diff --git a/internal/warpc/avif_integration_test.go b/internal/warpc/avif_integration_test.go
index 3b3b4f907..7c0b3e0fa 100644
--- a/internal/warpc/avif_integration_test.go
+++ b/internal/warpc/avif_integration_test.go
@@ -67,6 +67,26 @@ gif:{{ $gif.RelPermalink }}
 		AssertFrameDurations(durations)
 }
 
+// See issue 14987.
+func TestAvifEncodeHintSubsampling(t *testing.T) {
+	files := `
+-- hugo.toml --
+-- assets/logo.png --
+sourcefilename: ../../resources/testdata/gohugoio24.png
+-- layouts/home.html --
+{{ $img := resources.Get "logo.png" }}
+default:{{ ($img.Process "avif photo").RelPermalink }}|
+photo:{{ ($img.Process "avif photo").RelPermalink }}|
+text:{{ ($img.Process "avif text").RelPermalink }}|
+`
+
+	b := hugolib.Test(t, files)
+	b.AssertFileContent("public/index.html",
+		"default:/logo_hu_add3d7dfc55b7f80.avif|",
+		"photo:/logo_hu_add3d7dfc55b7f80.avif|",
+		"text:/logo_hu_b7080fe2a2e2a664.avif|")
+}
+
 // See issue 14985.
 func TestAvifEncodeOutOfMemory(t *testing.T) {
 	files := `
diff --git a/internal/warpc/genavif/avif.c b/internal/warpc/genavif/avif.c
index 3932f7fcb..6096df0f7 100644
--- a/internal/warpc/genavif/avif.c
+++ b/internal/warpc/genavif/avif.c
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ typedef struct
     float quality;        // between 1 and 100.
     char compression[32]; // "lossy" or "lossless"
     int encoderSpeed;     // 1 (slowest, best) to 10 (fastest). 0 means use default.
+    char hint[64];        // drawing, icon, photo, picture, or text. Selects chroma subsampling.
 } InputOptions;
 
 typedef struct
@@ -165,6 +166,12 @@ InputMessage parse_input_message(const char *line)
                 strncpy(msg.data.options.compression, compression_str, sizeof(msg.data.options.compression) - 1);
                 msg.data.options.compression[sizeof(msg.data.options.compression) - 1] = '\0';
             }
+            const char *hint_str = json_object_get_string(options_object, "hint");
+            if (hint_str != NULL)
+            {
+                strncpy(msg.data.options.hint, hint_str, sizeof(msg.data.options.hint) - 1);
+                msg.data.options.hint[sizeof(msg.data.options.hint) - 1] = '\0';
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -260,6 +267,19 @@ static void drain_bytes(FILE *stream, size_t n)
     }
 }
 
+// avifFormatForHint maps a content hint to a chroma subsampling format.
+// Photographic content tolerates 4:2:0, which roughly halves the encoder's
+// memory footprint and the output size. Sharp-edged content (text, icons, line
+// art) keeps full 4:4:4 chroma. See issue 14987.
+static avifPixelFormat avifFormatForHint(const char *hint)
+{
+    if (strcmp(hint, "drawing") == 0 || strcmp(hint, "icon") == 0 || strcmp(hint, "text") == 0)
+    {
+        return AVIF_PIXEL_FORMAT_YUV444;
+    }
+    return AVIF_PIXEL_FORMAT_YUV420; // photo, picture, and the default.
+}
+
 void handle_commands(FILE *stream)
 {
 
@@ -620,8 +640,15 @@ void handle_commands(FILE *stream)
                 goto cleanup;
             }
 
