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Chrome and Firefox have supported AVIF images for some time now, and it is my understanding that Edge is based on Chromium, which caused me to assume that it too would support AVIF images.

However, I just tested an AVIF dependent application in Edge Version 110.0.1587.46, in Windows 10, and none of the AVIF images are being displayed.

Why aren't AVIF images supported in Edge, given that Edge is based on a browser that does indeed support AVIF images?

Charles Roper
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Lonnie Best
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  • I found [this](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/809434/avif-format-not-supported-in-microsoft-edge), but it doesn't fully explain. – Lonnie Best Feb 15 '23 at 12:15
  • Does Windows 11 provide a later version of Edge than does Windows 10? This [page](http://www.howtoadvice.com/WhiteoutPDF) contains 10 avif images (showcasing screen shots of Foxit Reader). Can someone on Windows 11 confirm whether the images display on Windows 11 with Edge? – Lonnie Best Feb 15 '23 at 12:55
  • I found this [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDrYMlCY2tY) on YouTube. I hope they go ahead and get this done. Way OVERDUE! – Lonnie Best Feb 17 '23 at 06:30
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    that video is incorrect; the flag doesn't work. – Charles Roper Feb 20 '23 at 20:38
  • They did the same thing back when PNG came out. IE significantly held back its introduction. – nada Mar 01 '23 at 22:54
  • @nada Interesting, I didn't notice this for PNGs. I made my first web page in 1995. Back then I used GIFs (yuck). – Lonnie Best Mar 02 '23 at 23:33
  • FWIW: a workaround is proposed here: https://github.com/Kagami/avif.js (no warranties of any kind if it works, but if you're desperate - it is IMO worth trying). – No-Bugs Hare Mar 05 '23 at 10:07
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    Since this was censored out of my question, I'm posting it as a comment: `I stopped using Internet Explorer due to its slow implementation of modern web standards (many years ago). Today, I give Edge a chance to redeem "the company that provides it", and it appears that even though it is based on Chromium, the offering still fails to implement modern web standards.` That's not an opinion, that's unfortunate FACT! – Lonnie Best Mar 19 '23 at 06:39
  • Sorry I had to remove it Lonnie. I didn't agree with the closure of the question in the first place. I wanted to get it open again and thought these words in particular were raising other mods' "opinion-based" eyebrows: "I stopped using Internet Explorer due to its slow implementation of modern web standards (many years ago). Today, I give Edge a chance to redeem...". Unfortunately, Edge's delay in implementing this particular modern standard is due to a legal issue, rather than technical. In most other aspects, Edge is identical or very close to other Chromium browsers. – Charles Roper Mar 20 '23 at 12:19
  • Thankfully, you didn't edit my comment too. @CharlesRoper – Lonnie Best Mar 21 '23 at 09:05
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    @LonnieBest I had no problem at all with your original question. Mods around here are too trigger-happy with the closures these days imo (talking as an original beta user #1944). I only edited to remove the thing that looked like it *might* be an opinion or asking for an opinion. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ – Charles Roper Mar 28 '23 at 22:04

4 Answers4

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Update 2023-08-27

AVIF images in Edge Canary 118 seem to have been disabled again.

Update 2023-07-17

AVIF images are now showing up in Edge Canary.

Tested on:

Slingblade website has avif images

Update 2023-02-20 @ 22:23

Alex Russell, Microsoft Partner PM on the Edge team and a Blink API owner has provided an update. It is a licensing issue holding things up.

See here: https://toot.cafe/@slightlyoff/109899372183448386

Waiting on licensing things to clear up. Unhappy with the delay, but unavoidable.

I'll leave my original answer below.

The correct answer here is that we simply don't know as of 2023-02-20. All we have is speculation. I cannot find any official word from Microsoft on it.

Suggestions of a flag to enable AVIF support appear to have been hallucinated - they do not work, nor are they documented by Microsoft anywhere.

The closest I can find to an official comment from Microsoft is from XuDong Peng-MSFT in this answer, in which they give this rather cryptic and vague reason:

Unfortunately, currently Microsoft Edge does not support avif format files due to design.

Of course, this makes no sense because other Chromium browsers and Firefox support AVIF just fine on Windows. So we can only speculate as to the reasoning given the silence from Microsoft, and the fully functioning implementations elsewhere. The format is open and royalty-free, so it can't be a licensing blocker.

