Why does my browser support WebP but not AVIF?

Your browser says it can display WebP images, but AVIF is missing from its supported formats. That can mean the browser really cannot decode AVIF, or that the check is testing a different kind of support than you expect.

Use the Browser Info tool to check the browser and its reported features, then open a known-good image to see what happens in practice. The comparison can help you tell a browser limitation from a problem with one image or website.

Check WebP and AVIF support

1. Open Browser Info in the browser you want to check.
2. Look at the browser version and engine, then find the supported features or codecs information. Check whether WebP and AVIF are listed.
3. Open a known-good .webp image and a known-good .avif image in that same browser. Use local files if you have them, so a website's image delivery settings do not affect the test.
4. Repeat the check in another up-to-date browser on the same device. Keep the images and network connection the same.

A file that fails to open is not proof by itself that the format is unsupported. The file might be damaged or incomplete. If you are checking an image on a website, try opening its image file directly as well as viewing the page.

What the result means

WebP is listed, AVIF is not, and AVIF images fail to open

The browser or its current build may not have an AVIF decoder available. WebP support arrived earlier and is common in older browser versions. AVIF support came later, so an older browser or an embedded browser inside another app may support WebP without supporting AVIF.

AVIF is not listed, but your test image opens

The feature check may not test image decoding directly, or it may use a different way of detecting support. A browser can support displaying an image even when a particular capability check does not report it. Treat the report as a clue, and use the image test to confirm what works for your task.

AVIF is listed, but one image or website fails

The browser likely has some AVIF support, but that does not guarantee every file will display. The image could be incomplete, malformed, or served incorrectly by the website. If a local AVIF file opens but the website version does not, the issue is more likely with the website's file or delivery settings than with general browser support.

Results differ between browsers

Each browser has its own version, engine, and feature detection. An embedded browser in an app can also be older than the browser you use for everyday browsing. If AVIF works in one browser but not another, compare their versions before changing system settings.

How to fix missing AVIF support

1. Update the browser. Open its About or update page and install any available update, then fully close and reopen it. An update can add newer image-format support, but it cannot change the capabilities of every older or embedded browser.
2. Check which browser you are using. If the problem happens inside an email app, document viewer, or other program, try opening the same image in your regular browser. The app may use a separate browser component that needs its own update.
3. Update the operating system if updates are pending. On Windows 11, open Settings › Windows Update and select Check for updates. On macOS, open System Settings › General › Software Update. System updates can help with browser components that rely on platform support, but they do not guarantee AVIF support in every browser.
4. Check the image file. Try another known-good AVIF file. If only one image fails, download it again or ask for a fresh copy. A file extension alone does not prove that the image contents are valid.
5. Check the website separately. If local AVIF images work but an image on a page does not, contact the site owner or use a WebP or JPEG version if one is available. The site may be sending the wrong file type or an incomplete image.

Why support checks can disagree

WebP and AVIF are image formats, but a browser check can look at support in more than one way. One check may ask whether a feature is listed. Another may try to decode a small test image. A website might check for an API or use a different browser feature to decide which image to show. These checks do not always produce the same answer.

AVIF is an image format based on AV1 coding technology. Support for AV1 video does not automatically prove that a browser can display every AVIF image, and a missing video codec entry does not by itself prove that AVIF images will fail. For a practical answer, compare the browser report with a real image in the exact browser and app you plan to use.

If AVIF support matters for a website or app, test it in the actual browser versions your users rely on rather than assuming one report covers every browser.