Does Vegas Pro Add Support for AV1 Decoding and Encoding?

AV1 is an open, royalty-free video codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media. Over the past few years, AV1 has gained popularity due to its open-source nature and excellent compression efficiency.

Despite these advantages, many Vegas Pro users are curious about whether Vegas Pro fully supports AV1 decoding and encoding. This article aims to provide a comprehensive and clear answer.

• 📌 Vegas Pro supports AV1 but with CPU-only encoding and format restrictions.
• 📌 Third-party tools like Voukoder Pro and WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro fill the performance gaps.
• 📌 Future updates may resolve current limitations, making AV1 workflows seamless.

If you have been tracking the official update notes 📢 from MAGIX (the developer of VEGAS Pro), you might already know the native AV1 support (both decoding and encoding) was first introduced in VEGAS Pro 21 Build 187.

According to the changelog referenced on the VEGAS Creative Software forum, you can import AV1 footage and export your projects in the AV1 format using built-in presets.

You'd better upgrade to the latest version of Vegas Pro. This is because newer builds have GPU decoding for AV1. Imagine you are using an NVIDIA GPU that supports AV1 decoding, it will speed up the importing process, especially when you deal with high-res AV1-encoded footage.

Next let's talk about how to encode a video in AV1 within Vegas Pro. If you are using VEGAS Pro 21 Build 187 or higher, you can start experimenting with AV1 encoding. If not, upgrade your Vegas Pro. And below is a brief walkthrough:

• Launch your VEGAS Pro and create a project.
• Navigate to the "Project Media" tab, click the "Import Media..." button to choose the video files you want to work with.
• Then add them on to the timeline.

This is an optional step. If you simply want to export AV1 video without changes, skip to the next step.

If required, perform your editing tasks (trimming, color correction, adding effects and transitions, etc.) as usual.

Make sure to preview the footage to see if everything is running smoothly as expected.

• Click on "File" in the menu bar, then select "Render As...".
• In the pop-up "Render As" window, select "MAGIX AV1" from the "Formats" column.
• Next, choose an AV1 template on the right side of the window.
• Then click the "Browse" button to choose a location where to save the AV1-encoded video and give it a name.
• Finally, hit "Render" to start the encoding process.

As of the latest version (VEGAS Pro 22 Build 239), it only offers CPU-based AV1 encoding. This means users with older or less powerful computers might experience long processing times, high CPU usage, or occasional freezes.

To ease the dilemma, use a high-speed SSD drive and try to close background apps to free up CPU resources. For complex projects, consider splitting the export into smaller segments.

For those who are not willing to wait for the updates of VEGAS Pro, the Voukoder Pro plugin (the successor to Voukoder) can be used to accelerate AV1 video encoding. It is a powerful third-party plugin designed to extend the encoding capabilities of many NLEs, including Vegas Pro.

Make sure your hardware supports Intel QSV, NVidia NVENC, or AMD AMF and install the latest drivers. For example,

• ✔️ NVIDIA NVENC (RTX 40/50 series GPUs)
• ✔️ Intel Quick Sync Video (ARC series GPUs)
• ✔️ AMD AMF (Radeon RX 7000/9000 GPUs)

Then follow the steps to boost VEGAS Pro AV1 encoding speed with Voukoder Pro:

First, go to the GitHub release page to download and install the FFmpeg 7.1 installer as Voukoder Pro relies on it to do the actual encoding work.

Choose either the GPL or LGPL version right here. But you're recommended to choose the GPL version if you're also interested in H.264 and HEVC encoding because it includes the x264 and x265 encoders.

Once complete, add the installation directory to the PATH environment variable.

Download and install the latest version of Voukoder Pro from the Forum Thread.

Choose your Vegas Pro version during the installation and ensure the installation directory is correct.

• Request a trial license key from THIS PAGE using a valid email address.
• Then launch VoukoderPro Designer, go to "Help" > "Register".
• Copy and paste your received key in the registration dialog, click OK to activate it.

• After activation, double-click the "Video Encoder" node and choose the "AV1" option based on your hardware (AMD, Nvidia, or Intel).
• If your hardware is not qualified for GPU-accelerated encoding, go to the "General" category, and select "LIBAOM-AV1", "LIBRAV1E", or "LIBSVTAV1". Then click OK.
• Double-click the "Audio Encoder" node to select an audio format like AAC.
• Double-click the "Muxer" node to select a widely-supported container like MP4.
• Then save your scene and give it a name.