Edge remains the only major browser that lacks AVIF support.

Charles Roper
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  • At the same time, it seems that Microsoft is using AV1 in Teams for screen sharing: https://www.reddit.com/r/AV1/comments/11rbv3z/microsoft_teams_screen_sharing_uses_av1/ So they may be fine deploying "potentially" patent-infringing technology on apps with less distribution such as Teams, but not in Edge. And this considering AV1 could potentially infringe far more patents that AVIF, being a video codec. – Pere Mar 21 '23 at 08:23
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    I wish (like with Firefox and Chromium) there was a place you could go to submit an issue for Microsoft Edge. I'm not talking about some feedback form that doesn't generate a tracking number of any kind. I talking about a legitimate ticket system, where once a issue is submitted, everyone can track it thereafter. The issue we're discussing (AVIF Support) should have an open ticket for all to see. Microsoft owns GitHub, which offers good issue tracking. Why isn't there anything like that for Edge? – Lonnie Best Mar 21 '23 at 13:02
  • @LonnieBest I'm pretty sure the Edge team is aware of this issue, sounds like they are waiting for their legal team to approve it. In any case, click the menu button in the toolbar and select `Help and Feedback > Send Feedback` - preferably with a screenshot of a broken site with an AVIF image. – Abhi Beckert Apr 14 '23 at 21:16
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    LOL! You really know how to get the upvotes don't ya? Showcasing the Slingblade page (which is exclusively AVIF without fallbacks) is a nice touch. – Lonnie Best Jul 18 '23 at 03:44
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    @LonnieBest Upvotes are not my intention, only providing the best answer I can in the most convenient way. I got the link to the Slingblade site from one of your comments, I believe. :) I've been on this site since before it was publicly launched and if I cared about points, I'd probably have more than 19k ;) – Charles Roper Jul 19 '23 at 16:35
  • Your 2023-08-27 update just emphasizes that AVIF support is there by default, and they're always having to go out of their way to keep it removed. Its such an efficient format. This is so ridiculous. – Lonnie Best Sep 01 '23 at 14:43
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Seems like there is some progress... Avif is working for me in Edge Canary (116.0.1917.0)

Th3S4mur41
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  • Did you have to do any extra steps to get the avif images to display in 116.0.1917.0? My users are on Version 114.0.1823.51. I'm looking forward to the day that an automatic update enables avif images once and for all. – Lonnie Best Jun 16 '23 at 15:07
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    Hey @LonnieBest... Nope, I doubled check multiple things, and the only requirement so far seems to be Windows 11 (22621.1848) - https://github.com/MicrosoftEdge/Status/issues/723 Same browser version on Windows 10 22H2 doesn't support avif. I tried various flags too as well as with and witouth the AV1 video extension https://www.microsoft.com/store/productId/9MVZQVXJBQ9V It didn't have any impact – Th3S4mur41 Jun 19 '23 at 07:20
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    Thanks for the great info. Rant: My hopes are targeting Windows 10 specifically. Chrome and Firefox have no issue providing AVIF support on Windows 10. So, there won't be a legitimate excuse for Edge. I do not appreciate arbitrary limitations in software. With Edge being based on Chrome, Microsoft had to go out of their way to REMOVE avif support in the first place! So what else can this be than the beloved open source wolf in sheep's clothing showing its teeth! And the worst part is that this [Slingblade page](http://www.amorosity.com/Slingblade/) is exclusively AVIF without fall backs! – Lonnie Best Jun 20 '23 at 13:26
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    @LonnieBest I'm on Win10 22H2 (19045.3208) and in Edge 117.0.1981.0 canary (64-bit) avif images are showing up. – Charles Roper Jul 17 '23 at 01:25
  • @LonnieBest I'm on Win10 22H2 (19045.3086) and Edge Canary 117.0.1991.0 AVIF images are **not showing** up - when fallback is provided, it is used instead. With `--enable-features=msEdgeAVIF` they fail (broken image, no fallback). Test page: https://libre-software.net/image/avif-test/ – myf Jul 24 '23 at 09:05
  • @CharlesRoper are you registered in any windows insider program? My Windows 10 has a newer build but is still not loading avif images in Edge Canary 118 – Th3S4mur41 Aug 25 '23 at 14:34
  • @Th3S4mur41 No, I'm not in any Insider programmes. I've just checked in the Canary 118 and avifs have stopped working for me there, too. They must have removed it again or put it behind a flag maybe? – Charles Roper Aug 27 '23 at 11:31
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As of October 2021, the AVIF image file format support was introduced in Google Chrome 85 and Firefox 93 versions. If your browser is currently on a newer version than one of these it also will be supported. Microsoft Edge isn’t currently supported, but since the new Microsoft Edge uses the same Chromium Engine it won’t be long until support is rolled out. However, there is an AV1 Extension add-on available to download on the Microsoft Store (https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/av1-video-extension/9MVZQVXJBQ9V?hl=en-us&gl=us&activetab=pivot%3Aoverviewtab). This provides support on Windows 10 devices and Edge if installed.

