Mozilla implements experimental AVIF image support in Firefox Nightly

[harlan4096]

Mozilla implemented experimental support for the AVIF image format in Firefox Nightly recently. The feature is not enabled by default in the cutting-edge development version of the web browser but users interested in adding support at the time of writing may do so.

Firefox will render AVIF image files just like any other image format supported by the web browser when it is enabled.

AVIF, also known as AV1 Image File Format, is based on AV1 and uses HEIF as the container and AV1 frames. It is an upcoming format. Many web browsers support the AV1 video format already and work has begun to integrate the image format AVIF as well.

Firefox Nightly users, the browser is currently at version 77.0a1, may enable support for AVIF in the browser provided that they have installed the latest update.
Here is how support for AVIF is added to Firefox:

1. Load about:config in the web browser's address bar.
   
2. Confirm that you will be careful if the warning page is displayed.
   
3. Search for image.avif.enabled.
   
4. Set the preference to True.
   

A value of True means that Firefox supports AVIF, a value of False that the image format is not supported by the browser. Note that support is considered experimental by Mozilla at the time of writing. Some features of the image format, e.g. support for derived image items, grid support, are not supported yet by the implementation. Mozilla notes that most AVIF files should render successfully, however.

Google plans to integrate AV1 image format support to Chromium (and therefore Google Chrome) as well.

Microsoft published a Store application back in December 2018 that users of the company's Windows 10 operating system could install to add AV1 support to the system. Microsoft extended support in Windows 10 version 1903 by integrating AVIF format support in the operating system. Integration meant that programs such as Microsoft Paint support the format.
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