How to Convert AVIF to PNG — Open AVIF Files Anywhere (2026)

1. Quick Answer

2. What Is AVIF and Why Did a Website Give You One?

AVIF (AV1 Image File Format) is a still-image format built on the AV1 video codec, published by the Alliance for Open Media — the consortium including Google, Mozilla, Netflix, Amazon, and Microsoft — with the specification finalized in 2019. It exists for one reason: extreme compression efficiency. At the same visual quality, AVIF files are typically far smaller than JPEG and dramatically smaller than PNG, which is why performance-conscious websites and image CDNs now deliver AVIF to any browser that accepts it.

That is also why the format keeps landing on people's disks unexpectedly: you right-click an image on a website, choose "Save image as", and get a .avif file that your photo editor, corporate upload form, or older viewer refuses to open. The image is fine — it is just wrapped in a format that the wider software world hasn't fully caught up with. Converting it to PNG solves the problem permanently for that file.

A note on spelling, because search data shows real confusion here: AVIF is not "AVID". Avid is professional video-editing software (Media Composer) with its own file ecosystem — MXF, AAF, DNxHD. If you have a picture saved from a website, it is AVIF; if you have broadcast video project files, see our Avid file guide instead.

3. AVIF vs PNG — Side by Side

The two formats are complements, not rivals: AVIF is what a website should serve; PNG is what you want to work with locally. Converting AVIF → PNG trades small file size for universal compatibility and lossless editability.

4. AVIF Support Timeline — Why It Still Won't Open Everywhere

Browser support is now complete, but it arrived in stages — and desktop software lagged years behind:

Outside browsers and current operating systems, support is still patchy: older image editors, many corporate tools, and a large share of website upload forms simply reject .avif files. That gap is exactly what converting to PNG bridges.

5. Method 1: Convertlo Browser Converter

Since every modern browser can already decode AVIF, your browser itself is the most reliable converter available. Convertlo uses it to decode the AVIF and re-encode it as PNG locally — the file never leaves your device.

6. Method 2: Windows — AV1 Extension + Photos

Windows 10 and 11 can open AVIF natively once the (free) codec is installed:

1. Open the Microsoft Store and search for AV1 Video Extension (published by Microsoft Corporation — it covers AVIF images as well as AV1 video)
2. Install it, then double-click your .avif file — it opens in the Photos app
3. Click the three-dot menu → Save as, and choose PNG as the file type

7. Method 3: Mac Preview (macOS 13+)

Apple added system-wide AVIF support in macOS 13 Ventura (2022). On Ventura or later:

1. Double-click the .avif file — it opens in Preview
2. Click File → Export…
3. Choose PNG in the Format dropdown and click Save

On older macOS versions (Monterey and earlier), Preview cannot open AVIF at all — use the browser method instead, which works on any macOS version with a current browser installed.

8. PNG or JPG as the Target?

Both conversions are one click on Convertlo, so pick by destination:

• Choose PNG when the image has transparency (logos, cutouts, UI graphics), when you plan to edit it further, or when exact pixel fidelity matters. PNG is lossless — converting adds zero additional degradation.
• Choose JPG when it is a photograph headed for email, documents, or another upload and file size matters more than transparency. See our AVIF to JPG guide for that route.

For a deeper look at how AVIF compares to WebP and JPEG XL across the modern format landscape, our AVIF format guide covers the whole picture.

9. Frequently Asked Questions