How to Convert AVIF to PNG (Free, No Software Needed)

AVIF is excellent for web delivery — small files, great quality. But the moment you try to open one in Photoshop CS6, send it to a client on Windows 10, or drop it into a design tool from 2019, you hit a wall. PNG works everywhere. AVIF does not — yet.

This guide covers every method: browser-based conversion with no installs, native OS tools, and command-line batch conversion with ffmpeg 7.1.

Convert AVIF to PNG in Your Browser

Pixotter's converter processes your AVIF files entirely client-side using WebAssembly — nothing is uploaded to a server. Your files stay on your machine.

Step-by-step:

1. Go to pixotter.com/convert/
2. Drag your AVIF file onto the drop zone, or click to browse
3. Select PNG as the output format
4. Click Convert
5. Download your PNG

No account. No file size nag screen. No "your file will be deleted in 24 hours" anxiety because files never leave your browser.

If your PNG comes out large — AVIF is lossy-compressed while PNG is lossless, so size increase is expected — run it through Pixotter's compressor to bring the file size down without quality loss.

Why Convert AVIF to PNG?

AVIF is a modern format with genuine advantages, but there are legitimate reasons to convert:

Compatibility. Older software — Photoshop versions before CC 2022, Figma desktop prior to 2023, most print workflows — cannot open AVIF. PNG is the universal format that every tool on the planet handles.

Transparency preservation. Both AVIF and PNG support alpha channels. If your AVIF has a transparent background (a logo, a cutout product shot), converting to PNG keeps that transparency intact. JPEG would not.

Lossless editing. PNG is lossless. Every save is identical to the original. If you need to edit an image repeatedly without generation loss, PNG is the right intermediate format.

Client or printer requirements. Many clients specify PNG or JPEG in their asset briefs. Many print workflows reject anything else. When the spec says PNG, you deliver PNG.

AVIF vs PNG: When to Use Each

Use AVIF when you control the delivery environment and care about page speed. Use PNG when you need universal compatibility or a lossless editing master. See AVIF vs WebP for a deeper format comparison.

How to Convert AVIF to PNG on Windows

Option 1: Pixotter (recommended) Open pixotter.com/convert/ in Chrome or Edge, drop your AVIF file, select PNG, convert. Works on Windows 10 and 11.

Option 2: Paint (Windows 11 22H2 and later) Windows 11's updated Paint can open AVIF files natively. Open the AVIF in Paint, then File → Save as → PNG image. Quick, no installs — but limited to single files and no batch support.

Option 3: ffmpeg 7.1 (command line) ffmpeg is free, LGPL 2.1+, and handles any conversion you throw at it.

Install ffmpeg 7.1 from ffmpeg.org/download.html (Windows builds under "Windows EXE Files").

Single file:

ffmpeg -i input.avif output.png

Verify your version before running batch jobs:

ffmpeg -version

You should see ffmpeg version 7.1 in the first line of output.

How to Convert AVIF to PNG on Mac

Option 1: Pixotter (recommended) Same as Windows — open pixotter.com/convert/ in Safari or Chrome, drag, convert, download. Works on any macOS with a modern browser.

Option 2: Preview (macOS Sonoma 14.0 and later) Preview on macOS Sonoma gained AVIF support. Open your AVIF file in Preview, then File → Export → Format: PNG → Save. Fast for single files.

On macOS Ventura (13.x) and earlier, Preview cannot open AVIF. Use Pixotter or ffmpeg instead.

Option 3: ffmpeg 7.1 Install via Homebrew:

brew install ffmpeg

Homebrew installs the current stable release. Verify:

ffmpeg -version

Convert:

ffmpeg -i input.avif output.png

ffmpeg is LGPL 2.1+ — free to use commercially with no attribution required for dynamic linking.

How to Convert AVIF to PNG on iPhone and Android

Neither iOS nor Android has a native AVIF-to-PNG converter, but the browser method works on both.

iPhone (iOS 16+): Safari on iOS 16 and later supports AVIF. Open pixotter.com/convert/ in Safari, tap the upload area, select your AVIF from Files or Photos, choose PNG output, convert, and save to your Photos or Files app.

Android (Chrome 85+): Chrome on Android has supported AVIF since version 85. Open pixotter.com/convert/ in Chrome, upload your AVIF, select PNG, convert, and download. The file saves to your Downloads folder.

On older OS versions where the browser cannot render AVIF, Pixotter's WebAssembly decoder handles the conversion regardless — the browser does not need to display the format, just pass the file bytes.

Batch Convert AVIF to PNG

Pixotter batch conversion: Pixotter supports multiple files in one session. Drag a folder's worth of AVIF files onto the drop zone, set the output format to PNG, and convert all at once. Each file converts independently — if one fails, the rest complete. Download individually or as a ZIP.

ffmpeg 7.1 batch conversion on Mac/Linux:

for f in *.avif; do ffmpeg -i "$f" "${f%.avif}.png"; done

This loops over every .avif file in the current directory and converts each to a .png with the same base name.

ffmpeg 7.1 batch conversion on Windows (Command Prompt):

for %f in (*.avif) do ffmpeg -i "%f" "%~nf.png"

ffmpeg 7.1 batch conversion on Windows (PowerShell):

Get-ChildItem *.avif | ForEach-Object { ffmpeg -i $_.FullName "$($_.BaseName).png" }

For large batches (100+ files), add -threads 0 to let ffmpeg use all available CPU cores:

for f in *.avif; do ffmpeg -threads 0 -i "$f" "${f%.avif}.png"; done

FAQ

Does converting AVIF to PNG lose quality? No. PNG is lossless, so the PNG output is a pixel-perfect representation of whatever the AVIF decoded to. You will not introduce additional compression artifacts. The file size increases because PNG does not use the same aggressive compression as AVIF — that is expected and normal.

Why is my PNG so much larger than the AVIF? AVIF uses highly efficient lossy compression. PNG stores every pixel losslessly. A 150KB AVIF might become a 1.2MB PNG — that is not a bug. If the PNG is too large for your use case, run it through Pixotter's compressor after conversion.

Does Pixotter upload my files to a server? No. Pixotter processes files entirely in your browser using WebAssembly. Nothing is transmitted. This is not a privacy policy claim — it is architecture. There is no server-side processing to opt out of.

Can I convert AVIF to PNG without losing the transparent background? Yes. Both AVIF and PNG support alpha transparency. Pixotter preserves the alpha channel during conversion. Your transparent logo or product cutout will look identical in PNG.

What's the difference between AVIF and PNG? AVIF is designed for web delivery — lossy compression, small files, modern browser support. PNG is designed for compatibility and lossless storage — larger files, universal support, lossless editing. See what is AVIF and what is PNG for full breakdowns of each format.

Can I convert multiple AVIF files at once? Yes. Pixotter accepts multiple files in one session — drag them all onto the converter at once. For command-line batch conversion, see the batch section above using ffmpeg 7.1.

Is ffmpeg free for commercial use? Yes. ffmpeg is licensed under LGPL 2.1+, which permits commercial use. The full license terms are on the ffmpeg website. Some optional components use GPL — the standard builds from ffmpeg.org are LGPL.

Should I convert AVIF to JPG instead of PNG? Only if you do not need transparency and want a smaller file. JPG does not support alpha channels — if your AVIF has a transparent background, JPG will fill it with white (or another matte color). For images without transparency, AVIF to JPG is a valid choice for compatibility with smaller output. For anything needing transparency or lossless editing, use PNG.