+            // Pick chroma subsampling from the content hint. Lossless keeps 4:4:4,
+            // since subsampling discards chroma and would defeat it.
+            avifPixelFormat yuvFormat = avifFormatForHint(input.data.options.hint);
+            if (strcmp(compression, "lossless") == 0) {
+                yuvFormat = AVIF_PIXEL_FORMAT_YUV444;
+            }
+
             // Create image with the target bit depth for encoding.
-            avifImage *image = avifImageCreate(width, height, depth, AVIF_PIXEL_FORMAT_YUV444);
+            avifImage *image = avifImageCreate(width, height, depth, yuvFormat);
             if (!image) {
                 snprintf(output.header.err, sizeof(output.header.err), "encodeNRGBA: Failed to create avifImage");
                 write_output_message(&output);
diff --git a/internal/warpc/wasm/avif.wasm b/internal/warpc/wasm/avif.wasm
index 9968def00..3d446b320 100755
Binary files a/internal/warpc/wasm/avif.wasm and b/internal/warpc/wasm/avif.wasm differ
diff --git a/resources/images/codec.go b/resources/images/codec.go
index c30c9d6ea..eec1cfcc5 100644
--- a/resources/images/codec.go
+++ b/resources/images/codec.go
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ func (d *Codec) EncodeTo(conf ImageConfig, w io.Writer, img image.Image) error {
 			"compression":  conf.Compression,
 			"quality":      conf.Quality,
 			"encoderSpeed": conf.EncoderSpeed,
+			"hint":         conf.Hint,
 		}
 		return d.avif.Encode(w, img, opts)
 	case WEBP:
diff --git a/resources/images/config.go b/resources/images/config.go
index 4a7cc9fbe..f56c40930 100644
--- a/resources/images/config.go
+++ b/resources/images/config.go
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ var compressionMethods = map[string]bool{
 	"lossless": true,
 }
 
-// These encoding hints are currently only relevant for Webp.
+// These encoding hints are used by Webp (preset) and Avif (chroma subsampling).
 var hints = map[string]bool{
 	"picture": true,
 	"photo":   true,
@@ -429,7 +429,7 @@ type ImageConfig struct {
 	BgColor color.Color
 
 	// Hint about what type of picture this is. Used to optimize encoding
-	// when target is set to webp.
+	// when target is webp (preset) or avif (chroma subsampling).
 	Hint string
 
 	Compression string
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ type ImagingConfig struct {
 	ResampleFilter string
 
 	// Hint about what type of image this is.
-	// Currently only used when encoding to Webp.
+	// Used when encoding to Webp (preset) and Avif (chroma subsampling).
 	// Default is "photo".
 	// Valid values are "picture", "photo", "drawing", "icon", or "text".
 	// Moved to WebpConfig in v0.155.0, but kept here for backwards compatibility.
diff --git a/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/avif-q79.avif b/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/avif-q79.avif
index 83b24d1d2..9c22243d0 100644
Binary files a/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/avif-q79.avif and b/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/avif-q79.avif differ
diff --git a/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/avif-q80.avif b/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/avif-q80.avif
index a996ecbd9..6a3f36a46 100644
Binary files a/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/avif-q80.avif and b/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/avif-q80.avif differ
diff --git a/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/avif.avif b/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/avif.avif
index db3656528..aae9aeb36 100644
Binary files a/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/avif.avif and b/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/avif.avif differ
diff --git a/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/crop-300x300-smart-avif.avif b/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/crop-300x300-smart-avif.avif
index 66e75b055..38e35dd6b 100644
Binary files a/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/crop-300x300-smart-avif.avif and b/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/crop-300x300-smart-avif.avif differ
diff --git a/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/crop-300x300-smart-ff9999-avif.avif b/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/crop-300x300-smart-ff9999-avif.avif
index 2f0afd70c..2e8adcf0a 100644
Binary files a/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/crop-300x300-smart-ff9999-avif.avif and b/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/crop-300x300-smart-ff9999-avif.avif differ
diff --git a/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/q50.avif b/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/q50.avif
index af2faeef3..f63b929e1 100644
Binary files a/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/q50.avif and b/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/q50.avif differ
diff --git a/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/r1.avif b/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/r1.avif
index 660e91d79..21612e572 100644
Binary files a/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/r1.avif and b/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/r1.avif differ
diff --git a/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/r2.avif b/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/r2.avif
index d4c46f2fd..5b476bc8e 100644
Binary files a/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/r2.avif and b/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avif/r2.avif differ
diff --git a/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avifstraws/resize-900x.avif b/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avifstraws/resize-900x.avif
index a728de049..2adca4dc9 100644
Binary files a/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avifstraws/resize-900x.avif and b/resources/images/testdata/images_golden/process/avifstraws/resize-900x.avif differ