Google Drive Video Formats: Best Format, MP4 Support & Playback Fixes

You must have been in a situation where you were unable to upload a video file or videos were not playing on Google Drive and received an error message that says "Video is unplayable." or "This video is currently unavailable.", etc. This may be caused by the video format not being supported by Google Drive.

Learn About Google Drive Video Formats/Codecs Support

Please note there are specific formats and codecs that Google Drive supports. According to Google Drive Help, files that you can save & play on Google Drive are of those formats and codecs:

WebM files (Vp8 video codec; Vorbis Audio codec)

MPEG4, 3GPP and MOV files (h264 and MPEG4 video codecs; AAC audio codec)

AVI (MJPEG video codec; PCM audio)

MPEGPS (MPEG2 video codec; MP2 audio)

FLV (Adobe - FLV1 video codec, MP3 audio)

WMV, MTS, OGG (Sometimes MTS files can't be previewed on Google Drive)

From the above, you can see that newer video coder formats like HEVC, VP9, and AV1 are not officially supported by Google Drive.

Yes, Google Drive can play MP4 videos, but MP4 is only a container. Whether an MP4 plays in Drive depends on the codec inside it. An MP4 encoded with H.264 video and AAC audio usually works well. An MP4 encoded with HEVC/H.265, AV1, unsupported audio, or unusual parameters may show a playback error even though the file extension is still .mp4.

If your MP4 cannot be previewed in Google Drive, check it with a media info tool or directly convert it to MP4 H.264/AAC before uploading again. This is more reliable than simply renaming the file extension from .mov, .mkv, .avi, or .webm to .mp4.

To upload and play a supported MP4, open Google Drive, click New > File upload, choose the video, wait until the upload and processing are complete, and then double-click the file to play it. Large files may need extra processing time before other people or devices can stream them.

If a Google Drive video says "Video is unplayable", "Video is still processing", or "This video is currently unavailable", it is not always a format problem. Try these checks first:

• Wait for processing to finish, especially after uploading a large or high-resolution video.

• Refresh the page, sign out and back in, or try Drive in an incognito window.

• Enable third-party cookies for Drive playback, or temporarily turn off browser extensions that may block playback.

• Clear browser cache and cookies, update your browser, or switch to another browser.

• Check your internet connection. Slow or unstable networks can interrupt upload, processing, and playback.

• Make sure the video is not corrupted. If a local player also fails to play it, repair or re-export the file first.

• Check the sharing status. Playback limits may appear for viewers who are not signed in.

• If the video format or codec is unusual, convert it to MP4 H.264/AAC and upload the new file.

In short, wait and browser fixes are worth trying when the file has just been uploaded. If the same video still cannot play after processing is complete, format conversion is usually the cleanest fix.

It would be annoying if a video you need to share for business, school, or personal viewing cannot be previewed in Google Drive. When you have ruled out temporary processing, browser, connection, and account issues, converting the video to a Drive-friendly format is the most practical fix.

For broad compatibility, convert the video to MP4 with H.264 video codec and AAC audio codec. Here's one easy tool I recommend: HD Video Converter Factory Pro. Now, I'll show you how to change video format for smoother Google Drive upload and playback.

Q1. Does Google Drive support MP4?

Yes. Google Drive can preview MP4 videos, but the codecs inside the MP4 matter. MP4 H.264 video with AAC audio is the safest choice. MP4 files encoded with HEVC/H.265, AV1, or unsupported audio may fail to play in Drive.

Q2. What's the best video format for Google Drive?

MP4 with H.264 video codec and AAC audio codec is the best practical format for Google Drive. It offers good compatibility, reasonable file size, and smooth browser playback.

Q3. Why does Google Drive say "Video is still processing"?

The video is uploaded but not fully prepared for playback yet. Large, high-resolution, or long videos may take longer. Wait for a while, refresh the page, and try again. If it stays stuck for a long time, re-upload or convert the video to MP4 H.264/AAC.

Q4. Can Google Drive convert MOV, MKV, or AVI to MP4?

No. Google Drive can store and preview some video files, but it does not provide a video format converter. Use a third-party converter to transcode MOV, MKV, AVI, WebM, or unsupported MP4 to MP4 H.264/AAC.

Q5. Does Google Drive compress MP4?

Google Drive stores the uploaded MP4 file as-is. The online preview may be streamed at a different quality depending on processing, network speed, and playback limits, but your original uploaded file remains available for download.

Q6. Can Google Drive play 4K videos?

You can upload and store 4K videos if you have enough storage. However, Google Drive's built-in playback is limited to a maximum playback resolution of 1920 × 1080, so the preview may not play as true 4K.