AVIF to PNG Converter

Why Convert AVIF to PNG: A Complete Guide

AVIF and PNG are two image formats with fundamentally different philosophies. AVIF (AV1 Image File Format) was created for maximum compression with minimal visual losses, while PNG (Portable Network Graphics) is designed for perfect preservation of every pixel without any quality degradation. Converting between them makes sense in specific scenarios, which we will examine in detail.

The main advantage of the AVIF to PNG conversion is the ability to obtain an image of absolute quality with fully preserved transparency. Unlike JPG, which loses the alpha channel and introduces compression artifacts, PNG guarantees bit-perfect reproduction of the original pixels. This is critically important for working with logos, icons, graphic design, and any content where every detail matters.

The AVIF format appeared in 2019 thanks to the Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia) consortium, which includes Google, Apple, Microsoft, Netflix, Amazon, Meta, and Mozilla. It is based on the open AV1 video codec and provides compression that is 30-50% more efficient than PNG. However, AVIF's limited compatibility makes conversion to universal PNG necessary for many workflows.

When PNG is Better Than AVIF: Real Selection Scenarios

Working with Graphics and Logos

PNG has historically become the standard for digital graphics due to a combination of two factors: lossless compression and transparency support. When working with a company logo, interface icons, or design elements, perfect edge sharpness is essential. AVIF, despite its impressive efficiency, uses lossy compression by default. Even at maximum quality settings, microscopic artifacts may appear at text boundaries and thin lines.

PNG guarantees mathematically precise reproduction of every pixel. If the original AVIF file contains a logo with sharp edges on a transparent background, converting to PNG will preserve that sharpness without adding any artifacts. The result can be scaled, overlaid on any background, edited in layers - the quality will remain identical.

Screenshots and Documentation

Technical documentation, user guides, training materials - everywhere screenshots of interfaces are used, PNG remains the optimal format. The reason lies in the compression specifics: PNG uses the Deflate algorithm, which is particularly efficient for images with large uniform areas and sharp transitions. A typical software interface screenshot is exactly this type of image.

AVIF may create barely noticeable blurring of text and icons when compressing screenshots. When viewed on screen, this is often unnoticeable, but when printing documentation or scaling, the differences become apparent. PNG completely eliminates this problem.

Software Compatibility

PNG is supported by virtually any software created in the last 25 years. Graphics editors, office suites, browsers, operating systems, CMS platforms, email clients - all without exception can work with PNG. With AVIF, the situation is more complex: the format is too young.

If you need to guarantee opening an image in any program - PNG will provide this compatibility.

Technical Comparison of AVIF and PNG Formats

Compression Architecture: Fundamental Differences

PNG and AVIF use fundamentally different approaches to image compression:

PNG (Portable Network Graphics):

• Algorithm: Deflate (LZ77 + Huffman coding)
• Compression type: exclusively lossless
• Pre-filtering: row filters (None, Sub, Up, Average, Paeth)
• Color models: RGB, RGBA, indexed, grayscale
• Color depth: 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 bits per channel

AVIF (AV1 Image File Format):

• Algorithm: AV1 (DCT + quantization + entropy coding)
• Compression type: lossy or lossless (optional)
• Block partitioning: superblocks up to 128x128 pixels
• Color models: YUV, RGB, with HDR support
• Color depth: 8, 10, 12 bits per channel

Deflate in PNG works by finding repeating byte sequences and replacing them with short references. This is ideal for images with large solid-color areas: logos, diagrams, screenshots. AV1 in AVIF uses prediction based on neighboring blocks and coefficient quantization, which is more efficient for photographs but potentially introduces artifacts at sharp boundaries.

Format Characteristics: Summary Table

Transparency: Alpha Channel in Detail

Both formats fully support transparency through the alpha channel, but with nuances:

PNG stores the alpha channel as a separate pixel component (RGBA - Red, Green, Blue, Alpha). Each pixel can have any transparency level from 0 (fully transparent) to 255 (fully opaque) at 8-bit depth, or up to 65535 at 16-bit. This provides smooth semi-transparent gradients, soft shadows, and anti-aliased edges.

AVIF also supports the alpha channel, but it is encoded as a separate AV1 stream. With aggressive lossy compression, the alpha channel may lose precision, creating halos at transparency boundaries. When converting to PNG, these potential defects are fixed without further degradation.

When converting AVIF to PNG, transparency is fully transferred. If the original AVIF contains an alpha channel, it will be preserved in PNG without changes.

AVIF to PNG Conversion Process: What Happens Inside

Image Transformation Stages

1. AVIF container parsing - the AVIF file uses the HEIF/ISOBMFF container. The parser extracts the compressed AV1 bitstream, metadata, and color space information from it.

