H.264 vs H.265 vs AV1: which video codec plays where
Newer codecs make smaller files at the same quality — but only help if your device can play them. A plain comparison of the three you'll see most.
2 min read · Updated
A codec is how the picture in a video file is compressed. Three matter today: H.264, which plays nearly everywhere; H.265 (also called HEVC), which is about twice as efficient; and AV1, which is newer still, royalty-free and increasingly used by YouTube. Which one you want depends more on your devices than on quality.
The short version
The codec sits inside a container such as MP4 or WebM — MP4 vs WebM explains that layer. Here's how the three compare:
- H.264 (AVC) — the long-standing standard. Plays on virtually every phone, computer, TV, browser and editing app.
- H.265 (HEVC) — roughly half the file size of H.264 at similar quality. iPhones record in it by default. Playback support is wide on newer devices but patchy elsewhere.
- AV1 — royalty-free, efficient, and used by YouTube and major streaming services. Smooth playback usually needs a recent device with hardware AV1 decoding.
Why newer codecs are smaller
Each generation finds more ways to avoid storing the same information twice — predicting movement between frames more precisely, and describing large flat areas more cheaply. The result is the same visible quality in fewer megabytes, which matters for 4K, for long videos and on mobile data.
The trade-off is effort. Newer codecs take more computing power to decode. On a device without dedicated hardware for that codec, playback falls back to the processor alone, which can mean stutter, heat and battery drain — especially at 4K.
Where H.265 (HEVC) plays
Apple devices have supported HEVC for years; iPhones record in it by default. Most recent Android phones and smart TVs play it. On Windows, HEVC playback in the built-in apps requires Microsoft's HEVC Video Extensions — a small paid download in the Microsoft Store, though many PCs come with it pre-installed. VLC plays HEVC on every platform without extras.
Where AV1 plays
Hardware AV1 decoding arrived relatively recently: on Apple devices it starts with the iPhone 15 Pro and Macs with M3 chips, and it's in many recent Android phones, graphics cards and smart TVs. On Windows, Microsoft's AV1 Video Extension is a free download. Modern Chrome, Firefox and Edge play AV1, and VLC does too.
On older hardware, an AV1 file may play — just not smoothly at high resolutions. If a 4K video stutters on an older laptop, a version in a different codec at the same resolution often plays fine.
Which should you choose when downloading?
Pick for where the file will be used:
- Editing, presentations, older TVs, sharing with anyone — H.264 in MP4.
- Watching on a recent phone or computer, saving space — H.265 or AV1 are fine.
- 4K on an older laptop — whichever version plays without stuttering; try H.264 first.
If a file you already have won't open, why a downloaded video won't play walks through the checks, and converting WebM to MP4 covers re-encoding when there's no other way.