WebM Video (MIME: video/webm) is an open-source video format developed by Google, designed specifically for the web. It uses VP8/VP9 video codecs and Vorbis/Opus audio codecs within the Matroska container.
History and Development
WebM was announced by Google in 2010, built on the VP8 video codec acquired from On2 Technologies. VP9 support was added in 2013, offering significantly better compression. WebM is backed by Google and used extensively on YouTube and other Google services.
Technical Specifications
- Container: Matroska-based (.webm)
- Video codecs: VP8, VP9, AV1
- Audio codecs: Vorbis, Opus
- Resolution: Up to 8K
- Transparency: VP9 supports alpha channel
- License: Royalty-free, open-source
Common Use Cases
WebM is ideal for HTML5 web video, YouTube embedding, web applications, and any project that benefits from royalty-free codecs. It's commonly used for web animations and video backgrounds.
WEBM vs Similar Formats
- WebM vs MP4: WebM is open-source and royalty-free; MP4 (H.264) has licensing requirements. MP4 has broader hardware support.
- WebM vs GIF: WebM animations are 90%+ smaller than GIF with full color and audio support.
How to Open and Edit
WebM plays in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Opera natively. Safari added VP9 support in macOS Big Sur. VLC plays WebM on all platforms. For editing, use Kdenlive, Shotcut, or FFmpeg.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Safari support WebM?
Safari 14.1+ supports VP9 in WebM containers. Full WebM/VP8 support was added in Safari 16.4. macOS Ventura and later support WebM natively.
Is WebM better than MP4?
For web use, WebM can offer comparable quality at similar file sizes with the advantage of being royalty-free. However, MP4 has much broader hardware and software support.