AVIF converter for Mac — convert and compress without uploading
Smol converts images to AVIF and WebP directly on your Mac. Drop in JPEG, PNG, HEIC, TIFF or RAW files, pick your output format, and Smol batch-converts them locally — typically 30–50% smaller than the equivalent JPEG, with no upload, no file size cap and no daily quota.
What AVIF is, and when to use it
AVIF is currently the most efficient widely-supported image format on the web. At equivalent visual quality it is typically 30–50% smaller than JPEG, and it handles both photographic content and flat graphics well — the kind of range that used to require choosing between JPEG and PNG.
Browser support is now broad across Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Edge. For a website where image weight drives your load time, converting your photography to AVIF is one of the largest single wins available. WebP remains a sensible middle ground when you need to support older software, and Smol writes both.
The one place to be careful is compatibility outside the browser. If a file has to open in older desktop software or be handed to a client with unknown tooling, JPEG is still the safer delivery format.
How to convert images to AVIF on a Mac
There is no configuration step and nothing to install alongside it. The encoders ship inside the app.
- Drop your images — or a whole folder — onto the Smol window.
- Set the output format to AVIF (or WebP, JPEG, PNG) in settings.
- Adjust the quality slider, or leave Neural compression to allocate quality per region.
- Compress. Files are written locally; nothing is uploaded at any point.
Neural compression makes AVIF smaller still
AVIF already saves a lot on its own. Smol adds a step before encoding: it builds an importance map of the image, marking faces, text, edges and fine texture as regions to protect, and smooth areas like sky, walls and shadow as regions it can compress much harder.
The encoder then spends its bit budget unevenly and deliberately. The result is a noticeably smaller AVIF than a flat quality setting would produce at the same perceived quality, because the detail that survives is the detail people actually look at.
Input formats, including RAW
Smol reads JPEG, PNG, WebP, HEIC, AVIF, GIF, TIFF and BMP, plus RAW files straight off a camera — CR2, NEF, ARW and DNG. That means you can go from a memory card to web-ready AVIF in a single pass, without exporting through a separate photo editor first.
HEIC deserves a specific mention: it is the default format for iPhone photos and a frequent source of friction. Smol batch-converts HEIC to AVIF, WebP, JPEG or PNG locally, so you are not feeding personal photos through a web converter to get a usable file.
No file size caps and no daily limits
Browser-based converters exist, and for one or two files they are fine. They become a problem at volume: upload time dominates, and the free tiers cap you — TinyPNG at 5 MB per image, iLoveImg at 25 MB, Squoosh at one image at a time.
Smol has no size limit, no daily cap and no monthly quota. Drop a folder of 500 RAW files if that is the job. Because processing is local, the only real constraint is your disk space, and one $29 purchase covers unlimited conversion permanently.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I convert an image to AVIF on a Mac?
- Drop the image into Smol, set the output format to AVIF in settings, and compress. Smol converts locally using bundled encoders — no upload, no account, and no file size limit. You can convert a single image or batch-convert an entire folder in one pass.
- Is AVIF better than WebP?
- Generally yes on file size — AVIF is usually smaller than WebP at equivalent quality, particularly for photographic content. WebP has slightly longer-standing support in older software, so it remains a reasonable choice when compatibility matters more than the last few percent of size. Smol outputs both, so you can compare on your own images.
- Can Smol convert HEIC from my iPhone to AVIF or JPEG?
- Yes. Drop HEIC files or a folder of them into Smol and choose the output format — AVIF, WebP, JPEG or PNG. Conversion happens locally on your Mac, so personal photos are never uploaded to a web converter.
- Does converting to AVIF lose quality?
- AVIF is a lossy format at typical settings, but at equivalent visual quality it produces files 30–50% smaller than JPEG. Smol lets you control the quality slider directly, and Neural compression protects faces, text and edges so that the detail people notice survives the size reduction.
- Can I batch convert a whole folder to AVIF?
- Yes. Drag in a folder of 500 or more files and Smol processes all of them, showing per-file progress and savings. There is no cap on batch size, and you can cancel mid-run or re-optimise individual files afterwards.
- Does Smol need an internet connection to convert?
- No. All encoders are bundled in the app and run on your Mac. Conversion works completely offline, and no file is ever transmitted anywhere.