How to Convert AVIF to PNG Using avifdec

This article provides a straightforward guide on how to convert AVIF images to PNG format using the avifdec command-line utility from the libavif library. It covers the essential installation steps, the basic conversion command, and advanced options for managing color depth and performance.

What is avifdec?

avifdec is a command-line companion tool included with libavif, the open-source library for encoding and decoding AVIF (AV1 Image File Format) files. It allows you to quickly decode AVIF images and save them into widely compatible formats like PNG or JPEG.

Installing libavif

Before using avifdec, you need to install the package containing the libavif binaries on your system.

• macOS (via Homebrew):

  brew install libavif

• Ubuntu/Debian:

  sudo apt update
  sudo apt install libavif-bin

• Fedora:

  sudo dnf install libavif-tools

Basic Conversion Command

Once installed, converting an AVIF file to a PNG is highly straightforward. Use the following command syntax in your terminal:

avifdec input.avif output.png

Replace input.avif with the path to your source AVIF file and output.png with your desired destination file name. The utility automatically detects the .png extension and outputs the image in PNG format.

Advanced avifdec Options

You can customize the decoding process using several command-line flags:

Adjusting Bit Depth

By default, avifdec outputs the image at its native depth. You can manually set the output bit depth (e.g., 8 or 16 bits per channel) using the -d or --depth flag:

avifdec --depth 8 input.avif output.png

Multi-threaded Decoding

To speed up the conversion process, especially for large images, you can specify the number of CPU threads to use with the -j or --jobs flag:

avifdec --jobs 4 input.avif output.png

Ignoring Color Profiles

If you want to ignore the embedded ICC profile during the decoding process, use the --ignore-icc flag:

avifdec --ignore-icc input.avif output.png