Video compatibility by camera
This tool doesn't decode video itself. If the browser can read a file you get a preview; if it can't, you don't. So what's supported comes down to what that browser on that computer can play.
Even with no preview, assigning names and organizing folders work normally. Moving a file has nothing to do with decoding it. You just have to go by file name instead of thumbnails.
By codec — H.264, HEVC, AV1, ProRes
| Codec | Works | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| H.264 (avc1) | Yes | The common one. Hardware accelerated up to 4K |
| HEVC / H.265 8-bit | Yes | What iPhones shoot by default. Windows needs an extension installed |
| HEVC / H.265 10-bit | Yes | DJI D-Log, HLG, iPhone Dolby Vision |
| AV1 | Yes | |
| Apple ProRes | No | Chrome can't read it on either Windows or macOS |
| Insta360 INSV | No | A proprietary format — no browser reads it |
HEVC depends on the machine. The table above was measured on a Windows PC with the HEVC extension installed and a GPU that decodes it in hardware. On a PC without the extension, HEVC clips may show no preview. There's a way to check further down.
By camera — iPhone, DJI, GoPro, Insta360
iPhone (.MOV)
Opens fine. The reason iPhone footage refuses to play in the stock Windows player is HEVC, and Chrome handles it without trouble once the extension is there.
The .MOV extension isn't a problem either — Chrome goes by what's inside the file,
not the extension or MIME type. .mov, .mkv and .avi were all
verified by hand.
One exception: .MOV files shot in ProRes will not open. That's iPhone 13 Pro
and later with ProRes turned on. Ordinary recording is HEVC and works.
DJI drones and Osmo
Open fine — H.264, H.265, and 10-bit D-Log are all covered by the table above.
The .LRF (low-res proxy) and .SRT (flight log) files DJI writes alongside
are dropped from the list automatically, so you can ignore them.
GoPro
H.264 / H.265 MP4, so no trouble. The .LRV and .THM sidecar files are
excluded automatically.
Insta360
.INSV is not supported. It's Insta360's own format and browsers can't read it.
Export to MP4 from Insta360 Studio first.
Video file extensions that get picked up
Only these are read from the folder you choose. Everything else is ignored, so photos or logs mixed in are harmless.
mp4 mov m4v avi mkv webm
mts m2ts wmv flv 3gp mpg
mpeg ts
.LRV and .THM are filtered out separately even though their extensions
would otherwise match — they're sidecar files.
Using it on macOS
Macs have it easier than Windows. Chrome decodes HEVC in hardware through macOS VideoToolbox, so no codec install is needed at all. That covers Apple Silicon Macs, Intel Macs with the T2 chip, and Intel Macs from 2015 onward. iPhone footage sorted on a Mac is the smoothest combination there is.
Your Photos Library can't be chosen as a folder. It's a package, and the browser can't open it. Export to a normal folder in Finder first.
Picking your Desktop, Documents or Downloads folder may make macOS ask whether Chrome can access it. Allow it.
Checking whether your PC reads HEVC
Type chrome://gpu into Chrome's address bar and look at
Video Acceleration Information. If HEVC decoding is listed, you're supported.
On a Windows PC that isn't, installing HEVC Video Extensions from the Microsoft Store fixes it.
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