Quick Verdict
Use AVIF when…
Use AVIF for web images — it has excellent browser support (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari 16+) and achieves the best compression of any major image format. Google and Netflix use AVIF for image delivery.
Use HEIF when…
Use HEIF (HEIC) for Apple device photos. iPhone and iPad capture natively in HEIC, macOS reads it natively, and the Apple ecosystem is optimised for it. For web delivery, convert HEIC to AVIF or WebP.
Convert AVIF and HEIF files
Free, browser-based converters — no upload, no signup required.
More AVIF converters: AVIF to JPG · AVIF to PNG · AVIF to GIF
More HEIF converters: HEIC to JPG · HEIC to PNG · HEIC to PDF
AVIF vs HEIF: Feature Comparison
| Feature | AVIF | HEIF |
|---|---|---|
| Container | HEIF (ISO 23008-12) | HEIF (ISO 23008-12) |
| Image codec | AV1 | HEVC (H.265) — in HEIC |
| Compression vs JPG | 50–70% better | 50% better |
| Browser support | Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari 16+ | Safari only (as HEIC) |
| iPhone capture | No (iPhone uses HEIC) | Yes (native iPhone format) |
| Royalty-free | Yes (AV1 is open) | No (HEVC has patent royalties) |
| HDR support | Yes | Yes |
| Animation support | Yes (animated AVIF) | Yes (HEIF animation) |
When AVIF wins
- ✓Container: HEIF (ISO 23008-12)
- ✓Image codec: AV1
- ✓Compression vs JPG: 50–70% better
When HEIF wins
- ✓Container: HEIF (ISO 23008-12)
- ✓Image codec: HEVC (H.265) — in HEIC
- ✓Compression vs JPG: 50% better
Frequently asked questions
Is AVIF better than HEIC?
For web delivery: AVIF is better — better browser support, royalty-free AV1 codec, and slightly better compression. For Apple device photos: HEIC is better — it's native to the device and Apple ecosystem. These aren't directly competing for the same use case.
Can I serve AVIF on my website?
Yes — Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari 16+ support AVIF. Together these cover 95%+ of users. Provide a WebP or JPG fallback for older browsers using the HTML picture element: `<picture><source type='image/avif' srcset='img.avif'><img src='img.jpg'></picture>`.
How do I convert HEIC to AVIF?
Using ImageMagick: `convert input.heic output.avif`. Using FFmpeg: `ffmpeg -i input.heic output.avif`. The conversion requires re-encoding from HEVC to AV1, which is CPU-intensive.
Related comparisons
More comparisons
View all format comparisons →