BMP vs AVIF
How do BMP and AVIFcompare? Here's everything you need to know to choose the right format — and how to convert between them.
.bmp
Full guide →Bitmap Image File
BMP is an uncompressed raster image format native to Windows. While it produces very large files, BMP preserves every pixel with zero quality loss, making it useful for raw image data and legacy applications.
.avif
Full guide →AV1 Image File Format
AVIF is a next-generation image format based on the AV1 video codec. It offers the best compression ratios available today — significantly better than WebP and JPG — while being royalty-free and open source.
| Specification | BMP | AVIF |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Bitmap Image File | AV1 Image File Format |
| Extension | .bmp | .avif |
| MIME type | image/bmp | image/avif |
| Category | Image | Image |
| Developer | Microsoft | Alliance for Open Media |
| Year introduced | 1986 | 2019 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossy |
BMP advantages
- Zero quality loss — completely uncompressed
- Simple format, easy to read and write
- Native Windows support
- No compression artifacts
BMP limitations
- Very large file sizes
- No transparency support in most versions
- Not suitable for web use
- Outdated format for most modern applications
AVIF advantages
- Best-in-class compression efficiency
- Royalty-free and open source
- Supports HDR, wide color gamut, and transparency
- Both lossy and lossless modes
AVIF limitations
- Slow encoding speed
- Growing but incomplete browser support
- Limited editing software support
- Relatively new format
Which should you use?
Choose BMP when you need lossless quality, transparency, or sharp graphics. Choose AVIF when file size matters more than pixel-perfect quality — like photos for the web.
Best uses for BMP
Best uses for AVIF
Convert between BMP and AVIF
Need to switch formats? Convert for free with SquishConvert.