Modern FormatSince 2019

AVIF

AV1 Image File Format

Extension
.avif
Developer
Alliance for Open Media
Compression
Lossy
Year
2019

What is AVIF?

AVIF is a next-generation image format based on the AV1 video codec, developed by the Alliance for Open Media. It offers significantly better compression than JPEG, PNG, and even WebP, while supporting high dynamic range (HDR), wide color gamut, transparency, and animation. AVIF is rapidly gaining browser support and is considered the future standard for web images.

Key Features

Lossy Compression
Smaller files, some quality trade-off
Transparency
Supports alpha channel
Animation
Supports animated images

Common Use Cases

High-quality web images with minimal file size
HDR photography for the web
Images requiring wide color gamut
Next-generation web applications
Streaming and media platforms
Mobile-optimized image delivery

Advantages

  • Best-in-class compression efficiency
  • Supports HDR and wide color gamut
  • Supports transparency and animation
  • Royalty-free and open-source
  • Up to 50% smaller than JPEG at similar quality
  • Based on the widely adopted AV1 codec

Limitations

  • Slower encoding speed compared to WebP and JPEG
  • Browser support still growing (not yet universal)
  • Limited support in image editing software
  • Decoding can be slower on older hardware

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