YouTube says it will start streaming video in the new AV2 format on the web as soon as early 2027.
Google has also shown AV2 playing in a test version of Chrome, according to an announcement from the Alliance for Open Media on 22 October.
The short version for your PC: you don't need to buy or install anything, and you shouldn't.
What AV2 Is, in Plain Terms
AV2 is the next version of AV1, the free video format YouTube and Netflix already use.
It comes from the same group of companies, including Google, Netflix, Amazon, Apple and Meta.
Its big promise is smaller files. AV2 needs about 30% less data than AV1 for the same picture quality, which means sharper video on a slow connection, or the same quality using less mobile data.
Like AV1, it's royalty-free, so companies don't pay a licence fee to use it. We covered how it was finished in our explainer on AV2.
Who Has Said What
- YouTube. AV2 streams on the web as soon as early 2027 - and over 90% of what people watch on YouTube is already available in AV1.
- Google Chrome. AV2 has been shown playing in a Chrome demo, with no public version yet.
- Netflix and Prime Video. Both are exploring AV2, with no launch dates.
- Meta and Intel. Meta, whose Facebook and Instagram videos mostly use AV1, says it will back AV2 too, and Intel is working on an AV2 encoder.
Will Your PC Play AV2?
Probably yes, but not in the way it plays AV1 today. No graphics card or laptop chip on sale has an AV2 decoder built in yet - that part takes a few years.
So the first AV2 videos will most likely be decoded by your processor instead. AV2 has already been shown playing smoothly that way on ordinary laptops, but software decoding works the processor harder and uses more battery.
It's the same trade-off AV1 went through. Our guide does AV1 drain your battery explains it, and the same check will apply to AV2.
Nothing breaks if your PC can't keep up.
YouTube picks the format your device handles best. If AV2 is too heavy, you'll get AV1, VP9 or H.264 instead, just as you do today.
What to Do Now
- Keep your browser updated. AV2 will arrive in Google Chrome through a normal update, so there's nothing extra to switch on.
- Sort out AV1 first. If AV1 videos won't play in Windows apps such as Photos or Movies and TV, the free AV1 Video Extension fixes it.
- Play downloaded files in a player with its own decoders. VLC media player handles AV1 by itself, and VLC 4.0 has already been shown playing AV2.
There's no AV2 codec to download yet.
If a website offers you an "AV2 codec pack" for Windows, it isn't what it claims to be. Don't install it.
Quick questions
When will YouTube use AV2?
YouTube says AV2 streams will reach the web as soon as early 2027. It hasn't given dates for its phone or TV apps.
Does Chrome support AV2 now?
Not in any version you can download. Google has shown AV2 playing in Chrome as a demo, and support should arrive later through a normal update.
Is AV2 better than AV1?
It needs about 30% less data for the same picture quality. The catch is that almost nothing can play it yet, while AV1 already works on most recent devices.
Do I need a new graphics card for AV2?
No. No graphics card has AV2 hardware decoding yet, so buying one for AV2 makes no sense today. Your processor should be able to handle the first AV2 videos.
Will Netflix use AV2?
Netflix is exploring it, along with Prime Video, but neither has announced a date. Both already use AV1 on devices that support it.
AV2 will make streaming video smaller, but for now it's a 2027 story - keep your browser updated and let YouTube pick the format.
Make sure you're on the latest Google Chrome, or tell us whether AV1 plays smoothly on your PC.
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