AVIF Browser and Device Compatibility
AVIF has come a long way. Today it's supported by every major browser, every modern operating system, and most photo and social platforms. This is the complete reference for who supports AVIF and where the gaps still are.
TL;DR
If you are on a device or browser from the last few years, AVIF works. For a public audience, the simple number is: roughly 95% of users can open AVIF today. The remaining 5% are mostly legacy Windows, old Android, and older iPhones.
Browser Support
| Browser | AVIF Support |
|---|---|
| Chrome (desktop and Android) | ✓ |
| Firefox | ✓ |
| Edge | ✓ |
| Safari (modern) | ✓ |
| Opera | ✓ |
| Brave | ✓ |
| Samsung Internet | ✓ |
| Internet Explorer | ✗ |
| Very old Safari versions | ✗ |
Operating System Support
| OS | View AVIF | Save Photos as AVIF |
|---|---|---|
| Modern iPhone / iPad | ✓ | ✗ (use HEVCut) |
| Older iPhones | ✗ | ✗ |
| Modern macOS | ✓ | ✓ (via Preview or Photos) |
| Older macOS | ✗ | ✗ |
| Windows 11 | ✓ | ✓ |
| Windows 10 | ✓ (codec) | Limited |
| Older Windows | ✗ | ✗ |
| Modern Android | ✓ | Some OEMs |
| Older Android | ✗ | ✗ |
| ChromeOS | ✓ | ✓ |
| Recent Linux distros | ✓ | ✓ |
Photo and Design Software
| App | View AVIF | Edit / Export AVIF |
|---|---|---|
| Adobe Photoshop (modern Mac) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Adobe Lightroom (mobile + desktop) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Affinity Photo | ✓ | ✓ |
| Capture One | ✓ | ✓ |
| GIMP | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pixelmator Pro | ✓ | ✓ |
| Apple Photos | ✓ | macOS only |
| Google Photos | ✓ | ✓ Web |
| Microsoft Photos | ✓ | ✓ |
| Figma | ✓ | ✗ Export |
| Sketch | ✓ | ✓ |
Social Media and Messaging
| Platform | Accepts AVIF Upload | Delivers as AVIF |
|---|---|---|
| ✓ | Recompressed | |
| iMessage | ✓ | ✓ |
| Telegram | ✓ | ✓ |
| Signal | ✓ | Recompressed |
| ✓ | Recompressed | |
| TikTok | ✓ | Recompressed |
| ✓ | Recompressed | |
| Twitter / X | ✓ | Recompressed |
| ✓ | Recompressed | |
| ✓ | Recompressed | |
| Discord | ✓ | ✓ |
| Slack | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluesky | ✓ | Recompressed |
| Email (Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail) | ✓ | ✓ |
Most platforms re-compress whatever you upload, so they don't really care what format you send. Sending AVIF saves your upload time and gives the platform a higher-quality source to start from.
Print and Photo Services
This is the area where AVIF is still patchy.
| Service | AVIF |
|---|---|
| Shutterfly | ✗ Convert to JPG first |
| Walgreens Photo | ✗ JPG required |
| CVS Photo | ✗ JPG required |
| Snapfish | ✗ JPG required |
| Apple Photo Books (Mac) | ✓ |
| Mpix | ✗ JPG required |
| Costco Photo Center | ✗ JPG required |
| Most local photo kiosks | Almost always JPG |
If you are printing photos, convert to JPG first. This is a real constraint that won't go away soon.
HEVCut can output AVIF for storage and JPG for printing from the same library.
Try freeCommon Questions
Will AVIF eventually have universal compatibility?
Probably yes in the next few years, as older hardware cycles out. The last major holdout will be print services, which have no business incentive to update quickly.
Why does my iPhone open AVIF but not export it?
iPhone added the ability to view AVIF a few iOS versions back but never added the ability to create AVIF photos. Until Apple changes that, you need a third-party app for AVIF output.
Does AVIF support animation like GIF?
Yes. Animated AVIF is smaller and higher quality than GIF on every supporting browser.
What about JPEG XL? Isn't it better?
JPEG XL has excellent technology but uneven adoption. AVIF has clearer momentum across browsers, operating systems, and platforms today.
Bottom Line
AVIF is safe to use almost everywhere on the modern web. The 5% gap is real but shrinking. For iPhone users, the missing piece is the ability to save photos in AVIF, which is exactly the gap HEVCut fills.