AVIF to PNG: Converting Modern Format to Universal Compatibility
Why Convert AVIF to PNG?
AVIF is an excellent web delivery format, but its adoption in desktop software and editing tools is still limited. Many professional image editors, content management systems, legacy publishing tools, and business applications do not yet support AVIF files natively. Converting AVIF to PNG gives you maximum compatibility across all software environments while retaining full image quality.
Software Compatibility Considerations
Adobe Photoshop added AVIF support relatively recently. Older versions of Photoshop, Lightroom, GIMP, and other image editing applications may not open AVIF files at all. If you receive an AVIF image and need to open it in editing software, converting to PNG first is the most reliable solution. PNG is supported by every image editing application ever made.
What Is AVIF?
AVIF (AV1 Image File Format) was developed in 2019 by the Alliance for Open Media, using the AV1 video codec to achieve highly efficient image compression. It is primarily designed for web delivery, where its small file sizes reduce bandwidth usage and improve page load times. While browser support is now excellent, software support outside of browsers lags behind.
What Is PNG?
PNG (Portable Network Graphics) uses lossless compression to perfectly preserve every pixel of an image. It has been a web standard since 1996 and is universally supported in every browser, operating system, image editor, and application. PNG supports transparency via an alpha channel, making it ideal for logos, icons, and graphics that need to be placed on different backgrounds.
AVIF Support Limitations
Outside of web browsers, AVIF support remains incomplete as of 2024. Windows 11 Photo Viewer can display AVIF files. macOS Preview supports AVIF from version 13 (Ventura) onward. However, many professional tools, business applications, and online platforms still expect JPEG or PNG format. When in doubt, PNG offers guaranteed compatibility.
Lossless Conversion Quality
Because PNG uses lossless compression, converting from AVIF to PNG does not introduce any new quality loss. The pixel values from the AVIF are read exactly and stored losslessly in the PNG. The only consideration is that PNG files will be significantly larger than the original AVIF because PNG does not use lossy compression.
How to Convert AVIF to PNG
- Select your AVIF file — click the upload area or drag and drop your .avif file onto the converter.
- Preview — the image is displayed for confirmation. Note that AVIF decoding requires a modern browser.
- Click Convert to PNG — conversion runs instantly in your browser using native codecs.
- Download — save the resulting PNG file for use in any application.
About This Tool
This AVIF to PNG converter runs entirely in your browser. No file is uploaded to any server. Your images remain private on your device. Free to use, no registration, no watermarks, and no limits on conversion count.