Just as the AAC audio códec arrived in 1997 to surpass the relatively poor efficiency of the MP3 (although strangely, some people still haven’t read the memo, nearly 29 years later and with nearly ubiquitous acceptance), the AVIF códec arrived in 2019. Where the AAC audio códec (often with an M4A file extension) gives us higher quality and a smaller file than an MP3, an AVIF image file gives us higher quality with a smaller size than a JPEG or PNG file. In a number of tests by Netflix in 2020, AVIF showed better compression efficiency than JPEG as well as better detail preservation, fewer blocking artifacts and less color bleeding around hard edges in composites of natural images, text, and graphics. AVIF images can be up to 50% smaller than JPEGs while maintaining the same image quality. Ahead, I’ll cover browser support, WordPress support depending upon version and server, tool support and partial email marketing support of AVIF. I’ll also link two pages where I shrunk the file size by converting the images into AVIF.
AVIF browser support
- In August 2020, Google Chrome version 85 was released with full AVIF support. Google Chrome 89 for Android adds AVIF support.
- I don’t have the exact dates, but I have confirmed that Brave and Opera both support AVIF now, and they likely received it shortly after Chrome did, since they are both Chromium based.
- In October 2021, Mozilla Firefox 93 was released with default AVIF support.
- WebKit added AVIF support on 5 March 2021. Safari for iOS 16 and macOS Ventura added support for AVIF; iOS 16 was released on 12 September 2022 and macOS Ventura on 24 October 2022. Safari 16.4 retroactively added AVIF support for macOS Monterey and macOS Big Sur.
- Microsoft Edge added AVIF support in version 121 released in January 2024.
AVIF WordPress support, per version and server
When I first began adding AVIF image files in WordPress sites I develop and maintain, it was necessary to use a paid third-party plugin to allow uploading AVIF files to WordPress (without resorting to SFTP). Fortunately, WordPress 6.5 and later supports AVIF directly (without any third-party plugin). The current WordPress version as of publication date of this article is 6.7. (The current ßeta version is 6.8 but I only use release versions of WordPress.)
Of course, the server must also support AVIF. Fortunately, people who host their websites with my TecnoTur.LLC can rest assured that our servers support AVIF.
AVIF tool support
- Adobe: Although I don’t currently use any Adobe products, my research indicates that the latest version of Adobe tools can export AVIF, either directly or via a plugin. I cannot provide more details.
- Affinity: Thanks to Francisco Javier Arbolí for helping me confirm that Affinity does not yet support exporting AVIF.
- Apple: Although Apple Photos, Preview and Keynote still do not offer AVIF export, the ≈US$50 (one-time price) Pixelmator Pro (recently purchased by Apple) does support AVIF export, which is the primary reason why I recently bought Pixelmator Pro, before discovering all of its other virtues. See my article: Pixelmator Pro: Photoshop substitute? Keynote Pro? Preview Pro? Yes!
- Canva: Thanks to Francisco Javier Arbolí for helping me confirm that Canva (paid version) does not yet support exporting AVIF.
- Squoosh.app is a free website service that can convert existing image files into AVIF. I used Squoosh before becoming aware and purchasing Pixelmator Pro, since it has direct AVIF export and can create photomontages too, as covered in detail in Pixelmator Pro: Photoshop substitute? Keynote Pro? Preview Pro? Yes!
Partial email marketing support
- Authory: My current and preferred email marketing service (Authory) fortunately supports AVIF. I tested it with a recent article, after discussing it with Authory. I covered Authory briefly in July 2024 in Am I officially certified as a human writer? Yes! but I am holding back on my review until Authory adds a few pending promised features.
- Constant Contact: I don’t use it, but quick research indicates that it supports AVIF.
- Elastic Email is a great service from Canada that I used before I switched to Authory in April 2024, since Authory automates my email bulletins to save me time. If you use Elastic Email, ask customer service if you want to find out if AVIF is supported.
Web pages where I converted images into AVIF
On these three web pages (not entire websites), I converted the heaviest images into AVIF to shrink the file sizes and dramatically reduce the loading time:
- BeakerFlms.com/featured-projects (in English)
- MicrocarMuseumofPuertoRico.com/virtual-visit-to-the-museum (in English)
- MuseodemicrocarrosdePuertoRico.com/visita-virtual-del-museo (en castellano)
All of the above are hosted on my TecnoTur.LLC.
Image credit
The AVIF logo is courtesy Alliance for Open Media.
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FTC disclosure
Neither Apple, Adobe, Affinity, the Alliance for Open Media or Canva has paid for this article. Some of the manufacturers listed above have contracted Tépper and/or TecnoTur.LLC to carry out consulting and/or translations/localizations/transcreations. So far, none of the manufacturers listed above is/are sponsors of the TecnoTur, BeyondPodcasting, CapicúaFM or TuSaludSecreta programs, although they are welcome to do so, and some are, may be (or may have been) sponsors of ProVideo Coalition magazine. Some links to third parties listed in this article and/or on this web page may indirectly benefit TecnoTur.LLC via affiliate programs. Allan Tépper’s opinions are his own. Allan Tépper is not liable for misuse or misunderstanding of information he shares.