What is MediaInfo Online and what does it show?

MediaInfo Online is a browser-based version of the MediaInfo tool — the industry-standard open-source library used by VLC, HandBrake, and broadcast professionals to read technical specifications of media files. It shows: Container format (MP4, MKV, MOV…), video codec and profile (H.264, H.265/HEVC, AV1…), resolution, frame rate, bitrate, color space, chroma subsampling, bit depth, HDR metadata (MaxCLL, MaxFALL, color primaries), audio codec, channels, sample rate, language, and all embedded metadata tags.

Do I need to install software to use this MediaInfo tool?

No. This is a fully browser-based MediaInfo implementation using WebAssembly (WASM). There is nothing to download or install. It works in any modern browser on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, or Android.

Does this tool upload my video file to a server?

No. Your file is read into browser memory using the File API and analyzed entirely by the MediaInfo WASM library running inside your browser tab. No video data is transmitted over the network at any point. You can verify this by opening DevTools (F12) → Network tab — you will see no outbound requests carrying your file.

What video and audio formats does this MediaInfo tool support?

Containers: MP4, M4V, MKV, MOV, AVI, WebM, FLV, TS, MTS, M2TS, MXF, WMV, 3GP, OGV, and more. Video codecs: H.264/AVC, H.265/HEVC, AV1, VP8, VP9, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, ProRes, DNxHD, FFV1, Theora. Audio codecs: AAC, MP3, AC3/Dolby, E-AC3, DTS, FLAC, PCM/WAV, Opus, Vorbis, ALAC, WMA. If VLC or FFmpeg can open it, MediaInfo can read it.

Can I analyze a video from a URL without downloading the file?

Yes. Switch to the From Public URL tab and paste a direct media URL. The tool uses HTTP Range requests to read only the container header (typically a few MB) without fetching the full file. The server must support CORS (Access-Control-Allow-Origin: *) and HTTP Range requests. AWS S3, CloudFront, Cloudflare R2, and Bunny CDN all work.

What is the difference between this tool and the MediaInfo desktop app?

The MediaInfo desktop app (from MediaArea.net) is a native application you install on Windows, macOS, or Linux. This online tool runs the same MediaInfo WASM library directly in your browser — no installation required, works on any OS including iOS and Android, and adds URL-based analysis that the desktop app cannot do. The desktop app supports more output formats (Text, Tree, HTML, XML, CSV) while this tool focuses on a structured visual display with a downloadable TXT report.

Why does URL analysis fail with a CORS error?

CORS (Cross-Origin Resource Sharing) is a browser security policy that blocks JavaScript from reading responses from other domains unless the server explicitly sends Access-Control-Allow-Origin: * headers. Servers that work: AWS S3 with public CORS policy, Cloudflare R2, Bunny CDN, Akamai, self-hosted Nginx with CORS configured. Servers that don't work: Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, YouTube, most social media, and servers without CORS headers configured. If URL analysis fails, upload the file directly instead.

Free MediaInfo Online — Check Video Codec, Bitrate & Metadata Instantly

The free, browser-based MediaInfo tool — no software to install, no file upload to any server. Drop any video or audio file (MP4, MKV, MOV, AVI, WebM, FLV, TS, MP3, FLAC, WAV…) or paste a public URL to instantly see codec, profile, level, resolution, frame rate, bitrate, color space, HDR metadata, audio channels, sample rate, and all embedded tags — powered by MediaInfo WASM running entirely in your browser.

No File Upload — 100% Private No Install Required Analyze from URL No Account or Signup Download Full TXT Report

Extract Media Information

Drop your video or audio file here

MP4, MKV, MOV, WebM, AVI, FLV, MP3, FLAC, WAV, M4A, TS & more
File stays in your browser — nothing is uploaded

What Is MediaInfo Online?

