Google Drive Supported Video Formats: The Two Official Lists

Google Drive's video help page lists WebM, MPEG4, 3GPP, MOV, AVI, MPEGPS, WMV, FLV, MTS and OGG as supported video formats — and ties most of them to a specific codec. That codec column is the part almost every third-party article drops, and it is the part that decides whether your file plays.

There is a second complication: Google publishes a video format list on two different help pages, and they do not say the same thing. Below is what each page actually says, why the difference matters, and what to do when your file is not on either list.

The formats Drive's video page lists

From Drive Help, Store & play video in Google Drive, under "File types for video" → "Supported formats":

The page opens that list with a caveat worth keeping: "Not all video types may work on all devices."

Read the codec column carefully, because a container name is not a guarantee. Google does not simply say "AVI works" — it says AVI with MJPEG video and PCM audio. An AVI holding something else is not what that line describes. Same for WebM: the listed pairing is VP8 with Vorbis, not the newer codecs people often assume. And for MP4, MOV and 3GPP, the listed video codecs are h264 and MPEG4 with AAC audio.

Codecs that never appear anywhere in that list — HEVC/H.265, AV1, VP9 — are simply not listed. Google does not publish a statement saying they are unsupported, so treat them as unlisted rather than rejected, and expect nothing.

The second list, and where the two differ

Drive's general storage page, Files you can store in Google Drive, has its own line under "Supported file types" → "General files":

"Video files (WebM, .MPEG4, .3GPP, .MOV, .AVI, .MPEGPS, .WMV, .FLV, .ogg)"

Compare that with the table above and three concrete differences fall out:

1. MTS appears only on the video page. It is in the Store & play video list and absent from the Files you can store list.
2. Codecs appear only on the video page. The storage page gives containers and nothing else, which is why readers who land there conclude "AVI is fine" without knowing Google specified MJPEG plus PCM.
3. Neither list writes the literal extension .mp4. Both write MPEG4. The most common video extension on earth is not spelled out on either page, which is exactly why searching for it returns confident answers with no citation.

Both pages are current Google help articles, so you can check them yourself:

• Store & play video in Google Drive — the video-specific page, with codecs
• Files you can store in Google Drive — the general storage page, containers only

Which one wins? For video questions, use the video page. It is the page dedicated to the topic and the only one that carries codec information. The storage page is a general preview list covering documents, images and audio as well. Google's Computer, Android, and iPhone & iPad versions of the video page carry the same formats, limits and error messages, so there is no separate mobile list to hunt for.

Storing a file is not the same as previewing or playing it

This is the distinction Google itself draws, and it resolves most of the confusion around these lists. The storage page says:

"Any file type can be stored in Drive. These are the most common file types you can preview in Google Drive:"

So an MKV upload is not blocked — MKV just does not appear on either list of previewable types. Google also warns that what you see in preview is not the file itself:

"The Google Drive preview is a scaled-down version of the complete file and may, when opened, appear slightly different."

How much you can store is a separate axis again. The video page states: "You can store videos up to 5 TB if you have purchased at least that much storage. Otherwise you are limited to how much storage you have available." The 5 TB figure is a ceiling, not an entitlement.

When your file is not on the list

Google's own upload troubleshooting says it plainly, under "Fix issues when you upload a video to Drive":

"Check the file format: Different video formats are supported by Google Drive, if yours is unusual, you need to convert it."

The safest target is the combination Google spells out on the video page: an MPEG4 container with h264 video and AAC audio. If your source is a QuickTime file off a Mac, iPhone or a camera, converting it lands you on a listed pairing instead of a guess.

Try it right here

Runs in your browser. Your file is not uploaded anywhere.

Loading tool…

This runs inside your browser tab — the file is read from disk, re-encoded locally and handed straight back, so nothing is uploaded anywhere on the way to fixing a Drive upload. If you are going the other direction, WebM to MP4 does the same job for WebM sources.

Playback gotchas that have nothing to do with format

A file can be on the list and still misbehave. Drive's video page documents several limits that are separate from format:

• Playback resolution is capped. "You can upload video of any resolution, but the minimum size for playback in Drive is 4 KB. The maximum playback resolution is 1920 x 1080." Uploading a 4K master gains you nothing on the playback side. Google says nothing about altering your original file.
• Connection affects quality. "Internet quality and speed may affect playback quality."
• Third-party cookies are required. "To play videos in Drive, you need to turn on third-party cookies." The same page separately suggests trying incognito mode for failed uploads — both appear on the page, and incognito windows typically block third-party cookies more aggressively, so do not apply the upload tip to a playback problem.
• You may see a video others cannot yet. Instant playback "is available for videos you upload in the same browser session," and Google adds that "the video might still be processing so that it can be viewed on other devices or by people you shared it with."

If the format is genuinely wrong, Drive tells you: the documented error is "Video is unplayable.", which Google explains as "The video may be corrupted or uploaded in a format that won't work. Try to upload the video again or in a different format."

FAQ

Does Google Drive support MP4? Neither official list writes .mp4 literally. Both write MPEG4, and the video page pairs it with h264 and MPEG4 video codecs plus AAC audio. That is the closest official statement you will get.

Does Google Drive support MKV? MKV does not appear on either list. Google separately says any file type can be stored in Drive, so an MKV will upload — it is just not among the types listed as previewable. Convert it if you need it to play in Drive.

Does Google Drive support HEVC or AV1? Neither codec appears in Google's list. Google does not state that they are unsupported either, so there is no official yes or no — check the official documentation if that changes.

Why does my video upload fine but refuse to play? Storing and playing are different things in Drive's own wording. Common documented causes are an unsupported format, a video still processing, or third-party cookies being switched off in your browser.

Does Drive compress or convert my uploaded video? Google's pages state a maximum playback resolution of 1920 x 1080 and say nothing about modifying the stored file. Any claim in either direction beyond that is not in the official documentation.

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Working around format and size limits elsewhere? Gmail's large attachments become Drive links explains what happens when the two systems hand off to each other, the limits hub collects the same breakdown for other platforms, and every browser-based converter lives under all Clapr tools.

Formats and limits quoted from Google Drive Help, "Store & play video in Google Drive" and "Files you can store in Google Drive", checked 16 September 2026. Google changes help pages without notice — verify against both URLs above before relying on them.