Why won't my AVIF file open?
AVIF is a new image format. Most desktop apps can't read it yet. Your web browser can show AVIF inside a web page, but the moment you save the file to disk and try to open it in Photoshop, Outlook, a print driver, or your work portal — nothing. The fix is to convert AVIF to JPG.
30-second fix
Drop the .avif into the converter. Get a JPG (or PNG) back. Open it anywhere.
What AVIF is
AVIF stands for AV1 Image File Format. It uses the AV1 video codec (designed by the Alliance for Open Media, originally for streaming) to compress still images. Compared to JPG, AVIF files are typically 50% smaller at the same visual quality. Compared to HEIC, AVIF is royalty-free, which is why it's becoming more common on the web.
Why you suddenly have one
Most likely: you right-clicked an image on a modern website and chose Save Image As. The site was serving the image as AVIF (for bandwidth savings) and your browser saved the file in its original format. The .avif extension threw your apps.
Why apps can't open it
Reading AVIF requires:
- An ISO base media file format parser (HEIF container)
- An AV1 decoder
- Color-space conversion code (AVIF often uses YUV 4:2:0 at 10 or 12 bits)
Most desktop image libraries (the ones Photoshop, Outlook, your work portal, etc. use under the hood) haven't added all three. Web browsers have, because they need AV1 for video. Until the rest of the software ecosystem catches up, AVIF and HEIC look the same to your computer: opaque blobs.
What works and what doesn't
Apps that can open AVIF in 2026
- Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari (in <img> tags on web pages)
- Windows 11 Photos app (with AV1 Video Extension installed; usually pre-installed)
- macOS 13+ Preview and Photos
- iOS 16+ Photos
- Android 12+ gallery apps
- Recent versions of GIMP, Krita, and Affinity Photo (via plugin)
Apps that still can't (as of 2026)
- Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook inline preview)
- Photoshop CC unless updated past 2024 (older versions need a plugin)
- Most web upload forms / image processors on the server side
- Print drivers
- Older versions of all of the above
The reliable fix
Convert AVIF to JPG before doing anything else with the file. The converter on this page runs entirely in your browser using the browser's native AVIF decoder (which all modern browsers have). It produces a fresh JPG you can open anywhere.
Or: AVIF to PNG (lossless, larger files)
About this site
Everything runs in your browser. No upload, no signup, no watermark. Drop the file, convert, download. Nothing reaches our server because we don't run one for conversions.