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Edge is forcing me to save GIF/JPG/PNG as WEBP and AVIF (continued)

HRL 25 Reputation points
2025-09-03T14:56:39.2966667+00:00

Regarding the closed topic:

“Edge is forcing me to save GIF/JPG/PNG as WEBP and AVIF, I would like to disable that and just save the images in their PROPER format.”

by

Anonymous, Apr 27, 2024, 9:18 AM

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/2391359/edge-is-forcing-me-to-save-gif-jpg-png-as-webp-and

the following:

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The person reporting this might not be overly friendly but certainly has a point. More than a year later, I have experienced comparable problems for a while.

I have numerous examples of websites where the original image is in .jpg format (as can be determined by using Inspect to see the original HTML code) but when downloading the image with Microsoft Edge, the only option available is to save it as .WEBP or, more recently .AVIF.
And unfortunately, there is no option in the dialog window to change the image format. 

Furthermore, it is rather unclear to me when this happens. I might be able to save a few images of a list in the original .JPG format, but then randomly at a certain point Edge seems to decide it is time to switch to .WEBP or .AVIF and back again for the next image, and so forth. To be honest, I have to add FireFox and Chrome display the same behavior, but not always on the same images.

Now, in contrast to my predecessor, I am not adamant about using .JPG as an image format, but the real problem arises from the fact that I am still using Windows 10. And while W10 does recognize .WEBP, it can not deal with .AVIF format. The W10 File Explorer will not display the thumbnails and the W10 Photos app is not able to open them. Even W10 Paint is not able to open .AVIF files, so the only thing I can resort to, is the use of shady third party tools on the internet to convert them back to .JPG or . WEBP. But using these tools takes considerate time and they are not always free, even if they claim to be so.

The real frustration comes from the fact that I am feeling pressured into using an image format that I have not chosen for and from being put under pressure to upgrade to W11 which I will do in the future when I am ready for that, but not for now.

Why not add an option in the Save Image dialog Window of MS Edge that enables users to save an image as a .JPG or . WEBP file? I am sure this is just a minor issue for MS but prevents a lot of frustration for the remaining W10 and current W11 users.

Microsoft Edge | Microsoft Edge development
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Answer accepted by question author

Jay Pham (WICLOUD CORPORATION) 3,780 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
2025-09-04T03:46:00.1933333+00:00

Hi @HRL,

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Edge Q&A. I understand your frustration with images saving as WebP or AVIF instead of JPG/PNG/GIF due to web optimization. This can be particularly problematic on Windows 10, where AVIF support is limited (no thumbnails, Photos/Paint can’t open these files).

Why This Happens

The issue comes from modern web optimization, not Edge itself:

  1. Content Negotiation: Edge sends an HTTP "Accept" header (e.g., image/webp,image/avif,/) signaling support for WebP and AVIF, which are ~25-50% smaller than JPG for faster loading. Servers send these formats even if HTML shows .jpg. 2, Inconsistent Behavior: Some images save as JPG, others as WebP/AVIF, due to varying server settings or caching.
  2. Windows 10 Limitations: _ WebP: Supported since Windows 10 version 1809 (thumbnails in File Explorer, opens in Photos/Paint with WebP Image Extensions from Microsoft Store). _ AVIF: Limited support. AV1 Video Extension (Microsoft Store) enables thumbnails, but Photos/Paint often can’t open complex AVIF files, requiring tools like IrfanView (free).
Here’s a simple way to troubleshoot and resolve it:
  1. Use Edge’s Internet Explorer Mode (No Add-ons) IE Mode doesn’t support WebP/AVIF, so servers deliver JPG/PNG/GIF instead. Steps:
  • Go to Edge Settings > Default browser > Turn on "Allow sites to be reloaded in Internet Explorer mode."
  • On the website, click the three dots > Reload in Internet Explorer mode.
  • Right-click the image > "Save image as..."—it should save as JPG/PNG/GIF.

Additional Solutions:

  • Extension: Install “Save Image as Type” (free, Edge Add-ons) > Right-click > Choose JPG/PNG/GIF.
  • View WebP/AVIF on Windows 10: Install WebP Image Extensions and AV1 Video Extension (free, Microsoft Store) for thumbnails and viewing. Use IrfanView (free) to convert to JPG if needed.

I hope this helps! If you have further questions or encounter issues, please feel free to ask.

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  1. HRL 25 Reputation points
    2025-09-16T11:52:23.1566667+00:00

    Many thanks for the excellent information provided. Let me first comment on the workarounds:

    1. Use Edge’s Internet Explorer Mode (No Add-ons)
      I haven't tried this (BTW the settings were already on in my case) but this suggestion seems to require an extra user action (i.e. manual reload). Still, a good solution as a workaround.
    2. Extension: Install “Save Image as Type”
      I did find this extension, but I did not try it out. It is not made by Microsoft and it is rated 1 out of 5 by users who also comment the extension does not work.
    3. View WebP/AVIF on Windows 10: Install Extensions or use IrfanView.
      I haven't tried installing extensions on W10, but I might if the problem persists (and haven't upgraded to W11 by then). W10 did recognize .AVIF files in the past, but recently there seems to have been some sort of revision of the format that is not.
      I don't know particularly in the case of IrfanView, but many 3rd party tools do claim to be free, but eventually turn out not to be after some usage. Conversion is also cumbersome and it takes time because in most cases the files need to be converted on a 1-to-1 basis. I also object to using 3rd party tools for a problem with its origins in pure Micorosft products.

    In my opinion, the only definitive solutions would be:

    1. Change the behavior in the HTTP "Accept" header sent by MS Edge because this signals an image format that the underlying system does not fully support. So, basically, the header is incorrect in the case of W10.
    2. Add a dialog window of MS Edge, where a user can select the desired file format of the image. The original image file format should always be available. I am not an expert, but if the original image on the server is in .JPG format, but MS Edge saves it as .WEBP/.AVIF, obviously somewhere a conversion is taking place. But I couldn't tell you where this conversion takes place, on the server or the client side. But my feeling says, if the image on the server is in .JPG format, it should be able to download the original .JPG file. I cannot imagine a web server would object to that.
    3. An update to Windows 10 that provides full support to .AVIF files.

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