Title: WordPress 6.5 adds AVIF support  Author: Adam Silverstein Published: February 23, 2024 Last modified: June 5, 2025 --- [ ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/adamsilverstein/) [Adam Silverstein](https://profiles.wordpress.org/adamsilverstein/) 6:54 pm _on_ February 23, 2024 Tags: [6-5 ( 76 )](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/6-5/), [core-images ( 9 )](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/core-images/), [dev-notes ( 648 )](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/dev-notes/), [dev-notes-6.5 ( 15 )](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/dev-notes-6-5/), [images ( 10 )](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/images/) # WordPress 6.5 adds AVIF support  WordPress 6.5 supports AVIF, a modern image format that offers significant improvements in image quality and compression over previous formats like JPEG, PNG, and even WebP.  AVIF images can be up to 50% smaller than JPEGs while maintaining the same image quality. AVIF images also support a wide range of colors (including HDR) and produce sharper images than JPEGs, especially in areas with high detail. From WordPress version 6.5 forward, you can upload and use AVIF images in WordPress just like you would a JPEG or PNG image today – as long as your hosting environment supports AVIF. Switching to the AVIF format for your images is likely to improve your site’s performance and your site visitor’s experience.  ## How AVIF helps you AVIF images are significantly smaller than their JPEG equivalents, so pages load more quickly and take less bandwidth to transmit. AVIF images still get all of the benefits of the responsive images, Fetch Priority, and lazy loading that WordPress supports by default. Finally, AVIFs are [supported](https://caniuse.com/avif) in all major browsers, so most sites can start using them today. ## Creating AVIF images Many image editing tools support exporting to AVIF. You can also use command line conversion tools or web based open sourceOpen Source Open Source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Open Source **must be** delivered via a licensing model, see GPL. tools like [Squoosh](https://squoosh.app/). Once you save your images as AVIF, upload them to WordPress and use them like you would any other image. WordPress can also create AVIFs for you automatically, for more details, see the FAQ item below. ## Using AVIF images in WordPress AVIF images work like any other image format in WordPress, with a few important notes: AVIF in WordPress depends on support in your web server’s image processing library( WordPress has built-in support for both _Imagick_ and _LibGD _for image processing). You can check for AVIF support in wp-adminadmin (and super admin) by visiting Tools- > Site Health, clicking the “Info” tab and expanding the “Media Handling” section, then finally looking for “AVIF” in the list of supported formats. If your audience includes a significant number of users on an unsupported browser, either avoid using AVIF images, or enqueue a browser [polyfill](https://github.com/Kagami/avif.js). ## FAQ **Q: How do I adjust the compression level used for generated AVIF images?** The `wp_editor_set_quality` filterFilter Filters are one of the two types of Hooks [https://codex.wordpress.org/Plugin_API/Hooks](https://codex.wordpress.org/Plugin_API/Hooks). They provide a way for functions to modify data of other functions. They are the counterpart to Actions. Unlike Actions, filters are meant to work in an isolated manner, and should never have side effects such as affecting global variables and output. can be used to set the quality setting. The passed mime type enables setting by type, for example: ```wp-block-code // Use a quality setting of 75 for AVIF images.function filter_avif_quality( $quality, $mime_type ) { if ( 'image/avif' === $mime_type ) { return 75; } return $quality;}add_filter( 'wp_editor_set_quality', 'filter_avif_quality', 10, 2 ); ``` **How can I output lossless AVIF images?** Using a compression level of 100 will set AVIF to its lossless mode. **Q: Can WordPress create AVIF images when I upload JPEGs?** Yes. Developers can use the `image_editor_output_format` filter to specify this type of transformation for uploads. Here is an example: ```wp-block-code // Output AVIFs for uploaded JPEGsfunction filter_image_editor_output_format( $formats ) { $formats['image/jpeg'] = 'image/avif'; return $formats;}add_filter( 'image_editor_output_format', 'filter_image_editor_output_format' ); ``` **Q: Can WordPress create AVIF images when I upload HEIC images?