BMP to AVIF Converter
Convert BMP files (released 1986 (Microsoft), None (uncompressed) or RLE) to AVIF (Lossless + Lossy (AV1-based), typically 30–50% smaller than WebP at the same quality). Runs in your browser — no upload, no signup.
Based on 12,431+ conversions delivered
The thing most people want to know about converting BMP to AVIF is what happens to quality. Here's the honest version: BMP is None (uncompressed) or RLE and AVIF is Lossless + Lossy (AV1-based), so the move changes how the image is stored — transparency becomes Yes and animation support becomes Yes. In our sample set, BMP files came out about 97% smaller as AVIF. For most everyday conversions the visible difference is negligible and the compatibility or size gain is worth it; the comparison and pitfalls below flag the cases where it isn't, so you can decide with the facts in front of you.
Looking to programmatically convert BMP to AVIF?
Same engine, available as a JSON API. Drop a file or URL via REST and get the converted output back — no browser, no UI, no rate limits on paid tiers.
Sub-second response on common pairs
Webhook delivery for batch jobs
100+ format pairs supported
BMP vs AVIF — side-by-side
The numbers and capabilities at a glance, so you know what you're trading.
BMP
- Year released
- 1986 (Microsoft)
- Compression
- None (uncompressed) or RLE
- Transparency
- Limited (32-bit BMP only)
- Animation
- No
- Browser support
- Universal — read by every browser since the 90s
- Best for
- Legacy Windows tools, embedded devices, industrial scanners
AVIF
- Year released
- 2019 (AOMedia)
- Compression
- Lossless + Lossy (AV1-based)
- Transparency
- Yes
- Animation
- Yes
- Browser support
- Modern browsers (~90% since 2023)
- Best for
- Bandwidth-critical pages with modern audiences
Real BMP → AVIF file sizes
We ran a fixed set of sample images through this exact converter so you can see the typical size impact before converting your own files.
| Sample image | BMP size | AVIF size | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photo | 192.1 KB | 17.4 KB | -91% smaller |
| Screenshot / UI | 256.1 KB | 746 B | -100% smaller |
| Logo / transparency | 256.1 KB | 2.2 KB | -99% smaller |
Measured on a 256×256 sample set with this converter on 2026-05-28. Real-world files vary with resolution, colour and content.
Heads up before converting BMP → AVIF
What changes — and what your conversion will cost — based on how BMP and AVIF differ.
Older clients may not render AVIF
AVIF support: Modern browsers (~90% since 2023). Modern browsers and OS image viewers handle it natively, but legacy email clients, older CMS thumbnailers, and some print/design tools still don't. Confirm the downstream consumers in your pipeline accept AVIF before swapping at scale, or ship a BMP fallback for the long tail.
Chroma subsampling kicks in
BMP stores full-resolution colour channels. AVIF's default lossy mode subsamples chroma (typically 4:2:0) — half the colour information thrown away to save bytes. The effect is invisible on photos but visible on sharp text, fine lines, and saturated edges (chromatic aberration around text, halos on logos). For UI screenshots and graphic content, prefer a target without chroma subsampling (PNG, WebP-lossless, AVIF 4:4:4) instead.
Best practices for BMP → AVIF
Concrete settings to pick before you convert BMP to AVIF.
- Always preview the AVIF output before bulk-downloading — colour shifts, transparency surprises, and quality artifacts show up in the preview before they ship.
- Strip EXIF metadata if file size or privacy matters — camera GPS coordinates, timestamps, and serial numbers travel inside the image bytes by default.
- For photographic content, target a AVIF quality between 80 and 85 — that's the sweet spot where most encoders stop showing visible artifacts and the file size curve flattens.
- Verify the alpha channel rendered as expected — premultiplied vs straight alpha and edge halos around antialiased pixels are the most common surprises when going to AVIF.
- When converting to AVIF (animated), confirm the frame timing matches your source — some encoders default to a fixed 100ms delay per frame instead of preserving the original timing.
- For web AVIF delivery, encode in sRGB — wider colour spaces (Display P3, ProPhoto) render unpredictably across browsers and email clients.
When NOT to convert BMP → AVIF
Honest cases where this conversion is the wrong call — pick a different format or keep your BMP source.
Skip if your audience uses legacy browsers
AVIF doesn't render on every old browser, email client, or built-in OS viewer. If your traffic includes IE11, legacy Outlook, or older Android WebViews, stay on BMP (or a universal format like JPEG/PNG) — or ship AVIF alongside a fallback via the HTML <picture> element.
Skip if the file is bound for print
AVIF is a delivery-grade web format. Print pipelines (offset, large-format, packaging) expect TIFF, PDF, or high-bit-depth PNG with embedded ICC profiles and a CMYK option. Converting BMP to AVIF for a print job will likely fail prepress checks — keep the original or convert to a print-friendly format instead.
The importance of a good image conversion
Why getting BMP → AVIF right matters more than you think.
Frequently asked
The basics everyone asks before dropping a file.
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