Open an AVIF file in your browser

1What is an AVIF file?

AVIF stands for AV1 Image File Format. It applies the AV1 video codec — developed by an open consortium including Google, Mozilla, Apple, Netflix and Amazon — to still images. The goal is straightforward: the same visual quality in a noticeably smaller file than JPEG.

The gain is real and measurable: roughly 20 to 50% lighter than an equivalent WebP, and more still against a JPEG. That is why performance-conscious websites serve AVIF by default. The trade-off is a younger format, and therefore later browser support.

2Can Pixora Viewer open an AVIF?

Yes. AVIF is explicitly in the list of formats the viewer accepts, alongside JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF and BMP. You can point it at a folder mixing AVIF with other images and start the slideshow: nothing to convert, nothing to install.

One important detail: Pixora Viewer does not decode the format itself. It leaves that to your browser engine, which guarantees the image you see is rendered correctly rather than approximated. The logical consequence is that a browser unable to decode AVIF will show a missing image, even inside Pixora.

3Which browsers open an AVIF, and since when?

4Why is my AVIF not displaying?

• Your browser is too old. This is by far the most common cause. Safari only caught up in March 2023 with version 16.4, so an iPhone stuck on iOS 15 will never display an AVIF.
• Your browser is fine but you are using another app's preview. An older mail client or file manager may reject AVIF while your browser handles it without trouble. Open the file with the browser, not with the system preview.
• The image is animated or has transparency. Safari on iOS 15 showed incorrect colours on AVIF files with an alpha channel. This was fixed in iOS 16.
• The file is damaged. An interrupted download leaves a file that exists but cannot be decoded. Check that its size matches what the source announced.

5Opening an AVIF in Pixora Viewer, step by step

1. Open the viewer in a browser from 2023 or later.
2. Click the folder button and select the folder containing your AVIF files.
3. The slideshow starts immediately. You can set the display duration between 1 and 60 seconds per image.
4. Use the arrow keys to move back and forth, the space bar to pause, and the full-screen button for a projection.

6Should you convert your AVIF files to JPEG?

In most cases, no. If you are aiming at web display or a screen projection, AVIF beats JPEG at equal quality, and converting would only make your files heavier and degrade the image.

Conversion makes sense in three specific situations: you need to send the image to someone whose software is frozen on an old version; you need to upload it to a platform that rejects AVIF; or you need to hand it to a printer who requires a standard format. In those cases, convert a copy and keep the original.

7Frequently asked questions

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