How to Convert AVIF to WebP: Wider Compatibility for Your Images

AVIF gives you the smallest files. But not every browser, tool, or platform supports it yet. WebP is the practical middle ground. Nearly universal support with file sizes that are still much smaller than JPG.

Converting AVIF to WebP is a common step when you need an image that works everywhere on the modern web without the compatibility headaches.

Why Would You Downgrade From AVIF to WebP?

AVIF is technically the better format. Smaller files. Better compression. More features. So why go backward?

Browser gaps. AVIF covers about 93% of web users. WebP covers 97%+. That 4% gap represents millions of people. If your site serves a broad audience, the remaining 4% matters.

CMS and platform support. Many content management systems accept WebP but not AVIF yet. WordPress, Shopify, and other platforms have had WebP support for years. AVIF support is still catching up.

CDN and image processing tools. Some CDNs and image optimization services handle WebP natively but can't process AVIF. If your infrastructure expects WebP, you need WebP.

Third-party integrations. Email services, social sharing previews, and ad platforms often support WebP but not AVIF. If you're generating images for these channels, WebP is the safe choice.

Build tool compatibility. Some image processing libraries and build pipelines have limited AVIF support. If your toolchain chokes on AVIF, WebP gets the job done.

How Much Bigger Are WebP Files Than AVIF?

WebP files are typically 20-30% larger than AVIF at the same visual quality. That sounds like a lot, but context matters.

Image type	AVIF size	WebP size	Difference
Blog photo	100 KB	130 KB	+30%
Product image	80 KB	105 KB	+31%
Hero banner	150 KB	195 KB	+30%
Thumbnail	15 KB	19 KB	+27%

In absolute terms, these differences are small. Going from 100 KB to 130 KB per image won't noticeably impact page load times. The gap matters more at scale, like a page with 100 product images. But for most sites, WebP is "good enough" when AVIF isn't an option.

Both formats are still dramatically smaller than JPG or PNG. Even "downgrading" to WebP gives you a massive improvement over older formats.

Does Converting AVIF to WebP Lose Quality?

Yes, some. Both are lossy formats (in their typical usage). Converting from one lossy format to another means double compression. The second round removes additional data.

At high quality settings (85-90% WebP), the loss is minimal. You'd need to zoom in and pixel-peep to spot differences. For web delivery, social media, and general use, the quality is excellent.

At lower quality settings, the double compression becomes more visible. Smooth gradients might show banding. Fine textures might soften.

Best practice: If you have the original source file (the JPG or PNG that was converted to AVIF), convert from that instead. You'll get a cleaner WebP because the image only goes through compression once.

If AVIF is all you have, convert at 85-90% WebP quality to keep the double-compression artifacts invisible.

How Do You Convert AVIF to WebP?

ConvertIMG converts AVIF to WebP right in your browser. Drop your AVIF files in, select WebP, adjust the quality, and download.

No server uploads. The conversion runs locally on your device. Your images stay private.

Batch conversion works too. If you have a library of AVIF images that need WebP versions, process them all at once.

For quality settings:

• 90%+ for images where quality is critical (portfolio, product close-ups)
• 80-85% for standard web images (blog posts, general content)
• 70-75% for thumbnails and decorative images

When Should You Serve Both Formats?

The smartest approach isn't picking one format. It's serving both.

The HTML <picture> element lets you list AVIF first, then WebP as the fallback. Browsers that support AVIF get the smallest files. Browsers that don't get WebP. Nobody sees a broken image.

This way you don't have to choose. You get the best of both worlds.

But this requires maintaining two versions of every image. For sites with thousands of images, that doubles your storage and complicates your workflow. In those cases, picking one format is simpler. And WebP is the safer single choice because of its wider support.

What About Transparency?

Both AVIF and WebP support transparency. When you convert a transparent AVIF to WebP, the transparent areas stay transparent. No extra steps needed.

This makes AVIF-to-WebP conversion clean for logos, product cutouts, and any image with transparent backgrounds. The alpha channel transfers directly.

For a deeper comparison of all image formats, check our image format guide.

Ready to Convert AVIF to WebP?

Need WebP versions of your AVIF images? ConvertIMG handles the conversion in seconds. Free, private, works in any browser. Drop your files in and download.