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Video Metadata

Extract complete technical metadata from a video file using ffprobe, including duration, file size, bitrate, video codec, resolution, frame rate, audio codec, sample rate, and channel layout

Our free video metadata viewer reads a video file and hands you a clear text report of its technical details, so you can see exactly what is inside a clip in a couple of steps. Upload your video and the tool inspects it and returns a plain .txt report covering duration, file size, bitrate, video codec, resolution, frame rate, audio codec, sample rate, and channel layout. It runs on ffprobe, the professional inspection tool from the FFmpeg project, the same engine media apps rely on to read a file's properties. Whether you want to check video metadata before uploading, confirm the codec and resolution of a download, or work out why a file will not play, this tool tells you what you are actually holding. It is completely free to use, and the report is yours to keep.

How to View Video Metadata Online

Reading a video's metadata with File Tools Online takes a few quick steps, and you do not need MediaInfo, VLC, or any desktop software. Everything runs online in your browser.

  1. 1

    Upload your video

    Drag and drop your video into the box above, or click to browse and pick the file from your device. MP4, MOV, AVI, and MKV files are all accepted.

  2. 2

    Read the metadata

    The tool inspects the file with ffprobe and pulls out its technical properties: duration, size, bitrate, codecs, resolution, frame rate, and audio details.

  3. 3

    Download the report

    Download the finished .txt report and keep it for reference. Your file is processed securely and deleted automatically within 30 minutes.

The report is a read-only snapshot of your file. Nothing about the original video is altered, renamed, or re-encoded during the process. You upload a clip, the tool measures it, and you get back a text summary you can read, copy, or save alongside the footage.

Why Check Video Metadata With File Tools Online

Guessing what is inside a video wastes time. A clip might be the wrong resolution for a platform, use a codec an editor cannot open, or carry a bitrate that blows past an upload limit. This tool reads the real numbers from the file itself with ffprobe, so you are working from facts instead of file names.

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Full Technical Detail

See duration, file size, bitrate, video codec, resolution, frame rate, audio codec, sample rate, and channel layout in one report.

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ffprobe Engine

Powered by ffprobe from the FFmpeg project, the professional-grade inspector behind countless media apps, so the readings are accurate.

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Clean Text Report

The output is a plain .txt file you can read, copy into a message, or save next to your video for future reference.

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Read-Only and Safe

The tool only inspects your file. It never re-encodes, renames, or changes the video, so the original stays exactly as it was.

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Private & Secure

Files are processed securely over an encrypted connection and automatically deleted within 30 minutes of upload.

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Works on Any Device

Runs online on Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook, Android, and iPhone. Nothing to download and nothing to install.

What Video Metadata Is and How ffprobe Reads It

Every video file is more than the moving picture you see. Wrapped around that picture is a set of technical properties that describe how the video and audio are stored: which codec compresses the frames, how many pixels wide and tall each frame is, how many frames play per second, how loud and how detailed the audio is, and how many bits per second the whole thing uses. This information is the video's metadata, and it is what decides whether a clip plays smoothly, uploads cleanly, or throws an error. When you view video metadata here, the tool reads those properties straight from the file and lays them out in one place.

The reading is done by ffprobe, the inspection utility that ships with FFmpeg. ffprobe opens the container, walks through the video and audio streams, and reports what it finds without changing a single frame. That is why the numbers you see are the file's real values and not an estimate: the duration comes from the stream, the resolution comes from the video track, the bitrate is calculated from the actual data, and the audio details come straight from the sound track. The result is a dependable video file info report that tells you the codec, resolution, frame rate, bitrate, sample rate, and channel layout of the exact file you uploaded, so you know precisely what you are working with before you convert, edit, or share it.

What You Can Check in a Video File

A quick look at a file's metadata answers questions that would otherwise take trial and error. Here are the checks people reach for most often.