MediaInfo is the industry-standard open-source library — used inside VLC, HandBrake, DaVinci Resolve, Adobe Premiere, and by broadcast engineers worldwide — to read the complete technical specification of any media file. MediaInfo Online brings that same engine to your browser as a WebAssembly (WASM) module, so you get professional-grade file analysis with zero installation and zero file upload.

Unlike command-line tools (ffprobe, exiftool) or desktop apps that require installation, this tool runs entirely within your browser tab. Your video or audio file never leaves your device. Simply drop a file or paste a URL and get a full structured report within seconds — on any OS including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android.

A key differentiator over the official MediaInfoOnline: this tool also supports URL-based analysis — analyze any publicly hosted media file without downloading it first. Paste a URL from your CDN (AWS S3, Cloudflare R2, Bunny CDN) and get the full MediaInfo report using HTTP Range requests that fetch only the file header.

Supported Formats & Containers

MediaInfo reads virtually every media container and codec. Below is a reference of the most commonly analyzed formats:

Video Containers

Format	Extension	Use Case
MPEG-4	`.mp4 .m4v`	Universal streaming & web
Matroska	`.mkv .mka`	Open-source container
QuickTime	`.mov`	Apple production
AVI	`.avi`	Legacy Windows
WebM	`.webm`	Open web video
MPEG-TS	`.ts .mts .m2ts`	Broadcast & Blu-ray
Flash Video	`.flv`	Legacy streaming
MXF	`.mxf`	Professional broadcast
OGG / OGV	`.ogv .ogg`	Open codec container

Audio Containers

Format	Extension	Type
MP3	`.mp3`	Lossy
FLAC	`.flac`	Lossless
WAV / PCM	`.wav`	Uncompressed
AAC	`.aac .m4a`	Lossy
Opus	`.opus`	Lossy (modern)
Vorbis	`.ogg`	Lossy
ALAC	`.m4a`	Lossless (Apple)
WMA	`.wma`	Lossy (Windows)

Supported Video & Audio Codecs

Video Codecs

H.264 / AVCMost widely supported codec. MediaInfo shows: Profile (Baseline, Main, High, High10), Level (3.0–5.2), B-frames, CABAC, reference frames, encoding settings.

H.265 / HEVCFor 4K and HDR content. MediaInfo shows: Profile (Main, Main10), Level, Tier, HDR10/HLG metadata, color primaries, transfer characteristics.

AV1Open, royalty-free modern codec. MediaInfo shows: Profile, Level, Tier, bit depth (8/10/12-bit), chroma subsampling.

VP8 / VP9Google’s open-source codecs for WebM. MediaInfo shows: bit depth, color space, profile. Widely used on YouTube.

Apple ProRes & DNxHDProfessional intermediate codecs. MediaInfo shows: variant (ProRes 422 HQ, 4444…; DNxHD 120, 185), bit depth, chroma subsampling.

MPEG-1/2 VideoLegacy broadcast standard (DVD, MPEG-TS, Blu-ray). MediaInfo shows: Profile, Level, aspect ratio, GOP structure.

Audio Codecs

AAC (Advanced Audio Coding)Standard for MP4 and HLS streaming. MediaInfo shows: Profile (LC, HE, HEv2), channels (stereo, 5.1, 7.1), sample rate, bitrate.

MP3 (MPEG Audio Layer III)Most common audio format. MediaInfo shows: bitrate mode (CBR/VBR), quality setting, joint stereo, ID3v1/v2 tags.

Dolby AC-3 / E-AC-3Broadcast and Blu-ray standard. MediaInfo shows: channel count, dialnorm, compression mode, bitstream mode.

DTS & DTS-HDMulti-channel for Blu-ray/cinema. MediaInfo shows: DTS core, DTS-HD Master Audio, channel count, sample rate, bit depth.

FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec)Lossless compression. MediaInfo shows: compression ratio, bit depth (16/24/32-bit), sample rate, Vorbis comment tags.

OpusModern low-latency codec for WebRTC and streaming. MediaInfo shows: application mode (audio/VoIP), frame size, channel mapping.

