Why can't Photoshop open my AVIF file?

Photoshop requires the AVIF format plugin (available from fnordware.com) to open AVIF. Older Photoshop versions have no plugin option. Converting to PNG bypasses this entirely.

Why is the PNG so much larger than the AVIF?

AVIF uses very efficient lossy compression. PNG is lossless. A 200 KB AVIF photo might become 4–8 MB as PNG. This is normal — PNG stores every decoded pixel without compression loss.

GIMP 2.10.22+ can open AVIF with the HEIF plugin on Linux. On Windows, GIMP's AVIF support is inconsistent. Converting to PNG first is the reliable workaround.

Can I use PNG in a picture element as AVIF fallback?

Yes. The picture element with AVIF primary and PNG fallback: source srcset image.avif type image/avif, then img src image.png. This is the standard web pattern for modern format delivery.

Where do AVIF files commonly come from?

Chrome 85+ saves screenshots as AVIF. Google Photos exports photos as AVIF. Web crawlers capture AVIF from modern websites. macOS Ventura's Preview can export AVIF. Next.js and modern web frameworks serve AVIF by default.

Is this converter free?

Yes — 100% free, no signup, no upload. Runs in your browser using Canvas API.

🖼️ Image Converter

Convert AVIF to PNG — Open in Every Image Editor, No Plugin Needed

Q: Does converting AVIF to PNG lose quality?

AVIF is lossy. PNG is lossless. The PNG output is a lossless copy of what's in the AVIF — exactly what the AVIF decoded to. No further quality loss occurs, but the original quality floor set by the AVIF encoding is still there.

Chrome saves screenshots as AVIF. Google Photos exports in AVIF. Web crawlers collect AVIF from modern sites. The problem: Photoshop (without plugin), GIMP 2.10 and earlier, most image editors, and any tool older than 2021 can't open AVIF. Converting to PNG gives you a fully compatible, lossless image that opens in every tool ever made.

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AVIF Compatibility Problem: When No App Opens Your Image

AVIF (AV1 Image File Format) is the most efficient image format currently in widespread use — a 200 KB AVIF photo might be equivalent to a 2 MB JPEG. Google, Netflix, and major CDNs adopted it quickly. Chrome 85+ (released August 2020) began saving screenshots as AVIF. Google Photos started exporting in AVIF. Next.js, Nuxt, and modern web frameworks serve AVIF by default. AVIF is everywhere — but most desktop software can't open it.

Photoshop requires a third-party plugin to open AVIF. GIMP's AVIF support on Windows is unreliable. Paint.NET needs a plugin. Any Photoshop version before CS6 has no plugin option at all. PNG, on the other hand, opens in literally everything — Windows Paint from 1993, the original Photoshop from 1990, GIMP, Figma, Canva, Sketch, InDesign, Word, and every print shop workflow ever built. Converting to PNG gives you a lossless, pixel-perfect image that is universally editable.

🛠️ Opens in every image editor — Photoshop, GIMP, Paint.NET, even very old versions
🌐 Works in every browser including IE11 — <img> tags with PNG work everywhere
🎯 Lossless output — no further quality degradation from the AVIF source
🎨 Design tool ready — Figma, Sketch, and Canva import PNG natively without plugins
🖨️ Print shops accept PNG universally — professional print workflows expect PNG or TIFF

How to Convert AVIF to PNG

Open the Converter

Click "Convert Now" — the image tab with AVIF → PNG will be pre-selected.

Drop Your AVIF File

Drag and drop your .avif file or click to browse. Batch mode converts multiple files at once.

Convert in Browser

Canvas API decodes and converts your AVIF locally — nothing is uploaded anywhere.

Download Your PNG

Your lossless PNG downloads immediately — opens in any image editor, no plugins required.

Every Situation Where AVIF to PNG Saves the Day

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Photoshop Editing

Photoshop needs a plugin to open AVIF. Skip the plugin hunt — convert to PNG and open instantly.

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Google Photos Exports

Google Photos now exports AVIF by default. Convert to PNG before editing or sending to anyone.

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Chrome Screenshots

Chrome 85+ saves screenshots as AVIF. Convert to PNG to paste into Word, email, or Slack.

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Design Tools

Figma, Sketch, and Canva all import PNG without plugins. AVIF requires workarounds in most tools.

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Print & Professional Use

Print shops, photographers, and production workflows universally accept PNG. AVIF is not yet supported.

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100% Private

Files never leave your browser. Canvas API handles everything locally — zero server involvement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Photoshop requires the "AVIF format plugin" (available from fnordware.com) to open AVIF files. This plugin works with Photoshop CC and CS6, but there is no plugin available for older versions. Even with the plugin, the installation process can be error-prone. Converting to PNG bypasses this entirely — PNG opens in every version of Photoshop ever released.

AVIF is lossy (similar to JPEG). PNG is lossless. The PNG output is a pixel-perfect, lossless copy of what's in the AVIF file — exactly what the AVIF decoded to. No further quality loss occurs during the conversion. However, the quality floor set by the original AVIF encoding is already there and cannot be recovered — the PNG will faithfully represent the AVIF's quality level, no better.

AVIF uses very efficient lossy compression based on the AV1 video codec — it's extremely good at discarding visual data that human eyes don't notice. PNG is lossless and stores every decoded pixel without compression loss. A 200 KB AVIF photo might become 4–8 MB as PNG. This size difference is completely normal and expected — you're trading storage efficiency for universal compatibility and zero further quality loss.

GIMP 2.10.22+ can open AVIF with the HEIF/AVIF plugin on Linux, where the libheif library is readily available. On Windows, GIMP's AVIF support is inconsistent — the required DLLs are often missing and the installation process is complex. GIMP 3.0 improved this, but for any GIMP version on Windows, converting to PNG first is the reliable, no-hassle workaround.

Yes. The standard web pattern for modern format delivery with broad compatibility is: <picture><source srcset="image.avif" type="image/avif"><img src="image.png"></picture>. Browsers that support AVIF use the source; all others fall back to the PNG. This gives you the best of both worlds — tiny files for modern browsers and universal compatibility for everything else.

Chrome 85+ (August 2020) saves screenshots as AVIF by default. Google Photos exports photos as AVIF when you download from the web interface. Web crawlers and screenshot tools that capture modern websites collect AVIF files. macOS Ventura's Preview can export AVIF. Next.js, Nuxt, Astro, and modern web frameworks serve images as AVIF by default when the browser supports it.

Yes — 100% free, no signup, no upload. Runs entirely in your browser using Canvas API. Your AVIF file never leaves your device — no file size limits, no watermarks, no account required.