PS: In Edge Canary 112, Microsoft is testing adding support for the AV1 Image File Format (AVIF) in the browser.

Command-line flag: --enable-features=msEdgeAVIF

D A
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    I find it hard to believe that Edge is based on "an old enough version of Chromium" that it doesn't have AVIF support. Chrome and Firefox (installed on the same Windows 10 OS) have no issue displaying AVIF images. The lack of support for AVIF in Edge v110 seems to deliberately remove something that should inherently be there (due to its base). I'm here hoping to learn WHY. – Lonnie Best Feb 15 '23 at 12:35
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    I have added some extra info. They don't because of a design problem but they started to test/add it in Edge. – D A Feb 15 '23 at 13:02
  • After installing the extension you provided (and rebooting Windows 10), AVIF images are still not showing in web pages via Edge v110. For example, this [page](http://www.amorosity.com/SlingBlade/) showcases 19 AVIF images (in Firefox or Chrome), but even with that extension installed, no images show in Edge v110. – Lonnie Best Feb 15 '23 at 14:10
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    Are you able to cite sources for where you're getting your information, please? E.g. "it won’t be long until support is rolled out" and "In Edge Canary 112, Microsoft is testing adding support for the AV1 Image File Format (AVIF) in the browser." I'm not challenging this information, it's just useful to have canonical links so we can follow progress and dig into the background ourselves. Web searching for this information led to this question, so I'm guessing it will help others. Many thanks. :) – Charles Roper Feb 20 '23 at 12:56
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    @DA Did you test this flag? I've tried and it doesn't work. 112.0.1690.0 (Official build) canary (64-bit). The video linked to by Lonnie Best is the only place I can find any reference to this flag, but it doesn't work. At 3:22 the test clearly shows that the avif image is still broken. The installable extension only works with AV1 video, not images. – Charles Roper Feb 20 '23 at 19:16
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Just to answer your question regarding Windows 11 Edge. Edge has the same "latest version" on both Windows 10 and Windows 11. However, .avif pics are also not supported on Windows 11 Edge.

The lack of support for .avif in Edge is by design, out of compatibility concerns or something. AV1 Video Extension from Microsoft Store is used to enable you to view .avif pics on Microsoft Photos App, but won't affect Edge.

Good news is, as @D A has said, the Dev Team is testing to add support for .avif in Edge Canary.

UPDATE

As to the flag of --enable-features=msEdgeAVIF, you can go to a website for AVIF image check. In Edge Stable or Canary without this flag, you will have JPEG fallback image indicating that Edge is not supporting AVIF. Once you have enabled this flag in Canary, you will only have broken image icons. The only thing I can come up with to explain this is that enabling this flag informs the website that Edge is supporting AVIF, so it's trying to render AVIF instead of using fallback JPEG. However, it can be a licensing issue, as Alex has said, so Edge is not able to show AVIF images for now.

Kendrick Li
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  • Thanks for this. See my comment on question above. https://stackoverflow.com/questions/75459594/why-doesnt-edge-support-avif-images#comment133224080_75459783. Many thanks! :) – Charles Roper Feb 20 '23 at 12:58
  • Hi @CharlesRoper, I've shared my insight into this behavior. Please check the updated answer. – Kendrick Li Feb 21 '23 at 02:11
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    Yes, you're right, it seems that the flag makes Edge think it can handle AVIF, but the code to actually handle the AVIF isn't there so it breaks. I guess we will just have to wait until Microsoft settles whatever is the problem with the patent troll (probably Sisvel - https://www.reddit.com/r/AV1/comments/ypwee4/patent_troll/). – Charles Roper Feb 21 '23 at 12:07