Creator media glossary
What is VP9?
Short answer
Google's open, royalty-free codec, typically paired with the WebM container, delivering H.264-level quality at roughly 30 - 50% less data.
Key takeaways
- VP9 is Google's open, royalty-free video codec from 2013, usually stored in WebM files.
- It compresses about as well as HEVC and much better than H.264.
- All major browsers play it and YouTube streams much of its catalog in VP9.
- Phone galleries and upload forms often do not, so convert VP9 WebM to H.264 MP4 before posting.
VP9 explained
VP9 is why WebM files are usually smaller than an equivalent-quality MP4 - it's the codec doing the compression, with WebM as the container carrying it. YouTube uses VP9 internally for a large share of its streaming, which is part of why YouTube explicitly supports WebM uploads while most other platforms don't.
VP9 decode support is solid on modern browsers but patchier in dedicated editing software and older hardware than H.264, so it suits web embedding more than it suits a file you plan to keep editing.
History of VP9
VP9 comes from On2 Technologies' VP line of codecs. Google bought On2 in 2010, released VP8 as open source with the WebM format, and finished VP9 in 2013 as an open, royalty-free rival to HEVC. YouTube adopted it quickly and still streams much of its catalog in VP9; its successor is AV1, which grew out of Google's VP10 work.
How VP9 works and its profiles
Like HEVC, VP9 uses large flexible blocks (superblocks up to 64 × 64), more prediction modes and better entropy coding than H.264, giving roughly HEVC-level compression.
| Profile | Color | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Profile 0 | 8-bit, 4:2:0 | Almost all VP9 web video |
| Profile 1 | 8-bit, 4:2:2 and 4:4:4 | Rare; screen content |
| Profile 2 | 10- and 12-bit, 4:2:0 | HDR video (YouTube recommends it for HDR uploads) |
| Profile 3 | 10- and 12-bit, 4:2:2 and 4:4:4 | Rare |
VP9 support by platform
| Platform | Status | Best container |
|---|---|---|
| TikTok | Accepted | WEBM |
| Instagram Reels | Not documented | WEBM |
| Instagram Feed | Not documented | WEBM |
| Instagram Stories | Not documented | WEBM |
| YouTube Shorts | Accepted | WEBM |
| YouTube (long-form) | Accepted | WEBM |
| Not documented | WEBM | |
| X (Twitter) | Not documented | WEBM |
| Facebook Reels | Not documented | WEBM |
| Facebook Feed | Not documented | WEBM |
| Not documented | WEBM | |
| Snapchat | Not documented | WEBM |
| Snapchat Spotlight | Not documented | MP4 |
| Snapchat Story | Not documented | MP4 |
| Spotify Canvas | Not documented | WEBM |
| Threads | Not documented | WEBM |
From each platform's published upload specs; follow a platform for its full codec matrix and sources.
VP9 hardware support
- Intel: hardware decoding from 6th-gen Core (Skylake, 8-bit, partial) and 7th-gen (Kaby Lake, including 10-bit).
- NVIDIA: GeForce GTX 900 series (later models) and 10 series onwards.
- AMD: Radeon RX 5000 series onwards for full support.
- Phones: most Android chips since around 2015; Apple devices decode VP9 in recent iOS and macOS versions.
- Without hardware support, VP9 plays in software but 4K can use a lot of CPU.
How YouTube uses VP9
When you upload, YouTube transcodes your video into several codecs. Browsers and TVs that support VP9 usually get VP9, which saves bandwidth at the same quality; newer devices may get AV1, and older ones H.264. You can see which one is playing in "Stats for nerds" (right-click the video). This is why uploading VP9 brings no benefit: YouTube recommends H.264 uploads and does its own VP9 encode anyway.
VP9 vs H.264, HEVC and AV1
| VP9 | H.264 | HEVC | AV1 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Released | 2013 | 2003 | 2013 | 2018 |
| Compression | Similar to HEVC | Baseline | About 50% better than H.264 | About 30% better than HEVC |
| Royalties | None | Patent pool | Several pools | None |
| Usual container | WebM | MP4 | MP4, MOV | MP4, WebM |
| Upload support | YouTube (WebM) | Everywhere | Many platforms | Rarely documented |
Advantages and drawbacks of VP9
Advantages
- Royalty-free and open source (libvpx)
- HEVC-class compression
- Supports transparency (alpha) in WebM, used for animated stickers and overlays
- Plays in all major browsers
Drawbacks
- Weak support in phone galleries, editors and upload forms
- Slower to encode than H.264
- Being replaced by AV1 for new streaming work
How to play or convert VP9
- Open the WebM in Chrome, Firefox or Edge, or in VLC.
- To upload to a platform that wants MP4, convert to H.264 with our WebM to MP4 converter, or with FFmpeg:
ffmpeg -i in.webm -c:v libx264 -crf 20 -c:a aac out.mp4 - To make VP9 yourself:
ffmpeg -i in.mp4 -c:v libvpx-vp9 -crf 31 -b:v 0 -c:a libopus out.webm
Free tool:WebM to MP4
Frequently asked questions
What is VP9?
VP9 is the WebM Project's open, royalty-free video codec, released in 2013 as the successor to VP8. It is usually stored in WebM files and is widely used for web playback.
VP9 or H.264?
VP9 compresses better than H.264, so files are smaller at the same quality, but H.264 is supported by far more devices and upload forms. For uploads, H.264 is the safer choice.
Does YouTube accept VP9?
Yes, in WebM: YouTube lists WebM among its supported upload formats. Its recommended upload settings still use H.264 in MP4.
Is VP9 better than H.264?
Yes for compression: files are around a third to a half smaller at the same quality. H.264 is still more compatible, which matters more for uploads.
Can VP9 be in an MP4 file?
It can, and some streaming services do it, but most phones and editors expect VP9 in WebM and H.264 or HEVC in MP4.
Let Koldflux pick the settings
Koldflux chooses the codec, container and bitrate for each platform when it exports.
Free tools that use this
Sources and how we checked
- The WebM Project: VP9 video codec (checked 2026-10-05)
- The WebM Project: About WebM (checked 2026-10-05)
- YouTube Help: Supported YouTube file formats (checked 2026-10-05)
- MDN: Web video codec guide (checked 2026-10-05)
- Can I use: WebM video format (checked 2026-10-06)
Reviewed October 6, 2026 by the Koldflux team. Definitions follow the specifications and platform documentation linked above; platform tables come from the same registry the Koldflux tools use.