diff --git a/resources/images/config.go b/resources/images/config.go
index f56c40930..ccc5e360d 100644
--- a/resources/images/config.go
+++ b/resources/images/config.go
@@ -358,10 +358,6 @@ func DecodeImageConfig(options []string, defaults *config.ConfigNamespace[Imagin
 		c.Filter = defaults.Config.ResampleFilter
 	}
 
-	if c.Hint == "" {
-		c.Hint = defaults.Config.Imaging.Webp.Hint
-	}
-
 	if c.Action != "" && c.Anchor == -1 {
 		c.Anchor = defaults.Config.Anchor
 	}
@@ -371,6 +367,10 @@ func DecodeImageConfig(options []string, defaults *config.ConfigNamespace[Imagin
 		c.TargetFormat = sourceFormat
 	}
 
+	if c.Hint == "" {
+		c.Hint = defaults.Config.Imaging.hintFor(c.TargetFormat)
+	}
+
 	if !qualitySet && c.TargetFormat.RequiresDefaultQuality() {
 		// Apply the per-format (or global) default quality unless the user
 		// explicitly set a quality for this image operation.
@@ -550,6 +550,14 @@ func (cfg *ImagingConfig) qualityFor(f Format) int {
 	return cfg.Quality
 }
 
+// hintFor returns the configured hint for the given target format.
+func (cfg *ImagingConfig) hintFor(f Format) string {
+	if f == AVIF {
+		return cfg.Avif.Hint
+	}
+	return cfg.Webp.Hint
+}
+
 var validMetaSources = map[string]bool{
 	"exif": true,
 	"iptc": true,
@@ -628,6 +636,20 @@ func (cfg *ImagingConfig) init() error {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// AVIF config with backwards compatibility for root-level Hint.
+	cfg.Avif.Hint = strings.ToLower(cfg.Avif.Hint)
+	if cfg.Avif.Hint == "" {
+		// Fall back to root-level hint for backwards compatibility.
+		if cfg.Hint != "" {
+			cfg.Avif.Hint = cfg.Hint
+		} else {
+			cfg.Avif.Hint = defaultHint
+		}
+	}
+	if !hints[cfg.Avif.Hint] {
+		return fmt.Errorf("invalid avif hint %q; must be one of picture, photo, drawing, icon, or text", cfg.Avif.Hint)
+	}
+
 	if cfg.Avif.EncoderSpeed == 0 {
 		cfg.Avif.EncoderSpeed = defaultAvifEncoderSpeed
 	}
@@ -685,6 +707,11 @@ type AvifConfig struct {
 	// Quality setting (1-100). Falls back to the global imaging.quality if unset.
 	Quality int
 
+	// Hint about what type of image this is. Used for chroma subsampling.
+	// Valid values are "picture", "photo", "drawing", "icon", or "text".
+	// Default is "photo".
+	Hint string
+
 	// Encoder quality/speed trade-off, 1 (slowest, best quality / smallest
 	// files) to 10 (fastest). Default is 10 — fast enough for incremental
 	// builds with quality indistinguishable from slower settings at typical
diff --git a/resources/images/config_test.go b/resources/images/config_test.go
index ef53b9208..9206c041d 100644
--- a/resources/images/config_test.go
+++ b/resources/images/config_test.go
@@ -111,6 +111,52 @@ func TestDecodeConfig(t *testing.T) {
 	c.Assert(imagingConfig.Config.Imaging.Avif.EncoderSpeed, qt.Equals, 1)
 }
 
+// See issue 14992.
+func TestImageConfigHintPerFormat(t *testing.T) {
+	c := qt.New(t)
+
+	// Default: both WebP and AVIF hint default to "photo".
+	cfg, err := DecodeConfig(map[string]any{})
+	c.Assert(err, qt.IsNil)
+	c.Assert(cfg.Config.Imaging.Webp.Hint, qt.Equals, "photo")
+	c.Assert(cfg.Config.Imaging.Avif.Hint, qt.Equals, "photo")
+
+	// Per-format hint from config.
+	cfg, err = DecodeConfig(map[string]any{
+		"webp": map[string]any{"hint": "drawing"},
+		"avif": map[string]any{"hint": "icon"},
+	})
+	c.Assert(err, qt.IsNil)
+	c.Assert(cfg.Config.Imaging.Webp.Hint, qt.Equals, "drawing")
+	c.Assert(cfg.Config.Imaging.Avif.Hint, qt.Equals, "icon")
+
+	// Root-level hint applies to both formats for backwards compatibility.
+	cfg, err = DecodeConfig(map[string]any{"hint": "text"})
+	c.Assert(err, qt.IsNil)
+	c.Assert(cfg.Config.Imaging.Webp.Hint, qt.Equals, "text")
+	c.Assert(cfg.Config.Imaging.Avif.Hint, qt.Equals, "text")
+
+	// Invalid AVIF hint is rejected.
+	_, err = DecodeConfig(map[string]any{"avif": map[string]any{"hint": "nope"}})
+	c.Assert(err, qt.ErrorMatches, ".*invalid avif hint.*")
+
+	// Per-image config picks the hint for the target format.
+	cfg, err = DecodeConfig(map[string]any{
+		"webp": map[string]any{"hint": "drawing"},
+		"avif": map[string]any{"hint": "icon"},
+	})
+	c.Assert(err, qt.IsNil)
+	hint := func(f Format, opts ...string) string {
+		conf, err := DecodeImageConfig(append([]string{"resize", "100x"}, opts...), cfg, f)
+		c.Assert(err, qt.IsNil)
+		return conf.Hint
+	}
+	c.Assert(hint(WEBP), qt.Equals, "drawing")
+	c.Assert(hint(AVIF), qt.Equals, "icon")
+	// A per-image hint always wins.
+	c.Assert(hint(AVIF, "photo"), qt.Equals, "photo")
+}
+
 // See issue 14957.
 func TestImageConfigQualityPerFormat(t *testing.T) {
 	c := qt.New(t)
@@ -235,6 +281,7 @@ func newImageConfig(action string, width, height, quality, rotate int, filter, a
 	var c ImageConfig = GetDefaultImageConfig(nil)
 	c.Action = action
 	c.TargetFormat = PNG
+	c.Hint = defaultHint // Resolved per target format in DecodeImageConfig.
 	c.Width = width
 	c.Height = height
 	c.Quality = quality
diff --git a/resources/images/image.go b/resources/images/image.go
index ae40b9b4c..5b1e6bb51 100644
--- a/resources/images/image.go
+++ b/resources/images/image.go
@@ -347,8 +347,8 @@ func GetDefaultImageConfig(defaults *config.ConfigNamespace[ImagingConfig, Imagi
 		defaults = defaultImageConfig
 	}
 	return ImageConfig{
-		Anchor:       -1, // The real values start at 0.
-		Hint:         defaults.Config.Imaging.Webp.Hint,
+		Anchor: -1, // The real values start at 0.
+		// Hint is resolved per target format in DecodeImageConfig.
 		Quality:      defaults.Config.Imaging.Quality,
 		Compression:  defaults.Config.Imaging.Compression,
 		UseSharpYuv:  defaults.Config.Imaging.Webp.UseSharpYuv,