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AVC files.

Every video creator wants to display their finished masterpieces in the best quality possible. That’s where AVC, or .H264, comes in. AVC files offer excellent picture quality without an increase in file size and can handle the higher demands that come with high-resolution video.

Learn more about AVC files and why they are industry standard for quality video.

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WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

History of the AVC file

How to use AVC files

Pros and cons of AVC files

How to open an AVC file

How to create and edit an AVC file

FAQs

Learn more about similar file types to AVC

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What is an AVC file?

Advanced Video Coding (AVC) files are codec files, which compress (and sometimes decompress) video, ready to play on a media player, such as Windows Media Player.

They’re also commonly known as H.264 or MPEG-4 Part 10 files. There’s no difference in these filetypes, as they’re all video compression files, and these are just alternative terms that content creators use to refer to them.

AVC files hold video information and are one of the most popular choices for video content creators in the age of 4K streaming.

An AVC/H.264 file can hold high-definition video content up to 4K UHD (Ultra High-Definition), making it a preferred choice for producing impressive-looking visuals. Most multimedia players and video editing tools can handle H.264s. You might use AVC files for:

Social media content
Short film videos
Video sharing website content
Trailers

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History of the AVC file.

The first iteration of H.264/AVC arrived in 2003 after a joint venture by the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) and International Telecommunications Union (ITU).

Over the past two decades, there have been various updates and improved editions of the AVC standard that have led to its use becoming more widespread. This included improvements to video coding quality and higher-resolution color information, which have become standards of the filetype. Because of this, AVC files became one of the main video compression formats for Blu-ray discs in 2007. They then followed this up with approval in the US for use in broadcast television in 2008.

Throughout its evolution, AVC has remained an enduringly popular and efficient codec option for video content creators across the globe.

How to use AVC files.

AVCs are a natural choice for video makers wanting to store high-quality video content and play a role in a wide range of multimedia productions and exhibitions. This includes H.264 and MPEG-4 files, which are also known as AVC.

You can use AVC files for:

Video streaming.

With the capacity to store video with a quality of up to 4K UHD, H.264 is the standard for online video streaming services. Consumer streaming platforms use the format to hold and display their movies and TV shows, streamed into the homes of audiences via cloud storage solutions.

HDTV broadcasting.

As with video streaming, H.264 use is common in broadcast television. High-definition programs are usually encoded and stored in AVC format and played for broadcast over the airwaves to HDTVs across the consumer market.

Discover more codec files.

Pros and cons of AVC files.

AVC may be the most popular codec choice in the video industry, but it’s not without its flaws. The versatility of H.264 counts in its favor, but it may not be the ideal option for your project. Here are some of its advantages and disadvantages.

Pros.

Versatile and spacious. AVCs are large container-less files, capable of storing detailed video of a quality up to 4K UHD. They can also store a variety of picture formats, from slow-motion video to still images, making them a versatile option for content creators.
Low compression rate. H.264s have a low compression rate, meaning you can store quality video in a relatively small file size. This makes AVCs easier to use, faster, and more efficient than some other similar options, like MPEG-2 Codecs.
Manageable size. H.264s save on storage and deliver real-time encoding and decoding. This makes AVC a fantastic choice for reducing bandwidth and, for many, a favored option for broadcasting and internet streaming services.

Cons.

Better hardware needed. The quality of the video stored within the codec often requires heavy-hitting hardware and high processing power to decode. This usually requires power-hungry and expensive equipment.
More processing power required. The power of your processor has a huge impact on final video quality. A poor or lesser-quality processor could reduce image quality of the final product or lead to video coding problems like latency (the time it takes for a video signal to go from the source to the app playing the video).
Licensing agreements. It costs money to use H.264. Due to licensing agreements with the creators of the file format, a user would need to pay royalties to legally use AVC.

Find out which codec file types are supported by Adobe Premiere Pro.

How to open an AVC file.

To open an H.264 file format, you’ll need a media player with enough processing power to handle the intensive encoding and decoding required. Software like VideoLAN VLC Media Player is a common choice for most professional and consumer level users looking to watch AVC files on their computer.

You might need to right-click on the AVC file and select “Open With,” choosing VLC (or your chosen platform) as the option. That’s because selected media players may not automatically recognize H.264 files as playable video content.

How to create and edit an AVC file.

The processes for creating and editing H.264s differ slightly. To create an AVC, you can usually choose to export your video creation as an H.264 as part of your final edit process.

Once you’re happy with your video timeline, H.264 exportation encodes the image content into the container-less file format.

H.264s are for displaying video only, so you can’t edit them natively. To edit an H.264, you’ll need to convert the video into a codec suitable for your particular software, like MPEG, MP4, or even a MOV file. Then you’ll be able to edit in programs like Adobe Premiere Pro.

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Is AVC an MP4?

No, but the two are similar. AVC is also known as MPEG-4 Part 10. MP4 is also known as MPEG-4 Part 14. Like AVC, MP4 stores video information, and the two file formats are popular with video creators.

Is AVC good quality?

It can be. AVC can contain video information with a quality of up to 4K UHD at much lower compression than rival file formats. However, the finished quality of your video will depend upon the hardware and processing power you use.

What type of files can I convert AVC into?

You’ll need to convert your H.264 into an editable file format if you want to make changes. You can convert into files like MOV and MP4. Once you’ve converted your video file, you can make changes in your chosen software.

Is H.264 better than H.265?

H.265 is the natural successor to AVC. This new video codec, known as HEVC, delivers exceptional quality in an even smaller package. Compression and bitrates are smaller, leading to reduced file size. HEVC are ideal for saving on bandwidth, too, when streaming video over the cloud.