To convert AVIF to JPG, open the file in Preview on a Mac or in Paint on Windows and save it as JPEG. For a whole folder, one command does it: sips, avifdec or ffmpeg. In our test a 4096×4096 image took under half a second. One catch: JPG drops transparency.
What AVIF is and why apps reject it
AVIF is an image format built on the AV1 video codec from the Alliance for Open Media. Browsers handle it fine: Chrome since version 85, Firefox since 93, Safari on iOS since 16. Per caniuse, 95.4% of users can view AVIF.
The trouble starts outside the browser. Old versions of image editors, office apps, some CMSs and print services expect JPG or PNG and refuse an .avif file.
Most AVIF files land on your disk the same way. A site or CDN serves AVIF instead of JPG, and "Save image as" saves exactly that. iPhone photos are a different case: they are HEIC, built on the HEVC codec, not AVIF.
Don't trust the file extension: whoever saved the file picked the name, not the format inside. If an app refuses a "JPG", check the contents with file photo.jpg on macOS or Linux. For AVIF, it prints "ISO Media, AVIF Image" — we tested it on a file renamed to .jpg.
Way 1 — Preview on a Mac or Paint on Windows
For one file, the built-in apps are enough. On macOS 13 Ventura and later, Preview opens AVIF:
- Open the .avif file in Preview
- Choose File → Export
- Set Format to JPEG and pick the quality with the slider
- Click Save, and a .jpg appears next to the original
On Windows 10 and 11, Photos and Paint open AVIF once the AV1 Video Extension from the Microsoft Store is installed. In Paint, choose File → Save as → JPEG picture.
Way 2 — one terminal command
The command line beats any window on speed and fits into scripts. Every Mac ships with sips, avifdec comes with the libavif library, and ffmpeg is in almost every Linux distro:
# macOS, nothing to install
sips -s format jpeg -s formatOptions 85 photo.avif --out photo.jpg
# libavif
avifdec -q 85 photo.avif photo.jpg
# ffmpeg
ffmpeg -i photo.avif -q:v 3 photo.jpgWe timed all three on the same file: a 4096×4096 AVIF of 2.44 MB made with our converter. The machine was a Mac with an M1 Max, best of three runs:
| Tool | Time | JPG size | Transparent areas |
|---|---|---|---|
| sips, quality 85 | 0.19 s | 3.53 MB | Black |
| avifdec, -q 85 | 0.26 s | 2.05 MB | Black |
| ffmpeg, -q:v 3 | 0.37 s | 1.70 MB | Hidden pixel color |
The same "quality 85" gave 3.53 MB in sips and 2.05 MB in avifdec. Each tool has its own quality scale, so compare the output files, not the number in the setting. At 1600×1600, all three tools finished in 0.11 s or less.
How to install avifdec and ffmpeg
macOS ships with sips. The others take one command: Homebrew on a Mac, the standard repo on Debian and Ubuntu, winget on Windows:
# macOS
brew install libavif ffmpeg
# Debian / Ubuntu
sudo apt install libavif-bin ffmpeg
# Windows
winget install Gyan.FFmpegThen check the version with avifdec --version or ffmpeg -version. If the output mentions dav1d or aom, the AV1 decoder is in place and AVIF files will open.
Way 3 — batch-convert a folder
For hundreds of files, wrap the command in a loop. The first option runs on any Mac as is. The second uses ImageMagick with an explicit white background, which you need when files have transparency.
# macOS: every AVIF in the folder → JPG
for f in *.avif; do
sips -s format jpeg -s formatOptions 85 "$f" --out "${f%.avif}.jpg"
done
# ImageMagick: transparency → white background
magick mogrify -format jpg -quality 85 -background white -alpha remove -alpha off *.avifWhich way to pick
| Job | Way | Why |
|---|---|---|
| One or two files | Preview or Paint | Nothing to install |
| A folder now and then | A loop with sips or avifdec | One line, a fraction of a second per file |
| Files with transparency | ImageMagick with -background white | You set the background |
| Conversion in a script or CI | avifdec or ffmpeg | Both run on Linux and in Docker |
The bigger file is the price of compatibility: the 2.44 MB AVIF became a 3.53 MB JPG in sips. So convert only the copies that a JPG-only app needs, and keep the light formats on your site.
The reverse job: light images for your site
If you run a site, JPG is only a fallback. On the page, WebP or AVIF pays off: in our test WebP was 45% lighter than JPG. Our converter takes JPG, PNG and HEIC and saves WebP or AVIF. The mini version below turns a JPG, PNG or GIF into WebP.
FAQ
Can your tools convert AVIF to JPG?
No. Our converter and compressor save WebP and AVIF, since their job is faster sites. For AVIF to JPG, use the ways above: they are free and take seconds.
Does AVIF to JPG lose quality?
Yes, a little: JPG runs a new lossy pass. At quality 85 and up, the eye usually sees no change. If the file will be edited again, save a PNG copy.
Why is the JPG bigger than the AVIF?
AVIF compresses better than JPG. In our test a 2.44 MB file became 3.53 MB in sips and 2.05 MB in avifdec. The size depends on the tool and its quality scale.
How do I save AVIF as PNG and keep transparency?
Use the .png extension: avifdec photo.avif photo.png, or sips -s format png. In our test both commands kept transparent areas transparent. The cost is size: the 4096×4096 photo took 16.66 MB as PNG versus 2.44 MB as AVIF.
How do I open AVIF without converting it?
Drag the file into Chrome, Firefox or Safari and the browser shows it right away. That is enough for viewing. You only need to convert for apps that do not know AVIF.
Join the discussion
Comments are coming to the App-Kit blog soon. Got a correction or a question?
Send feedback