  • Video codecSee whether a clip is H.264, HEVC, VP9, or another codec, so you know if an editor or player will open it before you try.
  • Resolution and frame rateConfirm the exact pixel dimensions and frames per second, so a clip matches the resolution and cadence a platform expects.
  • Bitrate and file sizeCheck the bitrate and total size to understand quality and to see whether a file fits an upload or email limit.
  • DurationRead the precise running time of a clip, useful when a platform caps length or a project needs an exact figure.
  • Audio detailsSee the audio codec, sample rate, and channel layout, so you know if the sound is stereo, mono, or surround.
  • Troubleshooting a fileWhen a video will not play or upload, the report often shows why: an unexpected codec, an odd resolution, or a missing audio stream.

Related File Tools

File Tools Online offers more than 100 free tools to convert, edit, and manage your files. These are the ones people use most alongside the video metadata viewer.

Viewing vs Editing or Removing Metadata

It helps to be clear about what this tool does. The Video Metadata viewer reads and reports your file's technical details. It does not edit them, change them, rename anything, write new tags, or strip existing ones, and it does not remove GPS or personal information from a clip. It is a read-only inspector: you get a text report describing the file, while the original video stays untouched. If you searched for a way to change or delete metadata, this is the tool to confirm what is in the file, not to rewrite it.

TaskVideo Metadata (this tool)
See the codec, resolution, and frame rateYes, reported in the .txt file
Check duration, bitrate, and file sizeYes, read straight from the file
Read audio codec, sample rate, and channelsYes, included in the report
Get a fuller, stream-by-stream breakdownUse Video Analyse
Edit, rewrite, or add metadata tagsNot supported (read-only)
Remove GPS or personal tags from a clipNot supported (read-only)

If you need a deeper look at each individual stream rather than the headline properties, our Video Analyse tool produces a fuller technical report. For the quick, everyday question of what codec, resolution, and bitrate a file uses, this metadata viewer is the fastest way to find out.

A Free Alternative to MediaInfo and VLC

Desktop tools like MediaInfo, VLC, and the media inspector inside a video editor can all show a file's technical properties, but they mean installing software, digging through menus, and reading a crowded panel. This online metadata viewer gives you the same core information without any of that. You upload the clip, and ffprobe returns the headline details in a plain text report you can read at a glance or save.

That makes it handy on a work computer where you cannot install programs, on a borrowed machine, or on a phone where a desktop inspector is not an option. Because the inspection runs on our servers with ffprobe, you get an accurate reading of the file no matter what device you are using, and the report comes back as a simple .txt you can copy into an email, a support ticket, or your own notes.

What the Metadata Report Includes

The tool accepts common video files and returns a single text report covering the properties people actually need to know. Uploads it reads include:

  • MP4, the standard container used across phones, cameras, and the web.
  • MOV (QuickTime), the format iPhones and Apple software record in.
  • AVI, a long-standing Windows video format found on older cameras and downloads.
  • MKV (Matroska), a popular high-quality container used for films and archives.

For each file, the report lists the details that matter most:

  • Duration, the precise running time of the clip.
  • File size, the total size of the video on disk.
  • Overall bitrate, how many bits per second the file uses, a direct signal of quality and size.
  • Video codec, the compression used for the picture, such as H.264 or HEVC.
  • Resolution, the width and height of the video in pixels.
  • Frame rate, how many frames play per second.
  • Audio codec, the compression used for the sound, such as AAC.
  • Sample rate, the audio sampling frequency in kilohertz.
  • Channel layout, whether the audio is mono, stereo, or multi-channel.

Together these give you a complete, honest picture of the file's technical makeup, read directly from the video by ffprobe.

Tips for Reading Video Metadata

  • Check before you convert. Read the metadata first, then decide what you need. If the codec is already H.264 in an MP4, you may not need to convert at all.
  • Confirm resolution before resizing. Read the current dimensions here, then use Video Resize to change them to the size a platform wants.
  • Watch the bitrate for upload limits. If the bitrate and size are high, run the file through our video compressor to bring it down before uploading.
  • Diagnose a file that will not play. An unexpected codec or resolution in the report often explains why a device or editor rejects the clip.
  • Need every stream detailed? For a deeper, stream-by-stream breakdown, use Video Analyse instead of this quick viewer.
  • Save the report next to your footage so you have a record of the exact properties without re-checking later.

