Video metadata viewer codec, fps, color and variable frame rate.
To see a video's metadata, choose the MP4, MOV, WebM or MKV file. We show the codec, profile, resolution, fps, bitrate, color (SDR, HDR10 or HLG) and audio, and we time every frame to tell you whether the frame rate is constant or variable. Copy everything as plain text or JSON.
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How to check a video's metadata
- 01
Choose the video
Drag the MP4, MOV, M4V, WebM or MKV file onto the area above or pick it from your computer or phone. There is no fixed size limit.
- 02
Wait for the frame timing
Container details appear right away. Then we read the timestamp of every frame, with a percentage on screen, to measure the real fps and tell whether the rate is constant.
- 03
Read or copy the result
Check the file, video, frames, color, audio and metadata groups. Copy it all as text to send to someone, or as JSON to paste into a spreadsheet or a script.
How to tell if a video has a variable frame rate (VFR)
A variable frame rate means the frames do not all last the same time. In a constant 30 fps video, every frame lasts 33.3 ms from start to finish. In a VFR video one frame lasts 33 ms, the next 41 ms, another 28 ms. The average may still come out at 30 fps, but the rhythm keeps changing.
The fps number in a file's properties is not always reliable. MP4 and MOV do not store a fixed frame rate: they store the time of each frame, and many programs show an estimate or a header value. So we do not trust that number. We read the timestamp of every frame in the file and measure the gap between each frame and the next.
The result is one of three kinds. Constant: every gap is the same, within the file's timing precision. Constant with dropped frames: the rhythm is fixed, but some gaps are worth two or more frames, a sign the recording skipped frames. Variable: the gaps really change. You also get the minimum, average and maximum frame duration in milliseconds, the largest deviation from the average and the share of off-rhythm frames.
- Phones, iPhone and Android alike, record VFR: the camera adapts its pace to light and processing load.
- Screen recorders often capture only when the picture changes, which produces VFR.
- Video call recordings saved to a computer are often VFR too.
- Dedicated cameras and camcorders almost always record at a constant rate.
Why variable frame rate video drifts out of sync when editing
Video editors work on a fixed grid: the sequence runs at, say, 30 frames per second and each frame takes one slot. When a clip is VFR, the editor has to fit frames of different lengths into that grid. In short videos hardly anyone notices. In long recordings, like a church service, a lecture or a podcast, the audio can slowly drift out of sync, the picture can stutter and a cut can land one frame before or after the point you marked.
There are two ways out. The safest is to convert the video to a constant frame rate before editing, using a converter with a constant fps option. The other is to set your sequence to the average fps we show here, which reduces the problem in mildly variable videos. Our tools that copy without re-encoding, such as the video cutter, mute video and the MP4 converter when it can copy, keep each frame's original time, so sync stays exactly as recorded.
Codec, profile and bit depth: what each one changes
The codec is how the picture is compressed. The profile says which codec features the file uses, and the level caps resolution and bitrate. Bit depth is how many shades each channel has: 8 bits give 256, 10 bits give 1,024, which avoids banding in skies and is required for HDR. These three details explain most videos that refuse to open or stutter in an editor.
| Codec and profile | Bits | Where it usually plays |
|---|---|---|
| H.264 High | 8 | Virtually every phone, computer, TV and editor |
| HEVC (H.265) Main | 8 | iPhone, Mac and most Android phones; Windows may need the HEVC extension |
| HEVC Main 10 | 10 | HDR video from iPhone and cameras; needs hardware decoding and is heavier to edit |
| VP9 | 8 or 10 | Screen and web recordings; few editors accept it |
| AV1 | 8 or 10 | Smaller files, but only recent devices decode it |
How to tell if a video is HDR, HDR10 or HLG
HDR is tagged in three color fields: the primaries (the color space), the transfer (the brightness curve) and the matrix. We show all three plus a classification. A PQ transfer with BT.2020 is HDR10, common in cameras, streaming and TVs. An HLG transfer is the HDR used by iPhone and many cameras. iPhone HDR is Dolby Vision with an HLG base layer, which is why it shows up here as HLG. BT.709 is SDR, regular video. BT.2020 or P3 primaries without an HDR curve mean wide-gamut SDR.
When no field is tagged, the video is almost always SDR and every player assumes BT.709. Good to know before you upload: in FilmScribe, HDR videos sent for transcription and clips come out converted to SDR.
| Classification | Transfer | Primaries |
|---|---|---|
| SDR | BT.709 | BT.709 |
| HDR10 | PQ | BT.2020 |
| HLG HDR | HLG | BT.2020 |
| Wide-gamut SDR | BT.709 or sRGB | BT.2020 or P3 |
More than reading a video's data. Its content, transcribed and clipped.
Frequently asked questions
How do I see a video's metadata?
Choose the video on this page. We show the container, size, duration, bitrate, codec with profile and level, resolution, aspect ratio, rotation, fps, color and audio, plus the creation date and device when the file stores them. It is free, with no sign-up.
How do I check a video's fps?
After choosing the video, look at the frames per second field. It is measured from the time of every frame, not taken from the file header, which sometimes holds a rounded or wrong value. For variable frame rate videos, the number is the average over the whole file.
What is a variable frame rate?
It is when the frames of a video do not all last the same time. Phones and screen recorders record this way to save processing. For watching it changes nothing, but in editors the audio can drift out of sync in long videos. The tool tells you whether your video is constant or variable.
How can I tell if a video is HDR?
Check the color group. A PQ transfer with BT.2020 primaries is HDR10; an HLG transfer is HLG HDR, the format iPhone HDR videos show. BT.709 or untagged color means SDR. A 10-bit depth usually comes with HDR.
Why does my vertical phone video show a 90° rotation?
Many phones record the picture sideways and tag the file so it turns on playback. That is why the coded resolution shows 1920 x 1080 and the display resolution 1080 x 1920, with a 90° rotation. Players and social apps honor the tag; some editors and older TVs ignore it.
Can I copy the video information?
Yes. Copy everything as text, handy for a message or a support ticket, or as JSON, with separate fields for a spreadsheet or a script. The values are the same ones shown on screen.
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