How to Convert PNG to AVIF Online

Convert PNG images to AVIF format online for free. The ResizeLab PNG to AVIF converter runs in your browser, so nothing uploads to a server. Upload a PNG file, select AVIF as the output format, and the converter shows the original and converted file sizes before you download. A 2 MB PNG becomes a 600 KB AVIF file in about two seconds. The result is the same quality with full transparency, but the file is 50–70% smaller.

PNG to AVIF conversion is the most effective way to reduce image file size on a website. The quality stays the same. The transparency stays intact. The only change is the file size.

PNG and AVIF formats explained

PNG was created in 1996 to replace GIF. It uses lossless compression — every pixel is preserved exactly. PNG supports full transparency with 256 levels of alpha channel. This makes it essential for logos, icons, and overlays. But PNG is larger than modern formats. A photograph saved as PNG might be 3–5 times the size of the same image at 80% JPG quality. PNG compresses by finding patterns in the data, not by removing data. For complex images, those patterns are not very efficient.

AVIF is the newest image format, finalized in 2019 and based on AV1 video compression. An AVIF file at the same visual quality is typically 20–50% smaller than WebP and 50–70% smaller than PNG. AVIF supports full transparency just like PNG. When you convert a PNG with a transparent background to AVIF, the transparency is preserved — the background, shadows, and gradient fades all stay intact. You get the transparency of PNG with the file size of a modern compressed format.

AVIF is supported by Chrome 85+, Firefox 93+, and Safari 16+. For public websites, roughly 85–90% of visitors can see AVIF. The remaining 10–15% need a PNG or WebP fallback. For email and offline use, PNG is still safer because the compatibility is universal. AVIF is also slower to encode than PNG or WebP. Converting a large PNG to AVIF takes more processing time. The ResizeLab PNG to AVIF converter handles this in the browser, but large files will take longer than PNG to WebP conversion.

PNG vs AVIF comparison

AVIF is much smaller than PNG. A typical PNG logo with transparency might be 500 KB. The same logo as AVIF is 150–200 KB. A PNG screenshot of 2 MB becomes 600–800 KB as AVIF. The compression is better because AVIF uses a lossy algorithm that removes invisible detail. PNG cannot do this — it preserves every pixel exactly. For photos and complex images, the difference is dramatic. For simple graphics with flat colors, the difference is smaller but still significant.

PNG is lossless. Every pixel is exact. AVIF is lossy by default. At 80% quality, the visual difference between PNG and AVIF is almost invisible for most images. At 60% quality, you might notice slight softening on fine text or sharp edges. For web use, 80% quality AVIF is the sweet spot. The file is dramatically smaller than PNG, and the quality loss is not visible on a screen. For print use or pixel-perfect graphics, PNG is still better because you need every pixel exact.

Both formats support full transparency. PNG has 256 levels of alpha channel transparency. AVIF preserves the same alpha channel when you convert PNG to AVIF. The background stays transparent, the shadows stay semi-transparent, and the gradients fade correctly. This is the key advantage of PNG to AVIF over PNG to JPG, which removes transparency entirely.

PNG works everywhere. AVIF works on Chrome 85+, Firefox 93+, and Safari 16+. For websites, serve AVIF with a PNG fallback for older browsers. The fallback is automatic with modern CMS platforms and CDNs. For email, stick with PNG. For social media, PNG is safer for maximum compatibility.

When to convert PNG to AVIF

The main reason is file size. A website with 50 PNG images might load 10–15 MB of image data. The same images as AVIF might load 4–6 MB. The page loads faster, improves user experience, and can contribute to better Core Web Vitals performance.

The second reason is Core Web Vitals. Google measures page speed. Large images are the single biggest cause of slow pages. Converting PNG to AVIF reduces the largest visible element on most pages. This improves the Largest Contentful Paint score, which is one of the three Core Web Vitals metrics. Better Core Web Vitals scores can help create a stronger overall user experience and may support SEO efforts.

The third reason is bandwidth cost. If you serve a million page views per month, reducing image size by 50% cuts your bandwidth cost in half. For high-traffic sites, the savings add up. For personal blogs, the savings are smaller but still meaningful.

The fourth reason is mobile loading. Mobile users often have slower connections. A 5 MB PNG image takes seconds to load on 3G. The same image as AVIF is 1.5 MB and loads in under a second. Mobile users are the majority of web traffic. Serving AVIF to mobile users is one of the easiest ways to improve mobile experience.

The best workflow for websites is: resize the image to the exact dimensions you need first, then convert PNG to AVIF for the best compression. The ResizeLab PNG to AVIF converter does this in one step. Use 80% quality as the default sweet spot. If you need further adjustment, use the ResizeLab image compressor after conversion. Serve a PNG fallback for older browsers. Most modern CMS platforms and CDNs handle this automatically. If your CMS supports responsive images, you can serve AVIF to modern browsers and fall back to PNG for older ones. Resize first. Convert second. Compress third.

Never upload raw PNG files to a website. A 4000×3000 PNG is 5–10 MB. Your website does not need that resolution. Resize to the display dimensions. Convert PNG to AVIF. Use 80% quality. Then upload. The result is a 200–400 KB file that looks identical on screen. The page loads fast. The Core Web Vitals score is good. The visitors stay. The search rankings improve.