Check Video Metadata on Windows, Mac, and Mobile

Because this is an online metadata viewer, it works the same on every device. There is no program to install on Windows, no app to download on Mac, and nothing to add to your phone. You use the exact same page whether you are on a laptop, a Chromebook, an Android device, or an iPhone.

That makes it easy to check video metadata on Mac, on a work computer where you cannot install software, or on your phone before posting a clip. The inspection runs on our servers with ffprobe, so even a large video is read reliably no matter how powerful your own device is. All you need is a browser and an internet connection, and you can see a video's codec, resolution, and bitrate from anywhere.

Is It Safe to View Video Metadata Online?

Yes. The videos people inspect are often personal recordings, work projects, and clips they have not published yet, so security is built in. Files are uploaded over an encrypted HTTPS connection, read on a secure server, and automatically deleted within 30 minutes. The tool only reads your file to build the report and never re-encodes or alters it. We never share, sell, or reuse your videos.

Video Metadata Frequently Asked Questions

How do I view a video's metadata?

Upload your video to the tool above. The tool reads the file with ffprobe and returns a .txt report listing its duration, file size, bitrate, video codec, resolution, frame rate, audio codec, sample rate, and channel layout. The whole process runs online in your browser, with nothing to install.

What metadata does this tool show?

The report covers the key technical properties of the file: duration, file size, overall bitrate, video codec, resolution, frame rate, audio codec, sample rate, and channel layout. It is a full snapshot of how the video and audio are stored.

Does this tool edit or change video metadata?

No. This is a read-only viewer. It reads your file and reports the details, but it does not edit, change, rename, or write metadata. Your original video is never altered.

Can it remove GPS or personal tags from my video?

No. This tool only views and reports metadata, it does not strip or remove anything. If a report shows a tag, the tool can show it to you but cannot delete it from the file.

How do I check a video's codec?

Upload the clip and read the report. It lists the video codec (such as H.264 or HEVC) and the audio codec (such as AAC), so you can confirm whether a player or editor will open the file.

How do I find the resolution and frame rate of a video?

The report shows the exact resolution in pixels and the frame rate in frames per second, both read directly from the video stream by ffprobe.

What file formats can I check?

The tool accepts MP4, MOV, AVI, and MKV files. Upload any of these and it returns a text report of the file's technical details.

What does the tool give me back?

You get a plain .txt report of the file's metadata. You can read it in any text editor, copy it into a message, or save it alongside your video for reference.

Why will my video not play or upload?

Often the metadata explains it. An unexpected codec, an unusual resolution, a very high bitrate, or a missing audio stream can all cause playback or upload problems. Reading the report is the first step to spotting the cause.

I need a fuller technical report. What should I use?

For a deeper, stream-by-stream breakdown of a file, use our Video Analyse tool. This metadata viewer is the quick way to see the headline properties like codec, resolution, and bitrate.

Is the video metadata viewer free?

Yes, the tool is free to use. Upload your video, read the metadata, and download the text report.

Is my data safe when I check video metadata online?

Yes. Files are transferred over an encrypted connection, read securely, and automatically deleted within 30 minutes. The tool only reads your file and never changes it. We never share or sell your videos.

About Viewing Video Metadata

A video file carries far more than the picture on screen. Its codec, resolution, frame rate, bitrate, and audio settings all sit in the file as technical metadata, and they decide whether a clip plays, uploads, and edits the way you expect. When something goes wrong, or when you simply need to confirm what you are holding, reading that metadata is the quickest path to an answer, which is why checking a video's properties is one of the most useful things you can do before converting or sharing it.

This free online tool reads that information for you using ffprobe, the inspection utility from the FFmpeg project. It opens your video, measures the video and audio streams, and returns a clean text report of the duration, file size, bitrate, video codec, resolution, frame rate, audio codec, sample rate, and channel layout, all without changing the original file. It views and reports, it does not edit or remove anything. Upload your clip, read the metadata, and download a report that tells you exactly what your video is made of. When you need a fuller stream-by-stream analysis, our Video Analyse tool takes it further.