AVIF Browser Support Guide 2025
Complete compatibility guide with implementation strategies and fallback solutions
AVIF is supported by all modern browsers as of 2025: Chrome 85+ (Aug 2020), Firefox 93+ (Oct 2021), Safari 16+ (Sep 2022), Edge 90+ (Apr 2021), and Opera 71+. This represents over 85% of global browser users. Always implement fallbacks using the <picture> element for maximum compatibility.
Browser Compatibility Matrix
| Browser | First Support | Version Required | Current Market Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chrome | August 2020 | 85+ ✓ | ~65% |
| Edge | April 2021 | 90+ ✓ | ~5% |
| Firefox | October 2021 | 93+ ✓ | ~3% |
| Safari | September 2022 | 16+ (macOS 13+) ✓ | ~15% |
| Opera | September 2020 | 71+ ✓ | ~2% |
| Samsung Internet | April 2021 | 14+ ✓ | ~3% |
✓ Current Coverage (2025):
- • Over 85% global browser support for AVIF format
- • All major desktop and mobile browsers now support AVIF
- • iOS 16+ and Android 12+ have native AVIF support
- • Corporate and legacy browsers (IE11, older Safari) require fallbacks
Detecting AVIF Support
Before serving AVIF images, implement feature detection to ensure browser compatibility and provide fallbacks when needed.
JavaScript Detection Methods
// Method 1: Canvas-based synchronous detection
function supportsAVIF() {
const canvas = document.createElement('canvas');
return canvas.toDataURL('image/avif').indexOf('data:image/avif') === 0;
}
// Method 2: Async image-based detection (more reliable)
async function detectAVIFSupport() {
const avifData = 'data:image/avif;base64,AAAAIGZ0eXBhdmlmAAAAAGF2aWZtaWYxbWlhZk1BMUIAAADybWV0YQAAAAAAAAAoaGRscgAAAAAAAAAAcGljdAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGxpYmF2aWYAAAAADnBpdG0AAAAAAAEAAAAeaWxvYwAAAABEAAABAAEAAAABAAABGgAAAB0AAAAoaWluZgAAAAAAAQAAABppbmZlAgAAAAABAABhdjAxQ29sb3IAAAAAamlwcnAAAABLaXBjbwAAABRpc3BlAAAAAAAAAAIAAAACAAAAEHBpeGkAAAAAAwgICAAAAAxhdjFDgQ0MAAAAABNjb2xybmNseAACAAIAAYAAAAAXaXBtYQAAAAAAAAABAAEEAQKDBAAAACVtZGF0EgAKCBgANogQEAwgMg8f8D///8WfhwB8+ErK42A=';
return new Promise((resolve) => {
const img = new Image();
img.onload = () => resolve(true);
img.onerror = () => resolve(false);
img.src = avifData;
});
}
// Usage
detectAVIFSupport().then(supported => {
if (supported) {
console.log('AVIF is supported');
document.documentElement.classList.add('avif-support');
} else {
console.log('AVIF not supported, using fallback');
}
});Server-Side Detection (HTTP Accept Header)
Browsers that support AVIF send an Accept header:
Accept: image/avif,image/webp,image/*,*/*;q=0.8Use this for server-side content negotiation and automatic format selection.
Implementation Strategies
1. HTML Picture Element (Recommended)
The <picture> element provides native fallback support without JavaScript:
<picture>
<source srcset="image.avif" type="image/avif">
<source srcset="image.webp" type="image/webp">
<img src="image.jpg" alt="Description" loading="lazy">
</picture>✓ Browsers automatically select the first supported format — no JavaScript needed
2. CSS Background Images with Fallback
.hero {
background-image: url('hero.jpg'); /* Fallback */
}
.avif-support .hero {
background-image: url('hero.avif'); /* AVIF for supported browsers */
}
@supports (background-image: url('image.avif')) {
.hero {
background-image: url('hero.avif');
}
}3. Server-Side Content Negotiation
Configure your server or CDN to automatically serve AVIF when supported:
// Nginx configuration
location ~* .(jpg|jpeg|png)$ {
add_header Vary Accept;
if ($http_accept ~* "image/avif") {
rewrite ^(.*).jpg$ $1.avif last;
rewrite ^(.*).png$ $1.avif last;
}
}4. CDN Automatic Conversion
Modern CDNs handle AVIF automatically:
- • Cloudflare: Polish feature with automatic format selection
- • Cloudinary:
f_autoparameter serves AVIF when supported - • imgix:
auto=formatenables AVIF delivery - • ImageKit: Automatic format optimization enabled by default
Best Practices for AVIF Implementation
Always Provide Fallbacks
Never serve AVIF-only images. Use the <picture> element or server detection to ensure compatibility with older browsers.
Optimize Format Order
List formats in order of efficiency: AVIF → WebP → JPEG. Browsers will use the first supported format.
Test Across Browsers
Verify your implementation works in Chrome, Firefox, Safari 16+, and older browsers with fallbacks.
Monitor Performance Impact
Use tools like PageSpeed Insights and WebPageTest to measure real-world savings from AVIF adoption.
Use Lazy Loading
Combine AVIF with loading="lazy" attribute for optimal performance: only load images when needed.
Mobile Browser Support
| Platform | Browser | Minimum Version |
|---|---|---|
| Android | Chrome Mobile | 85+ (Android 12+) ✓ |
| Android | Firefox Mobile | 93+ ✓ |
| Android | Samsung Internet | 14+ ✓ |
| iOS/iPadOS | Safari | iOS 16+ (Sep 2022) ✓ |
| iOS/iPadOS | Chrome iOS | iOS 16+ (uses Safari engine) ✓ |
⚠️ iOS Consideration:
All browsers on iOS use Safari's WebKit engine, so AVIF support requires iOS 16+ regardless of browser choice. Users on iOS 15 and below will need fallback images.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which browsers support AVIF in 2025?
All major modern browsers support AVIF: Chrome 85+ (2020), Firefox 93+ (2021), Safari 16+ (2022), Edge 90+ (2021), and Opera 71+ (2020). This covers over 85% of global browser usage as of 2025.
How do I detect AVIF support in JavaScript?
Use feature detection by creating a test image element: const supportsAVIF = document.createElement('canvas').toDataURL('image/avif').indexOf('data:image/avif') === 0; Or use a more robust async method with a data URI test.
What's the best fallback strategy for AVIF?
Use the HTML <picture> element with multiple <source> tags: serve AVIF first, then WebP, then JPEG. Modern browsers automatically select the first format they support, ensuring optimal performance while maintaining compatibility.
Do I need to support non-AVIF browsers?
Yes, always provide fallbacks. While 85%+ of users have AVIF support, corporate environments, older devices, and some regions still use older browsers. Use the <picture> element or server-side detection to serve appropriate formats.
Can CDNs automatically serve AVIF?
Yes! Modern CDNs like Cloudflare, Cloudinary, imgix, and ImageKit support automatic AVIF conversion and delivery based on browser Accept headers. They handle format detection and serving automatically.
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Convert your existing images to AVIF format and start improving your website performance today.