** Yes. Developers can use the `image_editor_output_format` filter to specify this type of transformation for uploads. Here is an example: ```wp-block-code // Output AVIFs for uploaded HEICs function filter_image_editor_output_format( $formats ) { $formats['image/heic'] = 'image/avif'; return $formats; } add_filter( 'image_editor_output_format', 'filter_image_editor_output_format' ); ``` **Q: If I use WordPress multisitemultisite Used to describe a WordPress installation with a network of multiple blogs, grouped by sites. This installation type has shared users tables, and creates separate database tables for each blog (wp_posts becomes wp_0_posts). See also network, blog, site, will all my sites work with AVIF images?** No. Multisite stores the file types that users are allowed to upload when a site is created. We are still working on improving this in [#53167](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/53167). In the meantime, to ensure all existing sites on a networknetwork (versus site, blog) allow AVIF files, you can use the `site_option` filter in a network mu-pluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory [https://wordpress.org/plugins/](https://wordpress.org/plugins/) or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party. to add avif to the allowed file types for all network sites: ```wp-block-code // Ensure all network sites include AVIF support.function filter_site_option_upload_filetypes( $filetypes ) { $filetypes = explode( ' ', $filetypes ); if ( ! in_array( 'avif', $filetypes, true ) ) { $filetypes[] = 'avif'; } return implode( ' ', $filetypes );}add_filter( 'site_option_upload_filetypes', 'filter_site_option_upload_filetypes' ); ``` --- Thanks to [@stevenlinx](https://profiles.wordpress.org/stevenlinx/) and [@westonruter](https://profiles.wordpress.org/westonruter/) for reviewing this post. [#6-5](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/6-5/), [#core-images](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/core-images/), [#dev-notes](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/dev-notes/), [#dev-notes-6-5](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/dev-notes-6-5/), [#images](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/images/) ### Share this: * [ Threads ](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/02/23/wordpress-6-5-adds-avif-support/?share=threads) * [ Mastodon ](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/02/23/wordpress-6-5-adds-avif-support/?share=mastodon) * [ Bluesky ](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/02/23/wordpress-6-5-adds-avif-support/?share=bluesky) * [ X ](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/02/23/wordpress-6-5-adds-avif-support/?share=x) * [ Facebook ](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/02/23/wordpress-6-5-adds-avif-support/?share=facebook) * [ LinkedIn ](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/02/23/wordpress-6-5-adds-avif-support/?share=linkedin) 1. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/8bdee1ff4aca162db4c7d3755c67c4a18da76f40e349b691b786ee6f48532b40? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 2. [nicohood](https://profiles.wordpress.org/nicohood/) 8:31 am _on_ February 24, 2024 3. So right now there are some plugins that do that job for us. How would it work with wordpress? I remember that some plugins create a jpg and a webp or avif file and depending on the client support it will send out an avif or jpg. All Image URLs still link to .jpg but will be replaced on demand. Is that also true for wordpress 6.5? 4. So we also need to enable this feature somewhere? 5. Is there a way to convert existing files (and still keep the .jpg urls intact)? 6. And what is the recommandation here, i mean around 90% browsers support avif, so should we just do a 100% switch in order to save a lot of webspace (like us, we host a lot of images on our site)? 7. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/82e095c8bc229017b128e53940ea534aa31f6624431bedee24c7e8756e42dd1c? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [Adam Silverstein](https://profiles.wordpress.org/adamsilverstein/) 3:41 pm _on_ February 25, 2024 * Responses inline below [@nicohood](https://profiles.wordpress.org/nicohood/)– * > So right now there are some plugins that do that job for us. How would it > work with wordpress? I remember that some plugins create a jpg and a webp > or avif file and depending on the client support it will send out an avif > or jpg. All Image URLs still link to .jpg but will be replaced on demand. > Is that also true for wordpress 6.5? * This change adds support for AVIFs in coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. letting you use them like a JPEG – it doesn’t offer the advanced features you describe where the browser is served an image based on its capabilitiescapability A ** capability** is permission to perform one or more types of task. Checking