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HEVC in browsers and GPUs

Whether a browser plays HEVC depends on two things: browser support and a hardware decoder in your graphics chip. Here is how to check both.

Updated 8 sources cited

Key points

  • Safari has played HEVC since 2017; Chrome and Edge since version 107 (2022); Firefox since 134 on Windows (2025) and 137 on Linux and Android.
  • No browser ships a software HEVC decoder: no hardware acceleration, no HEVC.
  • Compatible GPUs: Intel 6th gen, NVIDIA GTX 950/960, AMD RX 400 (or Carrizo APUs), Apple A9/M1 onwards.
  • For 10-bit/HDR: Intel 7th gen, NVIDIA GTX 10 (or GTX 960 for Main 10), AMD RX 400.

Browsers

BrowserSinceRequirements
Safari (macOS, iOS)Safari 11 (2017)macOS High Sierra or later; iOS 11
ChromeChrome 107 (October 2022)GPU with HEVC decoder; on Windows, with or without the HEVC extension
EdgeEdge 107Same as Chrome; earlier versions required the Windows HEVC extension
Opera, Brave, VivaldiChromium 107+ based versionsSame as Chrome
Firefox (Windows)Firefox 134 (January 2025)Uses the Windows decoder (Media Foundation): may need the HEVC extension
Firefox (Linux)Firefox 137 (April 2025)Working VA-API and system FFmpeg with HEVC
Firefox (Android)Firefox 137Phone decoder

According to Can I use, by late 2025 around 92 % of browsers in use could play HEVC in HTML5. Careful websites still provide an H.264 or AV1 fallback.

How to test your browser

The quickest way is to open the developer console (F12) and type:

MediaSource.isTypeSupported('video/mp4; codecs="hvc1.1.6.L93.B0"')
// true = 8-bit Main    · also try "hvc1.2.4.L153.B0" (Main 10, 4K)

In Chrome and Edge, chrome://gpu (or edge://gpu) lists "Decode hevc main" and "hevc main 10" under "Video Acceleration Information" if the GPU accelerates them.

GPUs and processors

Since when hardware decodes HEVC

Intel
  1. 2015 6th gen (Skylake): 8-bit
  2. 2016 7th gen (Kaby Lake): 10-bit
NVIDIA
  1. 2015 GTX 950/960: Main y Main 10
  2. 2016 GTX 10: up to 12-bit
AMD
  1. 2015 Carrizo APUs and R9 Fury: 8-bit
  2. 2016 RX 400 (Polaris): 10-bit
Apple
  1. 2015 A9 chip (iPhone 6s)
  2. 2017 macOS High Sierra on Intel 6th-gen+ Macs
  3. 2020 M1: 8- and 10-bit
Before those dates HEVC can only be decoded in software (slow at 4K). Sources: NVIDIA, Intel, Wikipedia.
Vendor8-bit (Main)10-bit (Main 10, HDR)Encoding
Intel (integrated graphics)6th gen Skylake (2015)7th gen Kaby Lake (2016)Quick Sync since 6th gen
NVIDIA GeForceGTX 950/960 (2015)GTX 960; 12-bit since GTX 10NVENC since GTX 900 (2nd-gen Maxwell)
AMD RadeonCarrizo APUs, R9 Fury (2015)RX 400 Polaris (2016)VCE/AMF since RX 400
AppleIntel 6th-gen Macs + macOS 10.13Intel 7th-gen Macs; all Apple siliconVideoToolbox
Qualcomm / ARMSnapdragon 805/810 onwardsSnapdragon 820 onwardsMost current chips

The GTX 970 and 980 catch

Early Maxwell cards (GTX 750, 970 and 980) encode HEVC with NVENC but only decode it partially, with CPU help. Smooth 4K HEVC playback needs a GTX 950/960 or newer. Check NVIDIA's official matrix for your model.

How to check your GPU

  1. WindowsTask Manager › Performance › GPU shows the model. Play an HEVC video: if the "Video Decode" graph rises, acceleration works.
  2. macOSApple menu › About This Mac. With Apple silicon or an Intel Mac from 2016 on, you have hardware HEVC.
  3. Linuxvainfo | grep -i hevc should list VAProfileHEVCMain with VAEntrypointVLD. Details in HEVC on Linux.

Frequently asked questions

Does Chrome play HEVC?

Yes, since version 107 (October 2022), as long as the graphics chip has an HEVC decoder. Chrome ships no software decoder for HEVC.

Does Firefox play HEVC?

On Windows since Firefox 134 (January 2025) through the system decoder; on Linux since 137 with VA-API; on Android since 137. It needs hardware acceleration.

Keep reading

Sources

  1. Chrome Platform Status: HEVC hardware decoding (Chrome 107)
  2. Mozilla. Firefox 134 release notes (HEVC en Windows)
  3. Phoronix. Firefox 137 To Support HEVC/H.265 Video Playback On Linux With VA-API
  4. Mozilla Support. Audio and video files in Firefox
  5. Can I use: HEVC/H.265 video format
  6. NVIDIA. Video Encode and Decode GPU Support Matrix
  7. Intel. Media capabilities supported by Intel hardware
  8. Wikipedia. High Efficiency Video Coding (historia, adopción y soporte)