That spinning circle in the middle of a cricket highlight. The video that drops to a blurry 360p the moment your train enters a tunnel. Almost everyone who watches YouTube on mobile data knows these moments. A new video format called AV2 is meant to make them a little rarer, and YouTube now says it plans to start using it soon.
YouTube says it will begin streaming videos in the AV2 codec on the web “as soon as early 2027.” The plan was shared by Des Keane, an engineering director at YouTube, in an Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia) announcement on October 22, 2026. Google also confirmed it has shown AV2 playback working in Chrome. Its Chrome engineering chief said Netflix and Prime Video are exploring the format too.
Quick Facts
- Who: YouTube, Google Chrome and the Alliance for Open Media (members include Amazon, Apple, Google, Intel, Meta, Netflix and Samsung)
- What: YouTube plans to stream video in the new royalty-free AV2 codec
- When: On the web “as soon as early 2027”, per YouTube; announced October 22, 2026
- Where: Web browsers first; no date yet for phones, TVs or the YouTube app
- Key number: About 30% better compression than AV1, according to AOMedia
What Is the AV2 Codec, in Plain Words?
A codec is the method used to squeeze a video into a smaller file before it travels across the internet, and then unpack it on your screen. Better squeezing means one of two things: the same picture quality using less data, or a sharper picture using the same data.
AV2 is the follow-up to AV1, which arrived in 2018 and is already used widely by YouTube. AOMedia, the industry group behind both, published the final AV2 specification earlier this year. The group says AV2 compresses video about 30% better than AV1. Android Authority puts the expected gain in a range of roughly 25% to 32%.
AV2 is also royalty-free. That matters because the main rival for 4K HDR video, HEVC, needs licensing fees, which can make it costlier for apps and device makers to support.
What YouTube and Google Actually Said
Keane said YouTube is “excited to begin streaming in AV2” and that AV2 streams “will be available for Web as soon as early 2027.” He also shared a figure that shows how far YouTube has pushed the older format: as of March 19, 2026, over 90% of YouTube’s catalogue, weighted by watch time, was available in AV1.
Jim Bankoski, VP of Engineering for Google Chrome, called AV2 playback in Chrome “an exciting early step toward better video on the web.” He said the codec “lays the groundwork for new browser experiences,” pointing to better multi-view video and more efficient video calls.
FlatpanelsHD, which first reported YouTube’s timeline, says the first web launch will rely on software decoding. In simple terms, your computer’s processor will do the unpacking work rather than a dedicated video chip.
Netflix, Prime Video and Meta: Who Else Is on Board?
Bankoski named YouTube, Netflix and Prime Video as partners exploring AV2. That is not the same as a launch date. Netflix, Amazon and Apple have not announced their own AV2 rollout plans, according to FlatpanelsHD and Android Authority.
Meta, which runs Facebook and Instagram, says it is committed to AV2. Hassene Tmar, a technical program manager at Meta, said AV1 is now the most popular delivery format for Facebook and Instagram videos, and the company wants AV2 to repeat that success. Meta did not share a timeline. Intel said AV2 is moving “from specification to implementation.”
Why AV2 Matters for Indian Viewers on Mobile Data
India watches a huge amount of video on phones, much of it on daily data packs. Any format that delivers the same picture with less data could, in time, mean fewer drops in quality on a crowded network and a daily limit that lasts a bit longer.
Think of a long IPL highlights package or a full web series episode. If the stream needs less data for the same sharpness, the player has less reason to cut the resolution when your signal weakens. That is the promise. How much of it shows up on Indian phones depends on when AV2 reaches the YouTube app and mobile chips, and nobody has given a date for that.
What We Don’t Know Yet
- When AV2 will come to the YouTube apps on Android, iPhone and smart TVs.
- When Chrome will switch on AV2 for everyone. Google has shown it working but has not given a public date.
- Which phones and TVs will get hardware AV2 support. FlatpanelsHD says no TVs support AV2 hardware decoding yet, and Android Authority found no devices or media players with AV2 support.
- Whether Netflix, Prime Video or Apple will adopt it, and when.
What This Means for You
For now, nothing changes. You do not need to buy anything or change any setting. A few practical points:
- Keep Chrome updated. When AV2 support arrives, it will come through a normal browser update.
- Don’t pay extra for “AV2-ready” claims yet. With no TVs supporting AV2 hardware decoding today, such labels should be checked carefully.
- Older laptops may work harder. Since the first web rollout uses software decoding, very old machines could feel the strain. YouTube’s player usually picks the best format your device can handle, so you will likely just see the older format instead.
Our Take
This is good, quiet progress rather than a big switch you will notice overnight. AV1 took years to spread from launch to phones and TVs, and AV2 will likely follow a slow path too. But YouTube already serving over 90% of its watch time in AV1 shows it moves fast once the pieces are in place. If Netflix and Prime Video follow, a lot of everyday streaming could get lighter on data over the next few years.
FAQs
When will YouTube start using AV2?
YouTube says AV2 streams will be available on the web “as soon as early 2027.” No date has been given for the mobile or TV apps.
Is AV2 better than AV1?
The Alliance for Open Media says AV2 offers about 30% better compression than AV1, meaning better quality at the same data use or similar quality with less data.
Does my phone support AV2?
Almost certainly not yet. Reports say no TVs support AV2 hardware decoding so far, and no phones with AV2 support have been announced.
Will Netflix and Prime Video use AV2?
Google says both are exploring the format, but neither Netflix nor Amazon has announced a rollout plan.
Will AV2 save mobile data?
That is the aim of better compression. The real saving will depend on when AV2 reaches phone apps and how services choose to use the extra efficiency.
For more on the codec, see the Alliance for Open Media website.
Based on reporting by Android Authority, FlatpanelsHD and the Alliance for Open Media’s October 22 announcement.
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