Convert HEIC to AVIF
HEIC and AVIF solve the same problem with the same kind of technology — modern video-codec compression applied to still images. The difference that matters is licensing: AVIF is royalty-free and browsers support it, HEIC is not and they do not.
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Why Convert HEIC to AVIF?
HEIC is built on HEVC, which carries patent licensing obligations. That is the practical reason no browser ships HEIC support: shipping it means paying for it. AVIF is built on AV1, developed by the Alliance for Open Media specifically to avoid that problem.
The result is that AVIF displays natively in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera and Safari, while a HEIC dropped into a web page shows nothing. For anything destined for a website, that alone settles the choice.
Compression efficiency is comparable — both are far ahead of JPEG, with AVIF typically ahead on flat graphics and gradients and HEIC slightly faster to encode. Converting between them re-encodes once, so do it from your best available source when you can.
How to Convert HEIC to AVIF
- Upload your HEIC file.
- MiConvert converts it to AVIF, aiming to preserve what makes AVIF useful: noticeably smaller files than PNG or JPG at comparable quality.
- Download the converted AVIF file.
- Use it directly with modern browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari).
Key Features of MiConvert HEIC to AVIF
- Royalty-free AVIF that browsers actually display
- Compression comparable to HEIC, far ahead of JPEG
- Quality-80 encoding — small files without visible artefacts
- Keeps EXIF and correct orientation
- Free for files up to 50MB, 100MB with an account
Video Tutorial
Watch this step-by-step tutorial to learn how to convert HEIC files to AVIF format online for free using MiConvert.com. No software installation required.
Frequent Questions
How to convert HEIC to AVIF?
Upload the HEIC above and choose AVIF. The image is decoded from HEVC and re-encoded as AV1 at quality 80, a setting that keeps files small without visible artefacts.
Is there an easy way to convert HEIC files to JPG?
Yes, and it is often the better choice. AVIF is ideal for websites; JPG is the safer pick for email, print labs, older software and anywhere you cannot control what will open the file.
Is Microsoft HEIC Converter free?
Microsoft's HEIF Image Extensions are free from the Store and let Windows open HEIC, but they are a viewer, not a converter to AVIF. Windows has no built-in AVIF encoder either.
Why do my photos become HEIC instead of JPG?
iOS defaults to HEIC to save space. Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible changes the behaviour for new photos.
Which is better, AVIF or HEIC?
For the web, AVIF — browsers display it and there are no licensing questions. Inside Apple's ecosystem HEIC is fine and already there. Neither is a good archival format; both depend on relatively new codecs.
Will AVIF work in every browser?
All current versions of Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera and Safari support it. Very old browsers do not, so a JPG fallback is still worth keeping for a public website.