SoftOrbits Video Converter
Convert AV1 to MP4 on Windows: an offline converter, HandBrake steps, an FFmpeg command, online size limits, and why a re-encode to H.264 is needed.
How to re-encode AV1 with one FFmpeg command
ffmpeg -i input -c:v libx264 -crf 23 -c:a aac output.mp4 decodes AV1 and writes H.264 video with AAC audio into a new MP4. CRF 23 is the libx264 default. Lower numbers keep more detail and make the file larger.
ffmpeg -i "clip-av1.mp4" -c:v libx264 -crf 23 -preset medium -c:a aac "clip-h264.mp4"
Check that your FFmpeg build has an AV1 decoder:
ffmpeg -hide_banner -decoders | findstr "dav1d aom"A line with libdav1d or libaom means it does. An empty result means you have an old or stripped build; download a current one.
FFmpeg reads the input and writes a separate output. If the output name already exists, it asks before overwriting unless you added -y. Keep different input and output names to protect the original.
For a smaller HEVC copy in the same MP4 container, replace libx264 with libx265.
Using an AV1 to MP4 converter online: what are the size limits, and where does your video go?
On November 4, 2026, Convertio listed a 1 GB limit per file. XConvert's free tier allowed 400 MB per file and 5 jobs at a time. Every online converter uploads the full video to a remote server before starting. Larger footage takes longer to upload and can exceed the size cap.
Online converters suit short clips on a phone or a borrowed laptop where you cannot install software. Convertio accepts files from phones, cloud drives and desktops. XConvert says it encrypts uploads in transit and deletes files automatically after a few hours. Convertio's AV1 page leaves retention details to policy links in the footer.
A 4K screen recording or an hour of AV1 gameplay can exceed 1 GB, making the upload alone take longer than a desktop encode.
Does converting AV1 to MP4 lose quality or make the file bigger?
Yes, though you can keep the loss small. Re-encoding adds another round of lossy compression. H.264 needs more bits than AV1 for the same picture, so the MP4 usually grows. A lower CRF or RF value preserves more detail and makes the file bigger still.
A 600 MB AV1 recording can grow by a few hundred megabytes as H.264 at matching quality. Check free space before you batch convert large AV1 files. HEVC narrows the gap if every device you use supports it.
Use CRF 18-20 in FFmpeg or RF 18-20 in HandBrake to keep 1080p footage close to the source. Leave resolution unchanged: upscaling adds file size without real detail.
Keep the AV1 original until you have watched the MP4 from start to end. You cannot recover the detail lost during re-encoding from the copy.
Why won't my video play: is AV1 hardware decoding missing?
Your player or device may lack an AV1 decoder, or its CPU may be too slow to decode in software. Hardware AV1 decoding arrived with Intel 11th-gen Core, NVIDIA RTX 30, AMD RX 6000 and Apple M3 chips. Older machines and many TVs refuse the file or stutter.
Editing and player forums report the same symptoms: default Windows apps crash a few seconds into a 10-second clip, or seeking freezes the picture while audio continues. TVs show an unsupported-file message. Editors fail on preview, with logs saying the platform does not support hardware accelerated AV1 decoding.
These processors and GPUs decode AV1 in hardware:
AV1 hardware decoding became common from 2021 onward; Apple first shipped it in 2023. On older hardware, software decoding pushes the CPU near 100% on 4K files and drains a laptop battery in a couple of hours.
Do you need the AV1 Video Extension?:
For built-in Windows apps, yes. The free AV1 Video Extension in the Microsoft Store adds the system-wide decoder used by Films & TV and Media Player. Most guides present it as the whole fix. Yet users with the extension still report crashes and frozen seeking on older GPUs: the extension cannot add hardware decoding.Video editors that refuse AV1:
Editor vendors advise converting failed AV1 imports to a different format and container before importing again. H.264 MP4 works in most editors. For heavy timeline work, MOV or ProRes scrubs more smoothly but produces much larger files.How to play AV1 video without converting it
Open the file in VLC media player. Its bundled dav1d decoder plays AV1 in .mp4, .mkv or .webm without an extension. If your GPU lacks AV1 hardware, smooth playback depends on your CPU.
dav1d is VideoLAN's open-source AV1 decoder. Its developers tuned it for CPUs with AVX2 instructions, which they said covered a bit more than half of desktop processors at the time. You can play 1080p AV1 smoothly in VLC on a recent desktop. Expect high CPU load and heat with 4K footage on a thin laptop.
Convert the file when you need to edit it or play it on another device, such as a TV or a colleague's laptop.
Is AV1 better than H.264 or HEVC?
AV1 needs noticeably fewer bits than H.264 and HEVC for the same picture quality. H.264 has wider playback support on almost every TV and phone in use today. AV1 needs recent hardware or a software decoder.
H.264 suits older TVs and messaging apps. HEVC saves space and works on more existing TVs and phones than AV1, including recent phones and Windows machines with HEVC support. For truly old phones, convert MP4 to 3GP.
Which AV1 conversion method fits your file?
Choose a desktop converter for private or large footage without a command line. Use HandBrake as a free AV1 to MP4 converter for one file and no budget, or FFmpeg for scripts and dozens of files. For small clips on devices where you cannot install software, use an AV1 to MP4 converter online.
| Method | Uploads your file | Size limit | Learning curve | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SoftOrbits Video Converter | No | Your free disk space | Presets | Trial converts 30 s per file, then a license | Large or private files without a command line |
| HandBrake | No | Your free disk space | Medium, several tabs | Free | One file, full control over quality |
| FFmpeg | No | Your free disk space | Command line | Free | Scripts and repeat jobs |
| Convertio | Yes | 1 GB per file (Nov 2026) | Low, runs in a browser | Free tier, paid plans | A small clip from a phone or cloud drive |
| XConvert | Yes | 400 MB per file free, 5 jobs (Nov 2026) | Low | Free tier, paid plans | Small clips with size or bitrate targets |
| VLC | No | None, plays in place | Minimal | Free | Watching on the same computer only |
Can you convert AV1 files on a Mac or a phone?
HandBrake and FFmpeg run on macOS with the settings above. On iOS or Android, use Convertio in a mobile browser.
Recent Macs and iPhones may play AV1 without conversion. Older ones need an H.264 copy, like older Windows PCs.
Sources
SoftOrbits Video Converter