Social media platforms compress images automatically. Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X — they all re-encode your uploads. The problem is that their automatic compression is not always good. A PNG uploaded to Instagram might be compressed to JPG at 60% quality, losing transparency and adding artifacts. Most platforms do not yet accept AVIF uploads. For now, PNG is still the safest format for social media. For profile pictures and logos, PNG is better because the edges stay sharp and the text stays readable. The platform will compress it anyway, so starting with the highest quality gives the best result.

Email is the most restrictive environment for images. Most services limit attachments to 10–25 MB. Converting PNG to AVIF before attaching reduces the file size significantly. However, AVIF is not supported by most email clients. Outlook, Gmail, Apple Mail — they can all display PNG images. AVIF support is limited or nonexistent. For email, stick with PNG for graphics and JPG for photos. The compatibility is universal. Never send AVIF in email unless you know the recipient can open it.

Example conversion results

Here are typical results from converting PNG to AVIF at 80% quality:

• Logo with transparency: 2.1 MB PNG → 640 KB AVIF (70% reduction)
• Website screenshot: 4.5 MB PNG → 1.4 MB AVIF (69% reduction)
• Icon set (10 icons): 850 KB PNG → 280 KB AVIF (67% reduction)
• Product photo with transparency: 3.2 MB PNG → 1.1 MB AVIF (66% reduction)
• Social media graphic: 1.8 MB PNG → 620 KB AVIF (66% reduction)

The exact savings depend on image content. Photos and complex graphics compress more than simple flat-color graphics. The ResizeLab PNG to AVIF converter shows the before and after file size for each conversion.

When AVIF is not the right choice

AVIF is not the best format for every situation. There are three common cases where PNG is still the better choice.

Email attachments. Email clients do not support AVIF. Outlook, Gmail, and Apple Mail cannot display AVIF images. If you send an AVIF image by email, the recipient sees a broken image or an attachment they cannot open. For email, use PNG for graphics and JPG for photos. AVIF is for websites, not email.

Legacy systems and older software. Some content management systems, design tools, and enterprise software do not support AVIF. If you need to share an image with a system that only accepts PNG, JPG, or GIF, convert to PNG instead. The compatibility is worth the larger file size.

Print workflows. Print requires exact pixel data. AVIF is lossy and removes some detail. For images that will be printed at high resolution, use PNG or TIFF. The lossless format preserves every pixel. The print quality is better. AVIF is for screens, not printers.

For everything else — websites, apps, modern digital publishing — AVIF is the better choice. The file size savings are substantial, the quality is excellent, and the browser support is good enough for most audiences.

Frequently asked questions

Can I convert PNG to AVIF without losing quality?

AVIF is a lossy format by default. Converting PNG to AVIF removes some data. At 80–90% quality, the visual difference is usually invisible on a screen. You cannot convert PNG to AVIF without losing any data, but you can convert without losing visible quality. The file size savings are worth the microscopic quality loss for web use.

Does PNG to AVIF preserve transparency?

Yes. AVIF supports full alpha channel transparency, just like PNG. When you convert PNG to AVIF, the transparent background, semi-transparent shadows, and gradient fades are all preserved. This is one of the main advantages of AVIF over JPG, which does not support transparency at all.

Is AVIF better than PNG for websites?

For file size, yes. AVIF is typically 50–70% smaller than PNG at the same visual quality. For compatibility, no. PNG works everywhere. AVIF works on modern browsers only. For websites, the best approach is to serve AVIF to modern browsers with a PNG fallback for older ones. The ResizeLab PNG to AVIF converter creates the AVIF files you need for this setup.

How much smaller is AVIF than PNG?

It depends on the image content. For photos and complex graphics, AVIF is 50–70% smaller than PNG. For simple graphics with flat colors, the difference is 30–50%. For text-heavy screenshots, the difference is 40–60%. A typical PNG logo of 500 KB becomes a 150–200 KB AVIF file. A 2 MB PNG screenshot becomes a 600–800 KB AVIF file.

Should I use AVIF or WebP?

AVIF compresses better than WebP. For maximum file size reduction, AVIF is the better choice. For broader compatibility, WebP is safer. WebP is supported by every modern browser. AVIF is supported by Chrome and Firefox, with Safari support in newer versions. If your audience uses the latest browsers, AVIF is better. If you need universal compatibility without fallbacks, WebP is the safer choice. The ResizeLab PNG to WebP converter is an alternative if you prefer WebP.

Can I convert PNG to AVIF in bulk?

Yes. The ResizeLab PNG to AVIF converter supports batch conversion. Upload multiple PNG files at once and convert them all to AVIF. The converter processes each file in the browser. Large batches may be limited by your device’s available memory and processing power. For a hundred images, consider converting in smaller batches.

Conclusion

PNG to AVIF conversion is one of the most impactful changes you can make to a website’s performance. AVIF compresses better than PNG while keeping the same visual quality and full transparency support. A website with AVIF images loads faster, scores better on Core Web Vitals, and costs less to host. The trade-off is browser compatibility, but with a PNG fallback, every visitor gets the right experience.

The workflow is simple: resize to the right dimensions, convert PNG to AVIF at 80% quality, serve a PNG fallback for older browsers, and upload. The result is a page that loads in half the time with the same visual quality. If you want to explore all the tools ResizeLab offers, visit the Online Image Tools Hub. You will find converters, compressors, resizers, croppers, and more — all running in your browser, nothing uploading to a server.

For a complete overview of the AVIF format, browser support, compression benefits, and real-world use cases, see our complete AVIF guide.