026)	Universal
Encoding speed	Fast	Fast	Slow	Fast
Lossless mode	No	Yes	Yes	Yes

For photographs, AVIF produces files roughly 30-50% smaller than JPEG and 20-30% smaller than WebP. The quality at those smaller sizes is genuinely impressive — AVIF handles gradients, skin tones, and fine textures especially well.

Browser support in 2026

AVIF support has come a long way. Chrome shipped AVIF support in 2020. Firefox followed in 2021. Safari added support in version 16 (2022). By 2026, all current versions of major browsers support AVIF natively.

The remaining gap is older browser versions. If your analytics show significant traffic from outdated browsers, use the HTML <picture> element to serve AVIF with a WebP or JPEG fallback. This way, modern browsers get the smallest files and older browsers still see something.

The encoding speed problem

AVIF's biggest practical limitation is encoding speed. Compressing an image to AVIF takes 5-20 times longer than JPEG or WebP. For a single hero image, that is a few seconds of extra wait. For a batch of 500 product photos, it could mean hours of processing.

This is improving. Newer encoders like libavif and hardware-accelerated implementations are closing the gap. But for now, encoding speed is a real consideration — especially for client-side tools that run in the browser.

When to use each format

AVIF: Best for websites where you control the serving stack and can set up fallbacks. Ideal for hero images, banners, and photography where every kilobyte matters.
WebP: The practical all-rounder. Near-universal browser support, fast encoding, significant savings over JPEG. Use it when you want a single format that works everywhere.
JPEG: Still the safest choice for maximum compatibility — email, government forms, older systems, social media uploads. Everyone can open a JPEG.
PNG: Use for screenshots, diagrams, icons, and anything with text or sharp edges that needs lossless quality or transparency.

AVIF and MiniPx

MiniPx currently supports compression and conversion between JPEG, PNG, and WebP. AVIF support is planned as a future addition. In the meantime, converting to WebP gives you significant size savings — 25-35% smaller than JPEG — with universal browser support today.

For most websites and applications in 2026, WebP hits the sweet spot: major file size reduction, wide compatibility, fast encoding, and full transparency support. AVIF is the future, and it is getting closer to being the present — but WebP is the format you can adopt everywhere right now.

Frequently asked questions

Is AVIF better than WebP?

For most photographs, yes. AVIF produces files 20-30% smaller than WebP at equivalent visual quality. It also handles HDR content and wide colour gamuts better. However, WebP has wider browser support, faster encoding speeds, and broader tool compatibility. The best choice depends on your audience and workflow.

Do all browsers support AVIF in 2026?

Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera, and Samsung Internet all support AVIF. Safari added support in version 16. The only gap is older browser versions — if your audience includes users on outdated software, serve AVIF with a JPEG or WebP fallback using the HTML picture element.

Why is AVIF encoding so slow?

AVIF uses the AV1 video codec for still images. AV1 was designed to maximize compression efficiency, which means the encoder does a lot more computational work per pixel. Encoding an AVIF image can take 5-20x longer than encoding a JPEG. This is improving with hardware acceleration and optimized encoders, but it remains a practical limitation.

Can I convert JPEG to AVIF with MiniPx?

MiniPx currently supports JPEG, PNG, and WebP formats. AVIF conversion is planned as a future addition. For now, you can convert your images to WebP with MiniPx for significant size savings — WebP is 25-35% smaller than JPEG and has universal browser support.

Should I convert my entire website to AVIF?

Not yet for most sites. The best approach in 2026 is to serve AVIF where supported and fall back to WebP or JPEG for other browsers. Use the HTML picture element with multiple source formats. If you cannot set up fallbacks, WebP is the safer choice — it has near-universal support and still offers major savings over JPEG.

More from the blog

JPEG vs PNG vs WebP — Best Format for Websites →WebP vs PNG vs JPEG — Which Format Wins in 2026? →AVIF vs WebP vs JPEG: Which Format Wins in 2026? →

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