The specifications for AV2, the next-generation codec after AV1, have been announced.

On June 9, 2026, the Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia) announced the specifications for AV2, the next-generation video compression standard. AV2 is being developed under a royalty-free patent policy and aims to meet the global demand for video distribution.

Alliance for Open Media Releases AV2 Codec, Advancing Next-Generation Open Video Coding | Alliance for Open Media
https://aomedia.org/press%20releases/Alliance-for-Open-Media-Releases-AV2-Codec/

AV2 Specification
https://av2.aomedia.org/

AV2 builds upon the success and widespread adoption of the AV1 codec, and its key features as a successor to AV1 are improved compression efficiency and increased flexibility in handling multi-layer and multi-viewpoint video. AOMedia states that 'AV2 allows for higher quality video at the same bitrate as AV1, and reduces bandwidth while maintaining equivalent quality,' and that 'AV2 was developed through a rigorous and collaborative process by leading technology companies worldwide.' AV2 technology was evaluated under implementation complexity and common testing conditions, and optimized to be not only high-performance but also suitable for efficient hardware implementation.

AV2 specifically defines the range of supported functions and performance, determining the available encoding tools, color difference formats, bit depth, image size, display rate, decoding rate, and bit rate. AV2 v1.0.0 defines the main toolset and can handle 4:0:0, 4:2:0, 4:2:2, and 4:4:4 color difference formats depending on the profile. It supports 8-bit or 10-bit bit depth.

Furthermore, because AV2 handles bitstreams containing multiple layers, it provides a Layer Configuration Record (LCR) that indicates the layer configuration and an Operating Point Set (OPS) that indicates the combination of layers to be decoded. In addition, Interoperability Points are defined to indicate the range of compatibility that decoders can handle with these configurations. This allows for efficient decoding by selecting only the necessary layers according to the device's performance and application.

Furthermore, a mechanism is in place that allows users to select only the necessary layers according to the device's performance and intended use, extracting and decrypting them from the original bitstream. This makes it easier to support not only traditional workflows such as VOD and video conferencing, but also new media experiences. Efficient bandwidth utilization according to network conditions is expected to improve the viewing experience for streaming, video conferencing, and next-generation media.

Pierre Anthony Lemieux, Executive Director of AOMedia, stated regarding the release of the AV2 specification, 'AV2 will be a strong foundation for the continued innovation of video streaming.' With the AV2 specification now finalized, AOMedia will move forward with efforts to make AV2 easy to use in actual streaming environments and production workflows. The release of the AV2 binding specification for ISO BMFF is planned, and development is also underway on the reference implementation libavm and the dav2d decoder project, which aims for a high-performance software implementation.