OGV (Ogg video)
Also known as: ogv file, Ogg Theora, .ogv, Ogg video
OGV is a video file in the Ogg container, an open, royalty-free format typically pairing Theora video with Vorbis audio. It was created for the open web, but modern sites favor more efficient formats like WebM and MP4, so OGV is now uncommon.
- Open, royalty-free Ogg video container
- Usually Theora video with Vorbis audio
- Largely replaced by WebM and MP4
The open-web video format
OGV uses the Ogg container from the Xiph.org Foundation, the same project behind Ogg and Vorbis audio. A typical .ogv holds Theora video and Vorbis audio, with no licensing fees — the appeal that made it an early HTML5 video option.
Because it is fully open, OGV was promoted for browsers and projects that wanted to avoid patent-encumbered codecs, and it still appears on sites like Wikimedia.
Why OGV faded and what to use
Theora compresses less efficiently than newer codecs, so OGV files tend to be larger or lower quality at the same size than equivalent WebM (VP9/AV1) or MP4 (H.264). The web largely moved to those instead.
If you need broad playback or smaller files, transcode .ogv to MP4 or WebM. Keep OGV only when you specifically need an open, royalty-free format.