What Information Is Extracted?

Container / GeneralFormat name & version, duration, file size, overall bitrate, frame count, writing application, writing library, encoded date, tagged date, title, and all custom tags.

Video TrackCodec, profile, level, Codec ID, resolution (W×H), display & pixel aspect ratio, frame rate (and mode: CFR/VFR), video bitrate & mode (CBR/VBR), stream size, bits/pixel/frame, scan type.

Color & HDRColor space, chroma subsampling (4:2:0, 4:2:2, 4:4:4), bit depth (8/10/12-bit), color primaries (BT.709, BT.2020), transfer characteristics (PQ, HLG), MaxCLL, MaxFALL, mastering display luminance.

Audio TrackCodec, profile, Codec ID, channels, channel layout (stereo/5.1/7.1), sample rate, audio bitrate & mode, bit depth (for PCM/FLAC), compression mode, delay, language tag.

Subtitle & Chapter TracksSubtitle format (SRT, ASS, PGS, VobSub, CEA-608/708, DVB), language, default and forced flags. Chapter count & list for MKV/MP4.

All Metadata TagsID3v1/v2 (MP3), Vorbis comments (FLAC/OGG), XMP (MP4/MOV), iTunes tags (M4A/M4V), camera model, GPS location, creator, copyright, and every custom field in the container.

How to Use This MediaInfo Tool

Choose Input Method

Select Upload File for a local file, or From Public URL to analyze a remotely hosted video without downloading it.

Drop File or Paste URL

Drag your file onto the drop zone or click Choose File. Supports MP4, MKV, MOV, WebM, TS, AVI, MP3, FLAC, WAV, AAC, M4A, and many more.

Wait for Analysis

MediaInfo WASM loads once per session (~3 MB) then analyzes in seconds. Local files are read in chunks; URLs use Range requests for the file header only.

Review Track Cards

Color-coded cards for General (container), Video, Audio, and Subtitle tracks. Click Show all properties for every field MediaInfo found.

Download or Copy

Click Copy Report or Download as TXT to save a complete report with every field. Analyze another file without reloading the page.

TextGround MediaInfo vs. Alternatives

How this tool compares to the most commonly used alternatives:

Feature	TextGround (this tool)	MediaInfoOnline (mediaarea.net)	MediaInfo Desktop (installed app)	ffprobe (command-line)
No software install
No file upload to server
Analyze from public URL
Works on mobile (iOS/Android)
Structured visual display
HDR metadata (MaxCLL, MaxFALL)
Download full TXT report

Who Needs a MediaInfo Online Tool?

Developers & EngineersVerify H.264 profile/level before deploying to streaming. Debug player compatibility issues (“why won’t this MP4 play on iOS?”) by checking if the codec profile exceeds device limits.

Video Editors & ColoristsCheck source footage specs (bit depth, chroma, color primaries) before editing in DaVinci Resolve, Premiere, or Final Cut. Confirm HDR metadata is embedded correctly.

Streaming & Broadcast TeamsValidate delivery specs against Netflix, YouTube, or broadcaster IMF/DPP requirements. Check audio layout, codec level, and bitrate mode before submission.

CDN & Infrastructure EngineersInspect HLS segments or MP4 files hosted on S3/CloudFront by URL — without downloading them. Verify encoding params match what the transcoding pipeline was supposed to produce.

Privacy & Security ProfessionalsCheck embedded GPS, camera serial numbers, and creator metadata in video files before publishing — without uploading to any third-party server.

Students & EducatorsLearn video encoding by examining real files. Compare H.264 vs H.265, understand chroma subsampling, or see how a VBR bitrate profile looks in practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is MediaInfo Online and how is it different from the desktop app?

MediaInfo Online runs the same MediaInfo WASM library as the desktop app, but entirely in your browser — no installation required, works on any OS including iOS and Android. The key additional feature of this version is URL-based analysis: paste a direct media URL from your CDN and get the full report via HTTP Range requests, without downloading the file. The desktop app cannot analyze remote URLs directly.