• Open your Vegas Pro, import your media, add to timeline, and edit as usual.
• Now go to "File" > "Render As...". Then you can see the "Voukoder Pro" option in the "Formats" column.
• Select a template and click on the "Customize Template..." button.
• In the pop-up dialog box, choose the scene you just created, and click OK.
• Choose an output location and click "Render".

Despite Vegas Pro's gradual improvements in AV1 support, there are still some limitations to keep in mind:

AV1 videos are commonly encapsulated in WebM, MKV, and MP4 formats. Unfortunately, VEGAS Pro still does not support WebM and MKV formats up to now. You will have to rely on MP4 if you want to use AV1 directly in Vegas Pro.

In other words, if you want to use AV1-encoded WebM or MKV files in Vegas Pro, you may need to convert them to a supported format first.

Also Read: Does Vegas Pro Support H.264 | Import MOV into Vegas Pro | Fix Vegas MP4 Import Issues

CPU-only encoding often leads to crashes or freezing during long renders. These problems can seriously affect the user experience during the video-editing process.

Vegas Pro still has a long way to go in integrating its support for AV1. It may take some time for MAGIX to optimize these processes further.

Therefore, at this stage, it may be advisable to combine Vegas Pro with a third-party video conversion tool. This hybrid approach allows you to edit in Vegas Pro while using another application for reliable AV1 transcoding.

One popular option is WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro with support for AV1 encoding and decoding. This software provides a comprehensive suite of audio and video processing tools, covering over 600 video and audio formats. It also offers other benefits:

• ✨ Handle HD video conversion quickly and efficiently, reducing file sizes without sacrificing quality.
• ✨ Offer basic editing tools, batch conversion capabilities, and even downloader and recorder features.
• ✨ With a user-friendly interface and straightforward layout, it is a great option for beginners.

Get the versatile application and follow the conversion steps below:

Download for Free

Download for Free

• DownloadDownload and install WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro on your Windows PC.
• Launch it and open the "Converter" module.
• Click "Add Files" to import your AV1-encoded footage or video files in other formats.

• After the files are loaded, click on the Format image on the right side.
• You can select any option based on your need from the extended full list of output format library.

For example, you're able to convert AV1 video to Vegas Pro-friendly format for further editing, or convert Vegas Pro exported video to AV1.

• At the bottom of the interface, click on the inverted triangle icon to choose an output location.
• Finally, hit the "Run" button to start the encoding process.

The current version of Vegas Pro supports AV1 encoding and decoding; however, the implementation is still in its early stages:

Expected Improvements

Future releases are anticipated to include GPU-based encoding support for AV1. This should drastically reduce rendering times and lower CPU usage. The upgrade would also likely address current stability issues and broaden container support.

Ongoing Development

The Vegas team has shown a commitment to enhancing AV1 support, as evidenced by recent updates and community feedback. Users can expect continuous improvements and bug fixes in upcoming builds.

Vegas Pro now partially supports AV1, but its reliance on CPU encoding and lack of format flexibility make it impractical for heavy users. To maximize efficiency:

• Casual users: Use native AV1 encoding for short projects (MP4 only) or combine Vegas Pro with WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro.
• Advanced users: Pair Vegas Pro with Voukoder Pro for GPU acceleration and format versatility.

As AV1 adoption grows, if you plan to work extensively with AV1 content, make sure to have a robust system and hardware that support GPU decoding and encoding. Meanwhile, we can expect better AV1 compatibility and performance from Vegas Pro in the near future.

A: Yes. Native AV1 support (both decoding and encoding) was introduced in VEGAS Pro 21 Build 187. However, the built-in encoder is still CPU-based, which may result in slower performance.

A: Yes. You'll need a high-end graphics card that supports AV1 hardware encoding (such as NVIDIA's RTX 40/50 series, Intel's ARC series, or AMD's Radeon RX 7000/9000 series) along with the latest drivers installed. If your GPU doesn't have AV1 encoding support, Voukoder Pro can still use software-based encoders like LIBAOM-AV1, LIBRAV1E, or LIBSVTAV1.

A: Yes, you can continue using older versions of Voukoder for free, often referred to as "Voukoder Classic". These versions are available for download on the official GitHub repository. However, it is no longer maintained or updated as the developer is focusing all the efforts on Voukoder Pro.

A: Make sure you have the FFmpeg 7.1 installed, and the installation directory has been added to the PATH environment variable. Confirm that the Voukoder Pro is correctly installed in the proper Vegas Pro directory. Press CTRL+SHIFT on the keyboard while launching your Vegas Pro to reset all preferences to default values. Then try it again.