if a user has a capability is performed by the `current_user_can` function. Each user of a WordPress site might have some permissions but not others, depending on their role. For example, users who have the Author role usually have permission to edit their own posts (the “edit_posts” capability), but not permission to edit other users’ posts (the “edit_others_posts” capability).. * > So we also need to enable this feature somewhere? * In 6.5 you can use AVIFs “out of the box”, support is enabled by default. * > Is there a way to convert existing files (and still keep the .jpg urls intact)? * Not directly in core, plugins should let you do this. * > And what is the recommandation here, i mean around 90% browsers support avif, > so should we just do a 100% switch in order to save a lot of webspace (like > us, we host a lot of images on our site) * It depends to a degree on your visitors. Consider switching entirely to AVIF if you have data showing a low percentage of visitors with non-supporting browsers. If you don’t have that type of data, consider collecting it. * Otherwise, the best solution is probably using pluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory [https://wordpress.org/plugins/](https://wordpress.org/plugins/) or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party. to serve images with an image CDN which can provide both client negotiation and edge serving. Also good would be serving images using the “ element to serve AVIF’s with a JPEG fallback for non supporting browsers. We don’t yet directly support this in core yet– this ticketticket Created for both bug reports and feature development on the bug tracker. covers adding it – [https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/42920](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/42920). - ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/8bdee1ff4aca162db4c7d3755c67c4a18da76f40e349b691b786ee6f48532b40? s=32&d=mm&r=g) - [nicohood](https://profiles.wordpress.org/nicohood/) 7:12 pm _on_ February 25, 2024 - Thanks for clarifying! And the filterFilter Filters are one of the two types of Hooks [https://codex.wordpress.org/Plugin_API/Hooks](https://codex.wordpress.org/Plugin_API/Hooks). They provide a way for functions to modify data of other functions. They are the counterpart to Actions. Unlike Actions, filters are meant to work in an isolated manner, and should never have side effects such as affecting global variables and output. `image_editor_output_format`, will this also rename the filename? To my understanding this will convert every jpg to avif, so no jpg is ever saved on the server, only avif, right? This will result in lots of space saving. And will it be lossless or not? * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/82e095c8bc229017b128e53940ea534aa31f6624431bedee24c7e8756e42dd1c? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [Adam Silverstein](https://profiles.wordpress.org/adamsilverstein/) 2:42 pm _on_ February 26, 2024 * Right, with that filterFilter Filters are one of the two types of Hooks [https://codex.wordpress.org/Plugin_API/Hooks](https://codex.wordpress.org/Plugin_API/Hooks). They provide a way for functions to modify data of other functions. They are the counterpart to Actions. Unlike Actions, filters are meant to work in an isolated manner, and should never have side effects such as affecting global variables and output. output files will be AVIF instead of JPEG. AVIFs will be lossy (quality 82) by default, use quality 100 to get lossless. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/24b68e30c5aca1c18ea836405ba1d723ab26ee96ef0ebf83a0c2d212d8cd58d9? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [ironprogrammer](https://profiles.wordpress.org/ironprogrammer/) 6: 57 pm _on_ February 29, 2024 * In response to [@nicohood](https://profiles.wordpress.org/nicohood/): * > …no jpg is ever saved on the server… * WordPress will always preserve the originally-uploaded file to support future edits or regeneration of subsizes. * In order to avoid saving, e.g. a 4 MB JPEG on the server 🙈, it could be converted to AVIF first, which is now supported as a “native” uploadable image format. 8. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/6845456dbc9056f20a4cd50a6b95db78f2ae31df5c0601c613ee5b8939c41a82? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 9. [Jon Brown](https://profiles.wordpress.org/jb510/) 4:08 pm _on_ February 24, 2024 10. Delighted to see the land in coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress.. Well done folks. 11. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/2b8439faf05e34a2019a97889fd6ef5cb76c31f07487bcb44d815bdc9f1f8122? