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Yes. Google Search supports AVIF images, including in Google Images and other Search features that use images. If your site already serves AVIF, Google says you do not need a special indexing step. If you are considering a site-wide conversion, weigh the format against your needs and preserve old image URLs with server-side redirects if filenames or extensions change.
What Google’s AVIF support means
Google announced AVIF support on August 30, 2024. The announcement says AVIF can appear in Google Images and anywhere else Google Search uses images. Google’s indexable file types documentation also lists AVIF alongside BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG, WebP, and SVG.
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AVIF is an open image format based on the AV1 video compression standard. Google Search’s support means Google can process AVIF as an image file; it does not promise that any particular image will be indexed, shown, or ranked prominently.
Do you need to do anything to get AVIF images indexed?
No special AVIF-specific action is required. Google Search Advocate John Mueller wrote, “You don’t need to do anything special to have your AVIF files indexed by Google.” Keep your normal image SEO and crawlability practices in place; the announcement does not establish a separate AVIF setting or submission process.
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Should you convert your website images to AVIF?
Google’s announcement is not a recommendation to convert every image. Google advises site owners to evaluate which format works for their specific needs rather than make sweeping changes blindly. Consider whether AVIF fits your image delivery system and audience, whether its file size and visual quality suit your use case, and what work a migration would create. Google’s announcement provides no benchmark figures for these comparisons.
Google notes that AVIF is supported by major web browsers and gives WordPress, Joomla, and Cloudflare as examples of platforms or services that support it. These examples indicate compatibility; they are not requirements or endorsements.
How to handle URLs if you migrate to AVIF
If a conversion changes image filenames or extensions, old image URLs may stop working unless you account for them. Google advises setting up server-side redirects from the old URLs to the new image locations. Plan URL continuity as part of the migration rather than treating the new file format as an indexing-only change.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsHow Google identifies image file types
Google says it normally determines a file’s type from the HTTP Content-Type header. If that header is missing or incorrect, Google may use the file extension or re-parse the file. Ensure your server sends an appropriate content type for the image files it serves; the documentation does not describe this as a special AVIF-only requirement.
What the announcement does—and does not—establish
Google’s announcement and file-type documentation establish that AVIF is a supported, indexable image format. They do not establish a ranking boost, guaranteed inclusion in Search, or a reason by themselves to change formats. The practical choice remains a site-specific one: use a format your delivery setup and audience can handle, and maintain URL continuity if you change image locations.
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