Do I need to install anything to use this tool?

No. Nothing to download or install. The MediaInfo library runs as a WebAssembly (WASM) module in any modern browser on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. The ~3 MB WASM module loads from CDN on first use and is cached by the browser for faster subsequent analyses.

Is my file uploaded to a server?

No. Your file is read into browser memory via the File API and analyzed entirely by the MediaInfo WASM module inside your tab. No bytes are sent over the network. Open DevTools (F12) → Network tab to verify — you will see no outbound requests carrying your media data. This makes the tool safe for confidential, proprietary, or personal content.

How do I check what codec my video is using?

Upload your video. In the Video track card, the Format field shows the codec (e.g., AVC = H.264, HEVC = H.265, AV1, VP9). Format Profile shows Baseline/Main/High/Main10 and Format Level shows the level (e.g., 4.1, 5.0). The Codec ID shows the four-character code in the container (avc1, hev1, av01). This tells you whether the file is compatible with a specific device or platform.

Can I analyze a video from a CDN URL without downloading the file?

Yes. Use the From Public URL tab and paste a direct media URL. The tool reads only the container header via HTTP Range requests — a few MB regardless of total file size. Requirements: (1) Direct URL to the media file, not a web page. (2) Server returns Access-Control-Allow-Origin: * (CORS). (3) Server supports Accept-Ranges: bytes. AWS S3, Cloudflare R2, Bunny CDN, and Akamai all work. Google Drive, Dropbox, and YouTube do not.

What HDR metadata can this tool read?

For HDR10 and HLG content: colour_primaries (BT.2020), transfer_characteristics (PQ/SMPTE ST 2084 for HDR10, HLG for HLG), matrix_coefficients, MasteringDisplay_ColorPrimaries, MasteringDisplay_Luminance (min/max nits), MaxCLL (Maximum Content Light Level), and MaxFALL (Maximum Frame Average Light Level). These appear in the Video track under “Show all properties” and are included in the downloaded TXT report.

What is the difference between MediaInfo and ffprobe?

ffprobe (part of FFmpeg) excels at stream-level analysis, timing, per-packet data, and scripting. MediaInfo is generally better for container-level metadata, human-readable output, HDR/WCG properties (MaxCLL/MaxFALL), broadcast format support (MXF, M2TS, IMF), and ID3/Vorbis/iTunes tag reading. For most day-to-day file inspection tasks either tool works; MediaInfo is preferred in professional media and broadcast workflows.

Why might a video look different from what MediaInfo reports?

MediaInfo reads what is stored in the file’s metadata fields. Discrepancies occur if: (1) The file was encoded with incorrect metadata (e.g., wrong color primaries tagged). (2) The player is applying its own color management. (3) The container metadata says one thing but the bitstream says another (e.g., an SDR file mislabeled as HDR). Compare the MediaInfo colour_primaries and transfer_characteristics against what your player or display expects.

Can this tool analyze audio-only files?

Yes. Upload MP3, FLAC, WAV, AAC (.aac / .m4a), Opus (.opus), Vorbis (.ogg), ALAC (.m4a), WMA, or AIFF. The General card shows container, duration, file size, and bitrate. The Audio card shows codec, bitrate mode (CBR/VBR), channels, sample rate, bit depth (for lossless), and all embedded tags: ID3v1/v2 for MP3, Vorbis comments for FLAC, iTunes tags for M4A.

What should I do if the analysis fails?

(1) Unsupported or mislabeled format: rename the file extension to match the actual format and retry. (2) Corrupted file: MediaInfo may fail on truncated or damaged files. (3) URL CORS error: the server doesn’t send CORS headers — upload the file directly instead. (4) Memory limit: very large files (10+ GB) may exceed browser memory on low-RAM devices. (5) WASM load failure: disable ad-blockers or try a different browser if the MediaInfo library fails to load from CDN.