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 12. [Andrei Lupu](https://profiles.wordpress.org/euthelup/) 6:28 pm _on_ February 25, 2024 13. I’m so happy to see this! I’ve done some tests with RC2 and think this feature will push a lot of hosts to update their GD library so their users can crop AVIF files. 14. Thanks for the great work! 15. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/2069b60f253f46dd6c8e8ef67c4077fa82d6c45ee1ed4c204ddf823d3deaeaa7? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 16. [Nicolas Grimm](https://profiles.wordpress.org/nicolasgrimm/) 10:16 am _on_ March 16, 2024 17. Well done! 18. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/050a3068cfbdd322f50361a572eadd95f5ac95ccfeedbe447bc5bc4d70e68973? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 19. [Phil](https://profiles.wordpress.org/probablynotphil/) 10:13 am _on_ March 19, 2024 20. This is cool! However, I did a test with several photos and found that the quality for AVIF was substantially worse. For example colors were much more muted. Even when setting quality to 100. Is that normal? 21. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/050a3068cfbdd322f50361a572eadd95f5ac95ccfeedbe447bc5bc4d70e68973? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [Phil](https://profiles.wordpress.org/probablynotphil/) 10:14 am _on_ March 19, 2024 * Just noting that imagick is enabled on the server - ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ff9015675ca7d3d9652c3aaa0a88cafa20de608fde1c39e70ab69b36c881aba0? s=32&d=mm&r=g) - [juhosa](https://profiles.wordpress.org/juhosa/) 2:51 pm _on_ April 2, 2024 - I had similar problems with the offline ImageMagick software. Colors became washed out and the quality was sub-par, unless I cranked up the quality paramater way high, but that resulted in too large file sizes. - I’m suspecting there might be something wrong with the ImageMagick AVIF implementation. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/129025db831be5e21da859f4711fd2add835b1eb7603b96c6b88fd93e530068a? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [gregbenz](https://profiles.wordpress.org/gregbenz/) 11:03 pm _on_ April 2, 2024 * [@Phil](https://profiles.wordpress.org/phil/) I’m seeing the same, wide gamut images are simply tagged as sRGB and therefore show as desaturated. Logged as [https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/60889](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/60889) - ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/050a3068cfbdd322f50361a572eadd95f5ac95ccfeedbe447bc5bc4d70e68973? s=32&d=mm&r=g) - [Phil](https://profiles.wordpress.org/probablynotphil/) 3:14 pm _on_ April 3, 2024 - Interesting! 22. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/129025db831be5e21da859f4711fd2add835b1eb7603b96c6b88fd93e530068a? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 23. [gregbenz](https://profiles.wordpress.org/gregbenz/) 11:02 pm _on_ April 2, 2024 24. A huge thanks to [@adamsilverstein](https://profiles.wordpress.org/adamsilverstein/) and the coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. team for adding AVIF support! 25. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/782643f8fdd123de983f163562e230552a04525d025ce2113bfc373fb8bf931d? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 26. [Davide Prevosto](https://profiles.wordpress.org/daweb/) 8:27 am _on_ April 17, 2024 27. Thank you all the team for this great feature. I noticed the original picture is not converted to AVIF, but it is preserved. Only “sizes” are converted and they’re working well. Is this the correct behavior or am I doing it wrong? 28. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/77027b8817d13d8d4ed034d053a2f05dfd05aeb052e43bf560562931f73a6704? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 29. [joomskys](https://profiles.wordpress.org/joomskys/) 8:32 am _on_ May 8, 2024 30. [@adamsilverstein](https://profiles.wordpress.org/adamsilverstein/) Thank you all the team for this great feature. i have issue when i try to use AVIF image, can you help? the issue is: 31. * i have AVIF image file, * i uploaded it to wordpress via Media Upload -> [https://prnt.sc/54s8JQoSWgfl](https://prnt.sc/54s8JQoSWgfl) * image upload completed -> [https://prnt.sc/QZmqQiCD-R63](https://prnt.sc/QZmqQiCD-R63) 32. BUT the image thumbnail size like : thumbnail, medium, large, … NOT CREATED ! - > [https://prnt.sc/A54F2cFUsHBH](https://prnt.sc/A54F2cFUsHBH) can you look and help ? am using siteground web hosting! Thanks Comments are closed. # Post navigation [← Recap Hallway Hangout: What’s next for the outreach program?](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/02/23/recap-hallway-hangout-whats-next-for-the-outreach-program/) [A Week in Core – February 26, 2024 →](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/02/27/a-week-in-core-february-27-2024/)