Google Prepares Chrome for AV1 Streaming on Windows: Faster 4K, Less Buffering

Google is testing an upgrade to Chrome’s video playback on Windows. A new feature, called HardwareSecureDecryptionAv1, aims to improve AV1 video streaming for protected content, leading to smoother 4K playback on supported devices.

AV1 is a modern video codec designed to provide higher-quality video at lower file sizes compared to older formats like VP9 and H.264. However, not all hardware and software fully support AV1 yet. Google is ensuring that AV1 decoding works securely on Windows devices that have the right hardware.

Additionally, Google is adjusting how PlayReady (Microsoft’s DRM system) handles video formats. Since PlayReady will initially support only H.264 and HEVC, Google is considering removing unsupported codecs like VP9 and AV1 from PlayReady queries to avoid unnecessary processing.

“media: Add feature flag for Windows OS CDM AV1 support. Add a new feature flag HardwareSecureDecryptionAv1 which enables/disables the AV1 codec for the hardware secure OS CDM on Windows.” Google notes in a commit message.

Chrome’s AV1 Test Could Finally Fix Windows’ 4K Streaming Problem

The HardwareSecureDecryptionAv1 flag description reads as below

Enables hardware secure AV1 decoding if supported by the hardware and the OS Content Decryption Module (CDM).

With this Chrome Update, if your device supports hardware-secure AV1 decoding, you may experience smoother, higher-quality video playback with less buffering. However, if your device doesn’t support AV1, your videos will continue using formats like H.264 or HEVC, meaning you won’t notice any change. Over time, streaming services and browsers are likely to gradually adopt AV1 more widely, thereby improving the overall viewing experience for a broader range of users.

This Google move Could finally make Netflix and Disney+ bring AV1 to Windows. While AV1 is already used by Netflix (Android/TVs) and YouTube, Windows PCs lack hardware-secure AV1 decoding for DRM content (e.g., PlayReady/Widevine). Most premium streaming services require DRM for 4K/HDR playback.

The new Chrome flag indicates that Google is testing AV1 and DRM integration for Windows. This would allow platforms like Netflix to stream AV1-encoded 4K content securely on PCs, just as they do on TVs and mobile devices.

That’s not all—Google is working on adding a compose box to the New Tab Page and testing a prompt asking users to set Chrome’s PDF Viewer as the default. Additionally, Chrome will suggest installing extensions when visiting the Chrome Web Store if no extensions are currently installed.