---
id: pillow-avif-plugin
version: "1.6.0"
license: MIT License
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: active
---

# pillow-avif-plugin — A pillow plugin that adds avif support via libavif

License: permissive · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 2.6M/mo

## What it is and what it does

pillow-avif-plugin extends Pillow by registering AVIF as a supported image format, allowing AVIF files to be opened and saved through Pillow's standard interface. AVIF is a modern image codec offering efficient compression, and this plugin provides access to it until official support is added to Pillow itself.

The plugin works by hooking into Pillow's codec system—a single import activates AVIF support for the application. It is distributed as pre-compiled wheels for common Python versions and platforms, making installation straightforward on Linux, macOS, and Windows.

Use it for:

- Process AVIF images in workflows without waiting for official Pillow support
- Build image pipelines that handle AVIF alongside JPEG, PNG, and other formats
- Serve AVIF files in web applications using Pillow-based image tools
- Convert image libraries to AVIF format for efficient storage and delivery

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

Registers AVIF image format support with Pillow, enabling AVIF file handling through Pillow's standard image interface.

Yes, if you need AVIF support in Pillow now. The plugin is actively maintained, has no known vulnerabilities, uses a permissive MIT license, and sees regular downloads. Install friction is moderate due to compiled wheels, but pre-built binaries cover most platforms. It is a reliable interim solution until official AVIF support arrives.

## Install

pip install pillow-avif-plugin
uv add pillow-avif-plugin
poetry add pillow-avif-plugin

## Installing pillow-avif-plugin

Before you install: Medium install friction due to compiled binary wheels across multiple platforms and Python versions. Active maintenance with a release 23 days ago and modest user adoption.

License in practice: MIT License permits commercial and private use with minimal restrictions, suitable for most projects without licensing concerns.

Quickstart:

pip install pillow-avif-plugin

import pillow_avif

Pillow must be installed separately; the plugin registers as a codec and must be imported before AVIF operations.

Verify before relying:

- Whether libavif is bundled in wheels or requires separate system installation
- Performance characteristics and compatibility with future Pillow versions
- Specific AVIF read/write capabilities and format options supported by the plugin

## Package facts

- License: MIT License (permissive)
- Python support: unspecified
- Install friction: medium
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 2.6M/month (top 5,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

avif image support pillow, pillow avif plugin, avif file format python, image codec plugin, avif image conversion, image-codec, pillow-plugin

[View on SkillFed](https://skillfed.io/packages/pillow-avif-plugin) · [View on PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/pillow-avif-plugin/)