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TechnologyUpdated 2 min read

AVIF for website images: test the format before switching

A new format is attractive for an image-heavy site, but a small file is not the whole decision. Product texture and fine detail can matter. Faster transfer cannot restore information lost from the photograph.

A Firefox 93 review from October 2021 describes AVIF support and recommends fallbacks while support remains incomplete. The format was worth testing, without assuming it should immediately become the only option for every visitor.

Include difficult photographs

Select smooth backgrounds, fabric texture, fine lines and saturated detail. Use matching source dimensions. Inspect each result at the intended display size and examine details where needed.

Do not turn the best saving from one image into a universal promise. Different photographs may need different settings. An automatic conversion pipeline also needs a way to identify and replace an unsatisfactory result.

A photographer compares printed landscape details on a table
Include difficult scenes and important details in a format comparison.

Include the encoding work

Preparing a smaller delivery file consumes processing time and resources. Check whether conversion happens at upload, before publication or on the first request. The first visitor should not have to wait while every demanding image is processed.

Keep the source and identify its generated sizes clearly. Replacing it should update the corresponding variants. Mixing an old image in one format with a new one in another produces an error even when each file opens correctly.

Evaluate the format and the publishing process
An AVIF review in its 2021 context. An illustrative planning example.

Check delivery alongside the format

Provide a suitable variant to supported browsers and a working fallback elsewhere. Verify content type, dimensions and caching. An administrator’s preview cannot substitute for a public visit.

  • Select representative photographs from the real range.
  • Compare quality, transfer size and preparation time.
  • Check supported and fallback delivery.
  • Upload a new source and verify every size.
  • Replace that source and test variant updates.

Choose formats by measured results during image optimisation. A useful format preserves both visible quality and a reliable publishing process.

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