ffmpeg - whatsapp: video format not supported

Question

I have two videos (.mp4) files. One uploads to whatsapp and another does not.

Using ffmpeg I checked their properties:

a) Properties of video which uploads:

  Duration: 00:00:56.45, start: 0.148000, bitrate: 1404 kb/s
    Stream #0:0(und): Video: h264 (High) (avc1 / 0x31637661), yuv420p, 1080x1080, 1359 kb/s, 23.98 fps, 23.98 tbr, 90k tbn, 47.95 tbc (default)
    Metadata:
      handler_name    : VideoHandler
    Stream #0:1(eng): Audio: aac (HE-AACv2) (mp4a / 0x6134706D), 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 47 kb/s (default)
    Metadata:
      handler_name    : SoundHandler
At least one output file must be specified

b) video which does not upload to whatsapp (because its says format not supported)

  Duration: 00:00:56.10, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 543 kb/s
    Stream #0:0: Video: h264 (High) (H264 / 0x34363248), yuv420p, 1080x1080 [SAR 1:1 DAR 1:1], 464 kb/s, 23.98 fps, 23.98 tbr, 23.98 tbn, 47.95 tbc
    Stream #0:1: Audio: aac (LC) ([255][0][0][0] / 0x00FF), 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 56 kb/s

The difference in video I noticed:

(avc1 / 0x31637661) vs (H264 / 0x34363248)

1359 kb/s vs 464 kb/s

90k tbn vs 23.98 tbn

What can be the reason?

Also the second video is not being played in Android.

The link for the video is https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4UM6vTHw4pyMExQQ1lxZGp0N2c

The same question was asked [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/ffmpeg/comments/564kyc/ffmpeg_whatsapp_video_format_not_supported/?st=ivjxdi0v&sh=848ce7eb) and there's a solution there. — Andrew, Nov 15 '16 at 20:06

score 116 · Answer 1 · answered Aug 25 '17 at 13:48

116

There are some options for a better compatibility:

ffmpeg -i broken.mp4 -c:v libx264 -profile:v baseline -level 3.0 -pix_fmt yuv420p working.mp4

With -profile:v baseline -level 3.0 you make the file more compatible with most older players, including WhatsApp ;). Although, this disables some advanced features.

-pix_fmt yuv420p is necessary to compile to baseline (YUV planar color space with 4:2:0 chroma subsampling).

Also, you can adjust other options as bitrate, framerate, audio, etc.

Source: H.264 docs

answered Aug 25 '17 at 13:48

Mario Mey

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in my case the problem came out to be the pix_fmt which was not yuv420p – Aurangzeb Nov 27 '17 at 10:26
Nice thanks, worked like a charm! If only Kazam could use these settings right away it would make it easier to screencap and share. – CodeMonkey Dec 16 '17 at 12:26
Setting `-pix_fmt yuv420p` is needed when converting from GIF. – arielCo Apr 26 '20 at 20:57
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Seriously, this worked great, but how, how can you possibly know this massive command line?? – Caio Mar Nov 14 '21 at 00:13
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@CaioMar I really don't remember how did I get it. I think by researching in ffmpeg H264 documentation and "try and failure". It's all about "compatibility"... and h264 encoding has options for that . – Mario Mey Nov 15 '21 at 16:32
So frustrating that this no longer works :( – Jamie Hutber Apr 25 '22 at 20:40
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@JamieHutber I still use this command. Not only that, I think that WhatsApp Web is more flexible than before, that it accept more formats. What's your ffmpeg version? – Mario Mey Apr 26 '22 at 09:25
Interesting. I wonder indeed then. `ffmpeg version 4.2.4-1ubuntu0.1 Copyright` I have the same script, it has not changed. But now they do not work. Let me look to upgrade ffmpeg – Jamie Hutber Apr 26 '22 at 09:39
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Would you believe it... whatsapp just released an update that fixed this!!! Within the last 10mins :D Now the files are working – Jamie Hutber Apr 26 '22 at 10:55

score 8 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:17

8

Copied from https://www.reddit.com/r/ffmpeg/comments/564kyc/ffmpeg_whatsapp_video_format_not_supported/?st=ivjxdi0v&sh=848ce7eb

ffmpeg -i brokenvideo.mp4 -c:v libx264 -c:a aac fixedvideo.mp4

Also had to apply this fix: FFMPEG (libx264) "height not divisible by 2"

edited May 23 '17 at 12:17

Community

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answered Dec 31 '16 at 10:08

brauliobo

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This command will re-encode the video and audio. I bet this is just a matter of the video tag. Try `ffmpeg -i broken.mp4 -c copy -vtag avc1 fixed.mp4` – Gyan Jan 01 '17 at 05:02

