Have you downloaded a picture from the Internet or received a message in instant messenger, but the standard gallery of your smartphone says “file not supported”? Most likely, you are faced with the format AVIF. This is a modern compression standard that is becoming increasingly popular on the Internet due to its high quality and low file weight.
Although the technology is developing rapidly, the built-in tools of many devices based Android still cannot display such images out of the box. This often causes confusion among users who are accustomed to the fact that any JPEG or PNG opens instantly.
In this article we will look in detail at why this problem occurs and what specific steps need to be taken to open AVIF on Android without unnecessary complications. We will consider both software solutions and alternative viewing methods.
Why the smartphone does not see the AVIF format
The format AV1 Image File Format was created by the Open Media Alliance as a replacement for the outdated JPEG. It provides better compression and transparency support like PNG. However, support for this codec at the operating system level Android appeared relatively recently.
Many devices released before 2021-2022 use older versions of image decoders. If your phone is powered by Android 10 or Android 11, the likelihood of native support is extremely low without updates from the manufacturer.
In addition, even on new smartphones, manufacturers sometimes disable support for rare codecs in standard Gallery applications in order to save resources or licensing restrictions. This means that the file is physically located on the device, but the software simply does not know how to interpret it.
Attention! ⚠️ Do not try to rename the file extension from .avif to .jpg manually. This will not convert the image, but will only damage the data structure, after which the file will not open in any app.
Checking built-in support in the system
Before installing third-party software, you should make sure that your device really cannot display the picture. Sometimes the problem lies in a specific viewer application, and not in the system as a whole.
Try opening the file through a file manager. Click on the file and select "Open with". If there is a browser in the list Google Chrome or Firefox, select them. Modern mobile browsers have built-in rendering engines that often handle AVIF better than the standard gallery.
Also check the operating system version in your phone settings. Go to Settings → About phone → Android version. If you have installed version 12 and higher, support should be at the system kernel level, and the problem is most likely in the gallery application.
If the file opens in the browser, but not in the gallery, install a third-party application to view photos - it's faster than waiting for an update system.
There is an easy way to check for the codec through the hidden developer menu, but this requires enabling USB debugging. For an ordinary user, it is enough to test opening a file in different pre-installed apps.
Best applications for viewing AVIF
If the built-in tools are powerless, specialized applications from the store come to the rescue. Google Play. They contain their own decoding libraries, independent of your OS version.
One of the most reliable options is the application Simple Gallery Pro or its free version. It supports a huge number of formats, including RAW and AVIF, and works very quickly even on weak devices.
Another great option is VLC for Android. Although this is a video player, it also copes well with images of any format thanks to the powerful built-in engine libvlc.
- 📸 Simple Gallery - a lightweight, fast viewer with open source code.
- 🎬 VLC Player - a universal harvester for any media content.
- 🖼️ XnView MP - a powerful tool with editing and conversion functions.
- 🌐 Google Photos —in the latest versions, experimental support for new codecs has been added.
When choosing an application, pay attention to the permissions. The image viewer doesn't need access to your contacts or microphone. If an application asks for unnecessary things, it is better not to install it in favor of a more secure analogue.
Using online converters
Sometimes you don’t want to install a new application, especially if you only need to view the file once. In this case, the optimal solution would be to use online services for conversion.
This method does not require software installation and works directly in the browser Chrome or Samsung Internet. You upload the file to the server, it is converted into the usual one JPEG or PNG, and you download the result back.
Popular services such as Convertio or CloudConvertallow you to process files up to 100 MB in size for free. The process takes only a few seconds with a stable connection.
⚠️ Attention: Do not upload confidential documents or personal photos to third-party sites. Use this method only for pictures from the Internet or unclassified images.
To convert, follow these steps:
- Open a browser on your smartphone.
- Go to the converter website.
- Click the file selection button and specify the path to yours
.avifimage. - Select the destination format (for example, JPG) and click “Convert.”
What to do if there is no Internet?
If there is no network access, online converters will not work. In this case, the only way out is to transfer the file to your computer, convert there and return it back, or install an offline application in advance.
Converting files on the device
If you often work with graphics, it makes sense to install a converter application directly on your phone. This will allow you to massively convert images into a convenient format and store them in an archive.
Application The Image Converter or similar utilities allow you to select a folder with images and batch process them. You can adjust the compression quality and target format.
This is especially useful for freeing up space if you have a lot of AVIF files that are taking up space but won't open. Converting to JPEG may increase the size slightly, but guarantees compatibility with all devices.
| Application | Type | Payment | Working speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple Gallery | Viewing | Free | High |
| Convertio (Web) | Conversion | Freemium | Depends on the network |
| VLC Player | View | Free | Medium |
| XnView | View/Editor | Free | High |
Remember that conversion is a process with data loss (if you go to JPEG). For archival storage of originals, it is better to leave AVIF files and just use a suitable viewer.
☑️ Preparing to install the application
Browser settings for display
Sometimes the problem lies not in the lack of a codec, but in the settings of the browser itself. In rare cases, experimental rendering features may be disabled.
In the browser Google Chrome on Android, you can try typing chrome://flagsin the address bar. However, the mobile version has a truncated list of flags compared to the desktop version, and the option #enable-avif may not be there.
A more effective solution is to use a browser Firefox for Android. It is positioned as a private browser and often implements support for new web standards faster than the standard one. Simply open a link to an image or downloaded file via Android WebView.
Simply open the link to the image or downloaded file via Firefox. If the picture is displayed, then the problem is solely in the standard viewer of your Android shell.
⚠️ Attention: The interface of hidden browser settings may change with each update. If you do not find the setting you need, do not reset all browser settings to factory settings unnecessarily.
Frequently asked questions and problems
Users often encounter a situation where the picture opens, but looks distorted or has a green tint. This is a sign that the decoder cannot cope with the color profile of the image.
In such cases, only completely resaving the file in another application helps. Standard editors like Google Photos may not process AVIF metadata correctly.
It is also important to understand the difference between the Android version and the manufacturer's firmware version. Even the Android 13 shell MIUI or OneUI can restrict access to system codecs for third-party applications.
The fastest solution to the problem is to install the VLC or Simple Gallery application, since they do not depend on the system restrictions of the phone manufacturer.
Is it safe to open AVIF files from unknown sources?
The image format itself is safe since it is just pixel data. However, the source of the file poses the risk. If you downloaded a picture from a suspicious site, it may be replaced with an executable file with a different extension. Always check the extension in the file properties.
Why does AVIF weigh less than JPG?
AVIF uses the AV1 compression algorithm, which is much more efficient than the old JPEG. It better removes digital noise and compression artifacts, allowing you to achieve the same visual quality with a file size 2-3 times smaller.
Is it possible to send AVIF to WhatsApp?
Yes, messengers like WhatsApp and Telegram support sending files of any type as documents. However, when sent as an "Image", the messenger can automatically convert it to JPEG to ensure that it is displayed to the recipient.
Do you need to update Android to support AVIF?
A system update may add native support, but this is not a guarantee. Often manufacturers do not port new codecs to older devices. Installing a third-party application is a more reliable and faster way to solve the problem.