FFmpeg 8.1 adds new codec support, Vulkan improvements, EXIF metadata parsing, and more

FFmpeg 8.1 “Hoare” debuts with notable codec and hardware improvements. This release introduces experimental decoding for xHE-AAC and Mps212 audio, as well as MPEG-H through the libmpeghdec library. Users also gain EXIF metadata parsing, broadening FFmpeg’s imaging and archival workflows.

Building on codec advancements, Vulkan compute-based codecs now enable ProRes encoding and decoding, along with DPX decoding. Their initialization is faster since they no longer require runtime OpenGL Shading Language compilation. Following these updates, the D3D12 backend for Windows users is now capable of H.264 and AV1 encoding. Several new filters using Direct3D 12 have been added as well, such as scale, motion estimation, and deinterlacing filters.

Expanding support for modern workflows, the update allows parsing and forwarding of Low Complexity Enhancement Video Coding (LCEVC) metadata. Support for Rockchip hardware encoding of H.264 and High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) video further extends hardware acceleration. IAMF support now handles Ambisonic Audio Elements with projection mode for advanced immersive audio workflows.

Other changes include the addition of an hxvs demuxer and new video filters: drawvg and vpp_amf. Numerous internal improvements and bug fixes are also present, and groundwork has been laid for a future swscale module rewrite.