.AVIFS File Extension
AVIF Image Sequence
| Developer | Alliance for Open Media |
| Popularity | |
| Category | Raster Image Files |
| Format | .AVIFS |
| Cross Platform | Update Soon |
What is an AVIFS file?
The AVIFS file extension is associated with AVIF (AV1 Image File Format), a cutting-edge image format that supports high efficiency and advanced features for encoding images.
Unlike traditional image formats like JPEG or PNG, AVIF leverages the AV1 video codec’s capabilities to compress images without sacrificing quality, making it ideal for storing high-resolution images and even image sequences.
The AVIFS extension specifically denotes an AVIF Image Sequence, where multiple AVIF images are concatenated to form a sequence.
More Information.
AVIF was officially introduced in 2019 as a successor to WebP and other image formats. It aimed to provide better compression efficiency than JPEG and better quality than WebP, especially for high-resolution images and photographs.
The AVIFS extension, focusing on image sequences, supports applications ranging from animated content to scientific imaging and video production, where maintaining high quality across frames is crucial.
Origin Of This File.
AVIF emerged from the Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia), a consortium that developed the AV1 video codec.
The goal was to create a next-generation image format that surpasses existing standards in compression efficiency while maintaining high visual quality.
AVIF extends the capabilities of AV1 to still images, offering significant improvements over older formats like JPEG and PNG in terms of file size and quality.
The AVIFS extension specifically addresses the need to handle sequences of AVIF images, catering to applications that require streaming or displaying a series of images efficiently.
File Structure Technical Specification.
An AVIFS file is essentially a sequence of AVIF images concatenated together. Each AVIF image in the sequence adheres to the AV1 codec specifications, which include:
- Codec: AV1 (AOMedia Video 1)
- Compression: Lossy or lossless compression options
- Color Depth: Supports deep color up to 12-bit
- Metadata: Supports ICC profiles, XMP metadata, and HDR metadata
The structure of an AVIFS file typically includes metadata for each image frame, allowing applications to decode and display frames sequentially. Each frame can vary in size and complexity depending on the content and compression settings used during encoding.
How to Convert the File?
Converting AVIFS files may be necessary to ensure compatibility with older software or systems that do not support AVIF. Several tools and methods can convert AVIFS files:
- Online Converters: Websites like CloudConvert, Zamzar, or online-convert.com offer AVIF to JPEG/PNG converters that can handle individual AVIF images or sequences.
- Desktop Software: Applications like Adobe Photoshop, GIMP, and specialized media converters like FFmpeg support AVIF conversion. They allow batch processing of AVIF sequences into other formats.
- Command-Line Tools: Tools like FFmpeg provide command-line interfaces for converting AVIFS files into formats like MP4 or GIF, useful for embedding in presentations or web applications.
Advantages And Disadvantages.
Advantages:
- Compression Efficiency: AVIFS offers superior compression compared to JPEG and even WebP, resulting in smaller file sizes for the same image quality.
- High Image Quality: Maintains high fidelity to the original image, even at lower bitrates, making it suitable for archival purposes and high-definition displays.
- Wide Compatibility: Increasing support across browsers, platforms, and software tools due to its open and royalty-free nature.
- Flexibility: Supports both lossy and lossless compression, catering to a wide range of applications from web delivery to professional photography.
Disadvantages:
- Compatibility Issues: Despite increasing adoption, older software and systems may not fully support AVIF or AVIFS, requiring conversion or alternative formats for compatibility.
- Processing Requirements: Encoding and decoding AVIF files, especially sequences, may require more processing power compared to traditional formats, impacting performance on older devices.
How to Open AVIFS?
Open In Windows
- Use modern image viewers like IrfanView, XnView, or the Microsoft Photos app (with the HEIF Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store).
Open In Linux
- GNOME Image Viewer (Eye of GNOME) and KDE’s Gwenview have added support for AVIF. Alternatively, FFmpeg can be used to convert or view AVIFS files.
Open In MAC
- Preview and Photos apps on macOS support AVIF natively starting from macOS Monterey (12.0).
