What you should know
AVIF to JPG makes a modern image readable by software that does not know it yet. AVIF, derived from the AV1 video codec, compresses remarkably well and is spreading across the web, but many viewers, editors and printing services still cannot open it.
The image is decoded by your browser, then saved as a high-quality JPEG. Since JPEG has no transparency, transparent areas turn white.
Strengths
- JPG opens everywhere: viewers, email, printing
- Decoded by the browser, which understands AVIF
- High JPEG quality by default
- Automatic white background instead of a black one
Limitations to know
- The JPG is usually heavier than the original AVIF
- Transparency is lost and replaced with white
- An HDR image is brought back to a standard colour range
- Requires a recent browser that can read AVIF
When to use it
Convert when a photo downloaded as AVIF has to be opened, sent or printed by software that rejects it. For an image with transparency, convert to PNG instead; to keep it on a modern website, leave it as AVIF.
Quality, size and compatibility
The JPEG is saved at high quality: the image looks the same as the AVIF, but the file is often two to three times heavier. That is the price of an older, less efficient but universal format.
Frequently asked questions
- Why won't my AVIF image open?
- AVIF is recent: many desktop applications and older operating systems cannot read it yet. Current browsers do decode it, which is what makes the conversion possible.
- What happens to transparent areas?
- They turn white, because JPEG cannot store transparency. To keep it, choose PNG as the output format.