2. AV1 decoding - the bitstream is decompressed by the AV1 decoder. Reverse transformations are applied: dequantization, inverse DCT, neighboring block prediction, boundary filtering (CDEF, loop filter).

3. Color space conversion - if AVIF uses YUV representation, conversion to RGB occurs. HDR data (Display P3, Rec. 2020) is converted to sRGB with tone mapping.

4. Alpha channel processing - if a separate alpha stream is present, it is decoded and combined with color data in RGBA format.

5. Applying transformations - if specified: rotation (90, 180, 270 degrees), mirroring, scaling, grayscale conversion.

6. PNG optimization - selecting the optimal pre-filter for each image row. The adaptive filter analyzes data and chooses between None, Sub, Up, Average, Paeth to minimize file size.

7. Deflate compression - pre-filtered data is compressed with the Deflate algorithm at maximum compression level for minimal file size.

8. PNG formation - the PNG file structure is created with IHDR (header), IDAT (compressed data), IEND (end of file) chunks, as well as additional metadata chunks if necessary.

What is Preserved During Conversion

• Image resolution - the number of pixels horizontally and vertically remains unchanged
• Transparency - the alpha channel is fully transferred to PNG
• Visual quality - PNG preserves all details without additional losses
• ICC color profile - if present in AVIF, it is preserved in PNG (iCCP chunk)

What is Not Transferred During Conversion

• EXIF metadata - PNG does not support EXIF (shooting date, camera parameters, GPS coordinates are lost)
• HDR data - extended dynamic range is converted to SDR (standard)
• Color depth above 16 bits - PNG supports maximum 16 bits per channel
• Animation - if AVIF contains multiple frames, only the first one is preserved

Processing Settings for Conversion

Image Scaling

Resizing (10-200%) is useful for preparing images for specific requirements:

• Reduction for web icons - from original AVIF 1024x1024 get PNG 256x256 for favicon
• Thumbnail preparation - creating previews for galleries and catalogs
• Screen optimization - adapting size for standard resolutions

When scaling, the high-quality Lanczos interpolation algorithm is applied, preserving detail sharpness and minimizing blur.

Rotation and Reflection

Image orientation transformations:

• Rotation by 90, 180, 270 degrees - for correcting camera orientation or artistic purposes
• Horizontal flip - mirroring for fixing selfies or creating symmetry
• Vertical flip - flipping the image

Grayscale Conversion

Black and white mode is applied for:

• Documentation and technical illustrations - simplifying visual perception
• Artistic processing - creating monochrome images
• File size reduction - grayscale requires less data

PNG Optimization: Achieving Minimum Size

Principles of Efficient PNG Compression

PNG uses a two-stage compression scheme: first, a pre-filter is applied to each row of pixels, then the result is compressed by the Deflate algorithm. The choice of pre-filter critically affects the final file size.

PNG pre-filters:

• None - data is transmitted unchanged, efficient for random noise
• Sub - each byte is replaced with the difference from the previous pixel, good for horizontal gradients
• Up - difference from the pixel one row above, optimal for vertical patterns
• Average - average of left and upper pixels, universal option
• Paeth - prediction using the Paeth formula, best result for most images

The PEREFILE converter uses adaptive filter selection: for each row, the optimal option is automatically determined to ensure minimum file size.

File Size Comparison

Typical size ratios when converting AVIF to PNG:

PNG files are always larger than AVIF - this is the price for guaranteed lossless quality and universal compatibility.

Limitations and Recommendations

When NOT to Convert to PNG

• Web photographs - for photographic content, JPG or WebP will give smaller file sizes
• Large image collections - PNG will take up 3-5 times more disk space
• Content for mobile applications - modern platforms support AVIF directly

When PNG is the Optimal Choice

• Logos and branding - perfect edge sharpness
• Icons and interface elements - transparency support
• Screenshots and documentation - accurate text reproduction
• Graphic elements for editing - no accumulation of artifacts
• Compatibility with older software - guaranteed opening everywhere

Alternative Conversion Formats

AVIF to JPG

If transparency is not required and minimum file size is important, JPG is a reasonable alternative. However, JPG uses lossy compression, which introduces artifacts at edges and fine details.

AVIF to WebP

WebP occupies an intermediate position: supports transparency, smaller than PNG, but larger than AVIF. A good choice if you need compatibility with modern browsers without AVIF support.

Keeping as AVIF

If the target platform supports AVIF - leave the format unchanged. AVIF provides the best quality-to-size ratio.