How to Embed AVIF Format Images in Word for Modern Web Workflows

You want to use AVIF images in your Word documents because this format offers superior compression and quality for modern web workflows. However, Word does not natively support the AVIF image format, which means inserting an .avif file directly will fail or show a broken image placeholder. This article explains the technical limitations behind AVIF support in Word and provides three reliable methods to embed AVIF images by converting them to compatible formats like PNG or JPEG. You will learn how to use built-in Windows tools, online converters, and Power Automate to prepare AVIF images for seamless insertion into Word.

Why Word Cannot Open AVIF Images Directly

AVIF (AV1 Image File Format) is a modern image format designed for high compression efficiency and support for HDR and wide color gamut. It uses the AV1 codec, which is royalty-free but not yet implemented in Word’s image rendering engine. Word relies on the Windows Imaging Component (WIC) codecs installed on the operating system. As of Windows 10 version 1903 and Windows 11, Microsoft provides an optional AVIF extension via the Microsoft Store, but Word does not use WIC for image insertion; it uses its own internal decoder, which only supports BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, and SVG. Therefore, attempting to drag-and-drop an AVIF file into Word or using Insert > Pictures results in an error message: “Word cannot insert this picture.”

The core problem is a missing image decoder in Word’s pipeline. Even if you install the AVIF extension for Windows, Word’s Insert Picture dialog filters out .avif files entirely. This limitation applies to all desktop versions of Word (Office 2019, Microsoft 365) and Word for the web. To embed AVIF images, you must convert them to a format that Word natively supports.

Prerequisites for Embedding AVIF Images

Before following the methods below, ensure you have:

• The AVIF source file saved on your local drive or accessible via a URL.
• Administrator rights to install software if using a third-party converter (not required for built-in tools).
• Word for Microsoft 365 (desktop) or Word 2021/2019. Word for Mac does not support AVIF either; Mac users can use the Preview app to convert.

Method 1: Convert AVIF to PNG Using Windows Paint

1. Open the AVIF file in Paint
   Right-click the .avif file in File Explorer and select Open with > Paint. If Paint is not listed, select Choose another app and pick Paint from the list.
2. Verify the image displays correctly
   Paint automatically decodes the AVIF file using the Windows Imaging Component. The image should appear at its original dimensions. If Paint shows an error, the file may be corrupted or require a codec update from the Microsoft Store.
3. Save as PNG
   Click File > Save as > PNG picture. Choose a destination folder and enter a filename. The default settings preserve the original resolution and color depth.
4. Insert the converted PNG into Word
   In Word, go to Insert > Pictures > This Device. Select the new .png file and click Insert. The image appears without quality loss because PNG is lossless.

This method works for single images and requires no additional software. The converted PNG file is larger than the original AVIF, but Word handles it efficiently.

Method 2: Batch Convert AVIF to JPEG Using an Online Tool

For multiple AVIF images, use a browser-based converter like CloudConvert or Convertio. These services run entirely in your browser and do not store files permanently.

1. Go to CloudConvert.com
   Open your web browser and navigate to cloudconvert.com/avif-to-jpg. No account is required for files under 1 GB.
2. Upload AVIF files
   Click Select Files and choose one or more .avif files from your computer. You can also drag and drop files into the upload area.
3. Set output format to JPEG
   In the Convert to dropdown, select JPEG. Optionally, adjust the quality slider to 90% to balance file size and fidelity.
4. Start conversion and download
   Click Convert. After processing, click Download All to receive a ZIP archive of JPEG files. Extract the ZIP to a folder.
5. Insert JPEGs into Word
   In Word, press Ctrl+V to paste a copied JPEG, or use Insert > Pictures. The JPEG format is fully supported and renders immediately.

Avoid uploading sensitive or confidential images to any online service. For internal documents, use the Paint method or Power Automate Desktop.

Method 3: Automate Conversion with Power Automate Desktop

If you frequently embed AVIF images into Word documents, automate the conversion using Power Automate Desktop, a free tool included with Windows 11. This method runs locally and does not require an internet connection.

1. Open Power Automate Desktop
   Search for Power Automate Desktop in the Start menu and launch the app. Sign in with your Microsoft account if prompted.
2. Create a new flow
   Click New flow, name it “AVIF to PNG Converter,” and click Create.
3. Add Get file action
   In the action library, expand File and drag Get file into the workspace. Set Folder to the folder containing AVIF files and File filter to avif.
4. Add Convert image action
   Drag Convert image from the Image actions. Set Image to the variable %FileContent% from the previous step. Set Output format to PNG.
5. Add Save image action
   Drag Save image to the workspace. Set Image to %ConvertedImage% and File path to a destination folder plus %FileName%.png.
6. Run the flow
   Click Run. Power Automate Desktop processes each AVIF file and saves a PNG copy in the destination folder.
7. Insert PNG files into Word
   Use Insert > Pictures to add the converted images to your document.

This flow can be triggered manually or scheduled using Windows Task Scheduler for batch processing.

Common Issues When Embedding AVIF Images

Word Shows a Red X or Broken Image Icon After Insertion

This occurs when you attempt to insert an .avif file directly. Word cannot decode the AVIF binary data, so it displays a placeholder. The only fix is to convert the file to PNG or JPEG before inserting. If you see a red X on a converted PNG, the file may be corrupted or the conversion tool failed. Re-convert the image using Paint or a different online service.

Converted Image Appears Blurry or Pixelated

Lossy conversion from AVIF to JPEG reduces quality if the compression level is too high. Always use the maximum quality setting (100%) in the converter, or convert to PNG instead of JPEG. PNG is lossless and preserves all detail from the original AVIF. In Paint, the default Save as PNG uses lossless compression, so no quality loss occurs.

Power Automate Desktop Cannot Find the AVIF File

The Get file action requires the full folder path. If the folder contains subfolders, use Get files in subfolders by setting the Include subfolders option to Yes. Also verify that the file extension is lowercase .avif — the filter is case-sensitive on some systems.

Item	Paint Method	Online Converter	Power Automate Desktop
Software required	Windows Paint (built-in)	Web browser	Power Automate Desktop (free)
Batch processing	No (one image at a time)	Yes (up to 10 files free)	Yes (unlimited)
Output format	PNG	JPEG or PNG	PNG
Image quality	Lossless	Lossy (JPEG) or lossless (PNG)	Lossless
Privacy	Local only	File uploaded to server	Local only
Automation	Manual	Manual	Fully automated

You can now embed AVIF images into Word by converting them to PNG or JPEG using Paint, an online converter, or Power Automate Desktop. For a single image, Paint is the fastest method with no privacy concerns. For recurring tasks, set up the Power Automate Desktop flow to handle conversions automatically. As an advanced tip, consider using the Convert Image action in Power Automate Desktop to also resize images to a target width before insertion, reducing the document file size further.