Most of you may only know that AV1 is a video coding format. Do you understand its compression efficiency and application? Is AV1 better than VP9, HEVC, AVC, or other video codecs? How to download the AV1 codec? When you encounter an AV1 playback issue, how can you resolve that? You are in the right place! I have prepared all the answers to these questions. Just follow me to explore the answers and have a deep understanding of the AV1 codec.
What Is AV1 Codec
AV1 is also called AOMedia Video 1, which is an open and royalty-free video coding format. It was initially released in 2018 serving as a successor to VP9. At the outset of design, the AV1 codec is designed for video transmission over the Internet. With the increasing demand for high-quality video streaming, AV1 has the potential to become one of the most popular video codecs of the future.
What are the main features of AV1? As we know, HEVC is a video codec with good compression efficiency. AV1 can achieve up to 10% better compression than HEVC, which means it can produce smaller file sizes but still maintain good video quality. What’s more, the supported resolutions of AV1 range from SD to 8K. With its open and royalty-free nature, you can use AV1 without licensing fees.
In addition to using AV1 in video streaming services, such as YouTube and Netflix, many web browsers and devices also support AV1 codec. How does AV1 compare with other video codecs? Here are some useful articles for your reference:
- AV1 vs VP9: What Are the Differences and Which Codec Is Better
- Complete Comparison of AV1 vs H264: Which Codec Is Better
- AV1 vs H.265/HEVC: Differences Between the Two Video Codecs
- Learn the Comparison of AV1 vs MP4 and Way to Convert AV1 to MP4
How to Download AV1 Codec on Windows 10/11
To play AV1 videos on Windows computers, you need to download the AV1 codec. How to download AV1 codec on Windows 10/11? You can refer to the following ways.
Option 1. Get AV1 Video Extension from the Microsoft Store
When you encounter an AV1 playback issue, you can try to install an AV1 codec to solve that issue. For Windows 10/11, it is a good choice to install AV1 Video Extension. How to download and install it? Below is how:
1. In the Start search bar, type in “Microsoft Store”, find the right one, and click Open.
2. On the top of the screen, enter “AV1 Video Extension” in the search bar and press Enter to search that.
3. Click the Get button to download it. Then the extension will be installed automatically.
Option 2. Install K-Lite Codec Pack
Besides, the K-Lite Codec Pack is also a good choice. It is a collection of audio and video codecs for Microsoft Windows DirectShow. With the help of the K-Lite Codec Pack, you can play a variety of video and audio formats that are not supported by Windows. Just refer to the below steps:
1. Go to the official website of K-Lite Codec Pack.
2. Generally, the basic edition can meet your needs for decoding AV1 videos. Scroll down and choose the Download Basic option.
3. In the Download section, choose from Server 1, Server 2, and Server 3 according to your needs. Then the installer will be downloaded to your computer, you need to install that manually.
How to Edit/Play/Convert AV1 Video
How can you edit, play, or convert your AV1 videos with ease? Here are 2 useful tools that can help you complete these tasks for processing AV1 videos.
#MiniTool Video Converter
You can’t play and edit AV1 when the platforms or devices don’t support it. To solve that AV1 playback or edit issue, you need to download and install the AV1 codec. Alternatively, you can use an AV1 converter to change unsupported AV1 to supported codecs. A reliable video transcoder is extremely important.
MiniTool Video Converter is an exceptional file converter that supports converting between video and audio files in a wide range of formats. Also, it can change the video and audio encoders, including but not limited to AV1, VP9, VP8, H.264, H.265, Opus, AAC, and Vorbis. With its batch conversion feature, you can convert several files simultaneously. Here’s a simple tutorial.
1. Download, install, and run this free AV1 converter.
MiniTool Video ConverterClick to Download100%Clean & Safe
2. Click Add Files to import the target AV1 video and then click the diagonal arrow in the Target section to open the output format window.
3. Navigate to the Video tab, choose a needed format, and select a preferred preset format from the right panel. Here, I take MP4 HD 1080P as an example.
4. Click the pen icon next to HD 1080P and open the Encoder option in the Video section to change the codec. Meanwhile, you can adjust other parameters. Later, click Create to save the changes and choose the newly created format.
5. Click the Convert button to start transcoding the AV1 video. Once the process is over, go to the Converted tab and click Show in folder to locate and check the converted video.
#MiniTool MovieMaker
How can you edit and play AV1 videos? MiniTool MovieMaker is highly recommended. It is a free video editor that offers various editing features and royalty-free resources to edit videos, audio, and images in most popular formats. You can use it to edit MP4, MKV, and WebM videos encoded with AV1 with ease. Additionally, you can also use it to play AV1 videos.
MiniTool MovieMakerClick to Download100%Clean & Safe
For detailed instructions, you can refer to the following 2 articles:
- Top 5 AV1 Video Editors to Edit AV1 Videos on Windows & Mac
- How to Play AV1 Video Files on Computer & Phone | Best AV1 Player
To Wrap Things Up
AV1 is an open video coding format that has the potential to become one of the most popular video codecs of the future. You can download the AV1 codec from the Microsoft Store or the K-Lite Codec Pack. In addition, this post also shows you how to convert, edit, and play AV1 videos.
About The Author
Position: Columnist
Olivia is always full of enthusiasm for life and loves to record. She often records beautiful and memorable moments of life with her camera and then uses some editing tools to put the photos, videos and audio together. She also has a passion for writing and offers suggestions to readers on images, audio, videos and news. To provide more professional articles and solve problems for readers, she is continuing to learn multimedia as well.