Netflix has revealed that the AV1 open video codec now accounts for about 30% of all viewing on its platform, and is on course to become its most-used compression format “very soon”.
The update comes in a new Netflix Tech Blog post reviewing the company’s AV1 rollout across devices and regions.
AV1 was first deployed on Android mobile in 2020 using the dav1d software decoder, before expanding to smart TVs and other large screens in late 2021, web browsers in 2022, and Apple hardware starting with the A17 Pro and M3 chips in 2023. Netflix says 88% of large-screen devices submitted for certification between 2021 and 2025 support AV1, with almost all devices since 2023 capable of AV1 playback, typically up to 4K at 60fps.
The streamer reports that AV1 now delivers higher perceived quality while reducing traffic on its Open Connect CDN and partner ISP networks. On average, AV1 streaming sessions achieve VMAF scores 4.3 points higher than AVC and 0.9 points higher than HEVC, while using one-third less bandwidth than both, leading to 45% fewer buffering interruptions. Netflix says the gains apply across its catalogue, from drama series to animation.
Netflix is also using AV1 to underpin new premium features. AV1-based HDR streaming, launched in March 2025 using HDR10+ dynamic metadata, now covers about 85% of its HDR catalogue by viewing hours, with full coverage expected “within the next couple of months”. In July 2025 the company productised AV1 Film Grain Synthesis, stripping grain before encoding and reconstructing it on playback; Netflix claims this can cut bitrate by around two-thirds versus a conventional AV1 encode while delivering better-looking cinematic grain.
So far, AV1 is mainly used for on-demand streaming, but Netflix says it is actively evaluating the codec for live events and cloud gaming, citing potential benefits for mass concurrent audiences and for layered graphics overlays in sports coverage. Looking ahead, the company points to AV2, the next-generation open codec that the Alliance for Open Media plans to finalise by the end of 2025, as the likely next step in its compression roadmap.
