AV1 Encoding in Avidemux: NVENC AV1 & Software Encoder Guide
How to encode video to AV1 in Avidemux, when to use software encoding, and when hardware NVENC AV1 is the better choice.
AV1 is an open, royalty-free video codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media. At the same visual quality it produces noticeably smaller files than H.264 and H.265, which makes it ideal for archiving finished edits. Avidemux can encode AV1, but which AV1 encoders you actually get depends on the exact build you download.
AV1 Encoder Options in Avidemux
Recent Avidemux builds can ship with two ways to encode AV1. Whether one, both, or neither appears in your Video Output list depends on the exact build you downloaded, so check the list on your own machine rather than assuming.
1. Software encoding (SVT-AV1). Encodes on the CPU with no special hardware required. It delivers the best quality-per-bit of any AV1 path, but it is slow — expect CPU usage pinned at 100% and encode times several times longer than x264 for the same footage.
2. Hardware encoding (NVENC AV1). Offloads encoding to the AV1 hardware block on recent NVIDIA graphics cards. Encoding is dramatically faster and uses little CPU, but compression efficiency is slightly worse than good software encoding — the same file will be a bit larger at equal quality.
Step by Step: Encode a Video to AV1
- Open your source video in Avidemux (File > Open).
- On the left panel, set Video Output to an AV1 encoder — for example “AV1 (SVT-AV1)” for software encoding or “AV1 (NVENC)” for hardware encoding, if your build includes them.
- Click Configure under Video Output. For software encoding, choose a CRF (constant quality) mode and set CRF to 28–32 as a conservative starting point: 28 for better quality, 32 for smaller files. Leave the preset at its default unless you know you want to trade speed for quality.
- Set Audio Output as usual — AAC (lav) or copy, depending on whether you want to re-encode the audio track.
- Set Output Format to MP4 Muxer or MKV Muxer. Both containers carry AV1 fine; MKV is the safer choice if you want maximum player compatibility metadata-wise.
- Save the file (File > Save) with a .mp4 or .mkv extension. Encoding starts immediately — see the caveat below about speed.
Honest Caveat: Speed vs. Quality
Software AV1 encoding is slow. It is realistic for overnight archive jobs and final renders you do not need right away — it is not the tool for “I need this file in ten minutes.” If you are in a hurry and your system has a supported NVIDIA GPU, NVENC AV1 finishes in a fraction of the time at the cost of a slightly larger file.
Which AV1 Encoder Should You Pick?
| Scenario | Recommended | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Archiving a finished edit, file size matters most | Software (SVT-AV1), CRF 28–32 | Best compression; time is not a factor |
| Need the file today, you have a supported NVIDIA GPU | NVENC AV1 | Much faster, slightly larger files |
| No NVIDIA GPU | Software (SVT-AV1) | It is the only AV1 path available to you |
FAQ
Does Avidemux support AV1?
Recent builds do — look for an AV1 encoder (software/SVT-AV1 or NVENC AV1) in the Video Output dropdown. Encoder availability depends on the exact build you downloaded, so if you do not see AV1, your build simply was not compiled with it.
Software encoding vs. NVENC AV1 — which should I use?
Use software encoding (SVT-AV1) when file size matters most and you can wait; use NVENC AV1 when speed matters and you have a supported NVIDIA graphics card. The hardware path encodes far faster but produces slightly larger files at the same visual quality.
How long does AV1 encoding take?
Software AV1 encoding can take several times longer than x264 for the same footage — a job that takes 30 minutes with x264 might take hours with SVT-AV1, and it will keep your CPU at 100% the whole time. NVENC AV1 is dramatically faster because the work happens on the GPU.
Which players can play AV1 files?
VLC, MPV, and modern web browsers (Chrome, Edge, Firefox) all play AV1 in MP4 or MKV containers. Very old media players and some TV built-in players may not support AV1 yet — if a file will be watched on older hardware, H.264 remains the safer choice.