---
title: 'Video metadata viewer, free MediaInfo online alternative'
description: 'See the codec, frame rate, bitrate, resolution, colour space, HDR, and hidden tags of any video. A free MediaInfo alternative, with no upload.'
url: 'https://videocontextapi.com/tools/video-metadata-viewer/'
---

# Video metadata viewer

> This free video metadata viewer shows the codec, frame rate, bitrate, resolution, rotation, colour space, HDR status, audio format, and hidden tags of a video file. It reads the file in your browser, like MediaInfo, so the video is never uploaded.

- **Use it:** https://videocontextapi.com/tools/video-metadata-viewer/ (free, runs in the browser, no upload, no sign-up)
- **At scale:** The Video Context API reads the technical metadata and the content of each video, such as scenes, speech, and objects, and returns both in one JSON schema for a whole library. Book beta access: https://calendly.com/sam-reactvideoeditor/30min

## How to use it

1. Drop a video, or try the sample video.
2. Read the summary cards for the main values.
3. Open the tables for the container, the tracks, the colour data, and the tags.
4. Copy or download all of the metadata as JSON.

## What video metadata is

A video file is a **container**, such as MP4, MOV, WebM, or MKV. The container holds one or more **tracks**: usually one video track and one audio track. Each track uses a **codec**, such as H.264 or AAC, that compresses the data. The container also holds **tags**: the title, the date, the device, and sometimes the location.

This tool reads all of these values and explains what they mean.

## The values that matter most

| Value | What it tells you | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Codec | How the video is compressed, such as H.264, HEVC, AV1, or VP9 | Some browsers, editors, and platforms cannot play every codec |
| Codec string | The codec, profile, and level, such as `avc1.640028` | Players use it to decide if a device can decode the video |
| Frame rate | The number of frames each second | A variable frame rate can cause audio drift in some editors |
| Bitrate | The amount of data each second | It controls the quality and the file size |
| Resolution and rotation | The stored size and how a player turns it | Phone videos often store a landscape frame with a rotation tag |
| Colour space and HDR | The colour primaries and the transfer function | PQ or HLG means HDR, which can look grey on SDR screens |

## How to read a codec string

- **avc1.640028**: H.264, High profile (`64` = 100), level 4.0 (`28` = 40).
- **hvc1.2.4.L150**: H.265 (HEVC), Main 10 profile, level 5.0.
- **av01.0.08M.10**: AV1, Main profile, level 4.0, 10-bit.
- **mp4a.40.2**: AAC-LC audio.

To check how the keyframes of a video are spaced, use the [keyframe checker](/tools/keyframe-checker/). To check whether a video carries signs of AI generation, use the [AI video checker](/tools/ai-video-checker/).

## Location data and privacy

Phones can save GPS coordinates in a video when the camera has access to location. iPhones write them in a tag called `com.apple.quicktime.location.ISO6709`. If you share the original file, other people can read where you filmed it. This tool shows a warning when it finds a location tag.

## From metadata to meaning

Metadata tells you **how** a video is stored. It does not tell you **what is in it**. For the content, such as scenes, speech, on-screen text, and objects, see the [video understanding API](/video-understanding-api/) and the glossary entry for [video understanding](/glossary/video-understanding/).

## FAQ

### How do I check the codec of a video?

Drop the video into this tool. The video codec card shows the codec name, and the video track table shows the full codec string, such as avc1.640028, with a plain explanation of the profile and level.

### Is this a MediaInfo online alternative?

Yes. It shows the main values that MediaInfo shows, such as the container, codecs, frame rate, bitrate, and colour data. It runs in your browser, so you do not install software and you do not upload the file.

### How do I find the frame rate of a video?

The frame rate card shows the frame rate that the tool measures from the frame timestamps. If the time between frames changes, the tool marks the video as variable frame rate (VFR).

### How do I check the bitrate of a video?

The overall bitrate card shows the file size divided by the length. The track tables show the average bitrate of the video track and the audio track.

### Can a video file show where it was filmed?

Yes. Phones can save GPS coordinates in the video metadata when the camera has access to location. If this tool finds a location tag, it shows the coordinates and a warning. Remove the tag before you share the file in public.

### Is my video uploaded?

No. The tool reads the file in your browser with Mediabunny and WebCodecs. Only the parts of the file that hold the metadata are read, so large files are fast.