Video Codec Support Checker
Check which video codecs this browser and device can decode: H.264, HEVC (H.265), VP9 and AV1, including Media Source support and hardware acceleration.
| Codec | Profile | File playback | Streaming (MSE) | Smooth | Power efficient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Press “Check codecs”. | |||||
Why codec support matters
A stream can only play if the viewer's device can decode it. H.264 plays almost everywhere, which is why it is still the safe default. HEVC, VP9 and AV1 squeeze the same quality into fewer bits, but support is patchy, so services usually encode several versions and let the player choose. This checker tells you what the current device can handle, so you can decide which renditions to ship. Our guide to H.264 vs H.265 vs AV1 covers the trade-offs.
Understanding the columns
- File playback comes from
canPlayType(). Browsers answer "probably", "maybe" or nothing. - Streaming (MSE) comes from
MediaSource.isTypeSupported(). This is the one that matters for HLS and DASH players on the web. - Smooth and Power efficient come from the Media Capabilities API, tested at a realistic bitrate. Power efficient almost always means a hardware decoder.
Using the result
If AV1 shows as supported but not power efficient, the device decodes it in software. That works on a desktop but can drain a laptop battery and drop frames at 4K. A good rule is to serve AV1 or HEVC only when the device reports hardware support, and fall back to H.264 otherwise. Most modern players let you filter renditions using exactly these API calls.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between "canPlayType" and "Media Source" support?
canPlayType tells you if the browser can play a plain file of that type. Media Source support tells you if an adaptive player such as hls.js or dash.js can feed that codec in segments, which is what streaming needs.
What does "power efficient" mean?
It comes from the Media Capabilities API and usually means the codec is decoded in hardware. Hardware decoding uses less battery and is less likely to drop frames.
Why is HEVC not supported in my browser?
HEVC depends on licences and on your hardware. Safari supports it widely, Chrome and Edge support it when the device has a hardware decoder, and Firefox support is limited.