Video MIME Types for Web Streaming

Video MIME Types for the Web

Choosing the right video MIME type affects playback compatibility, streaming performance, and content delivery. Here are the most important types.

Core Browser Formats

MIME Type	Extension	Codec	Browser Support
video/mp4	.mp4	H.264/H.265	Universal
video/webm	.webm	VP8/VP9/AV1	Chrome, Firefox, Edge
video/ogg	.ogv	Theora	Firefox, Chrome

HTML5 Video with Fallbacks

<video controls>
  <source src="video.webm" type="video/webm; codecs=vp9,opus" />
  <source src="video.mp4" type="video/mp4" />
  Your browser does not support HTML5 video.
</video>

The codecs parameter helps browsers skip formats they cannot decode without downloading the file first.

Adaptive Streaming

Modern video platforms use adaptive bitrate streaming rather than serving a single file:

Technology	MIME Type	Extension
HLS	application/vnd.apple.mpegurl	.m3u8
DASH	application/dash+xml	.mpd
MPEG-TS segments	video/mp2t	.ts

Server Configuration

Ensure your server sends the correct MIME type. Incorrect types cause playback failures:

# Nginx
types {
    video/mp4  mp4;
    video/webm webm;
    video/ogg  ogv;
    application/vnd.apple.mpegurl m3u8;
    video/mp2t ts;
}

AV1 — The Future

video/av1 offers the best compression available. Browser support is growing rapidly, and YouTube and Netflix already use AV1 for select content.