Teocci · Answer 3 · 2023-02-16T13:29:43.190

I tried all previous commands and I got some errors. I was able to encode my video using this command and here is the explanation and why I set it up like this for a better compatibility:

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
 -c:v libx264 -pix_fmt yuv420p \
 -profile:v baseline -level 3.0 \
 -vf "pad=ceil(iw/2)*2:ceil(ih/2)*2" -vb 1024k \
 -acodec aac -ar 44100 -ac 2\
 -minrate 1024k -maxrate 1024k -bufsize 1024k \
 -movflags +faststart \
 output.mp4

If your input contains AAC audio you can stream copy instead of re-encoding by changing -acodec aac -ar 44100 -ac 2 to -acodec copy to preserve the audio quality.

option	explanation
`-vcodec libx264`	Chooses video encoder libx264
`-pix_fmt yuv420p`	Ensures YUV 4:2:0 chroma subsampling for compatibility
`-profile:v baseline`	Set the encoding profile to baseline. Used primarily for low-cost applications that require additional data loss robustness
`-level 3.0`	Set the operating point level to 3.0 which is necessary to have compatibility with WhatsApp
`-vf "pad=ceil(iw/2)2:ceil(ih/2)2"`	If you get not divisible by 2 error see
`-acodec aac`	Chooses audio encoder aac
`-minrate 1024k`	set min bitrate tolerance to 1024k (in bits/s). It is of little use elsewise
`-maxrate 1024k`	set max bitrate tolerance to 1024k (in bits/s). Requires bufsize to be set
`-bufsize 1024k`	set rate-control buffer size to 1024k (in bits)
`-movflags +faststart`	enables fast start for streaming

Note about faststart

Normally, a MP4 file has all its metadata packets stored at the end of the file, in data units named atoms. The mdat atom is located before the moov atom. If the file is created by adding the -movflags faststart, the moov atom is moved at the beginning of the MP4 file. By using this option, the moov atom is located before the mdat atom. This allows video playback to begin before the file has been completely downloaded.

Just tried it and works, after trying a different version down here that apparently stopped working now. April 2022. — Javier Villa, Apr 15 '22 at 12:24
Does the +faststart benefit Whatsapp ? Also, can you use -movflags with .mp4 and not just .mov ? — Antti Rytsölä, Nov 02 '22 at 09:36
None worked from "whatsapp web". Had to move file to the phone to upload from app and it works now — Madacol, May 20 '23 at 10:55

score 7 · Answer 4 · answered Dec 24 '20 at 22:26

7

This is worked for me in 2020

ffmpeg -i broken.mp4 -c:v libx264 -profile:v high -level 3.0 -pix_fmt yuv420p -brand mp42 fixed.mp4

answered Dec 24 '20 at 22:26

jenkas

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same (and the others didn't) – Idiot Tom Jun 27 '21 at 09:17
I don't find `-brand mp42` as an option of ffmpeg or H264 encoding. Maybe this is from MP4Box [(here)](https://ffmpeg-user.ffmpeg.narkive.com/2ZHSzr9f/remux-to-a-brand-mp42-mp4-file). If you want to set fourcc as `mp42` with ffmpeg, then you shoud use `-tag:v mp42`. – Mario Mey Sep 08 '21 at 00:12
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It is still working – Gediz GÜRSU Nov 03 '21 at 12:58
Doesn't seem to be working for me, in 2022 – Jamie Hutber Apr 19 '22 at 21:13

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 22 '23 at 18:46

2023-01-22 I used the most upvoted answer format and it worked for video, but audio was not working on iPhones. Here's what worked for me:

ffmpeg -i broken.mp4 -c:v libx264 -profile:v baseline -level 3.0 -pix_fmt yuv420p -ac 2 working.mp4

I had to add -ac 2 because the audio format I had wasn't seen as stereo by iOS.

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered May 15 '23 at 13:28

Copying @teocci's answer for powershell:

ffmpeg -i 'input.mp4' `
-c:v libx264 -pix_fmt yuv420p `
-vf "pad=ceil(iw/2)*2:ceil(ih/2)*2" -vb 1024k `
-acodec aac -ar 44100 -ac 2 `
-minrate 1024k -maxrate 1024k -bufsize 1024k `
-movflags +faststart `
output.mp4

If you video already has aac:

ffmpeg -i 'input.mp4' `
-c:v libx264 -pix_fmt yuv420p `
-vf "pad=ceil(iw/2)*2:ceil(ih/2)*2" -vb 1024k `
-acodec copy `
-minrate 1024k -maxrate 1024k -bufsize 1024k `
-movflags +faststart `
output.mp4

Check out the original answer for mode details. Not allowed to comment so posting an answer instead

ffmpeg - whatsapp: video format not supported

6 Answers6

Note about faststart