Choose video and audio codecs for your workflow

A codec encodes or decodes a media stream. A container, such as MP4, MOV, WebM or MKV, packages streams and metadata. A filename extension alone does not tell you which codecs are inside.

Video codecs

• H.264/AVC: a common delivery choice when the destination accepts it.
• HEVC/H.265 and AV1: options for efficient delivery, subject to device, profile and encoder support.
• VP8 and VP9: used in web video workflows; check the target player.
• Theora: encountered in older open video workflows.
• FFV1: a lossless video codec used for preservation.
• VC-2: used in professional production workflows; suitability depends on the implementation.
• Cinepak: a legacy codec, not a lossless archival recommendation.
• MPEG-4: a family of standards. Distinguish MPEG-4 Part 2 video from H.264/AVC, which is MPEG-4 Part 10.
• GIF: an image/animation format rather than a conventional video codec; it does not carry audio.

Audio codecs and formats

• AAC: commonly used for audio in video delivery.
• Opus: supports speech and music, including real-time use cases.
• MP3: a lossy audio format found in many existing workflows.
• AC-3 (Dolby Digital): used for multichannel delivery; check the required channel layout.
• Vorbis and Speex: codecs often associated with Ogg; Speex focuses on speech. Ogg is a container.
• FLAC: lossless audio compression.
• PCM: uncompressed sample representation. WAV is a container that often carries PCM but can carry other encodings.

Choose a compatible combination

1. Start with the delivery destination’s requirements, including codec, container, profile, resolution, frame rate, bitrate, audio sample rate and channel count.
2. Check input and output options separately for your chosen Picsart API endpoint. This glossary is not an endpoint support matrix.
3. Keep a high-quality master before making a lossy delivery copy. Re-encoding a lossy file can introduce further artifacts.
4. Export a short sample and test it in the actual player or upload destination. A codec name does not guarantee support for every profile, bit depth or resolution.

If the file will not play

Inspect both streams and the container. Renaming an extension does not convert the media. If the streams are already compatible, repackaging may be enough; otherwise use a supported conversion. Check for missing audio, incorrect duration, clipping and synchronization after export.

For browser-specific compatibility, consult the MDN video codec guide and audio codec guide.