How to change the Video Codec SCRCPY uses | H.264, H.265, AV1.

If you use SCRCPY and would like to change the Video Codec that it is using. This article will show you how to change SCRCPY from the default H.264 codec it uses to either H.265 or AV1. Two vastly different Video Codecs that offer much more efficient data transfer and compression. These codecs will make a big difference to your SCRCPY experience.

Related: How to use multiple phones with SCRCPY. Set up two phones with SCRCPY.

SCRCPY is the number 1 Android to PC screen mirroring tool on the market. It’s free, pretty easy to use, and with the latest update to version 2.0, now comes with a ton of extra features. SCRCPY 2.0 has the added ability to change video codes, stream/cast audio to PC, and adjustable video and audio bitrates. It also have several new video codec options to choose from. This means you can dramatically improve the performance you are getting from SCRCPY. For instance, I am currently running the following commands.

This string of commands keeps SCRCPY always awake on my PC, while the screen is off on the device. Doubles the video bitrate for better video quality. Changes the video codec to h265 for more efficient transfer speeds (audio & video) and bumps up the max fps to 144 where possible. If you want to learn how to set up a shortcut for SCRCPY that will run multiple options check out the guide below.

How to create SCRCPY Batch file shortcuts to run multiple commands.

In this guide we’ll be showing you how to change the video codec that SCRCPY is using. There are now 3 options available H.264 (default) H.265, and AV1. Keep in mind that not all of these will work on all devices though.

H264: This is the default video codec used by SCRCPY. It offers a good balance between video quality and latency. It is widely supported by most devices and video players.

H265: Also known as High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), this codec offers better video quality than h264 at the same bitrate. It is designed to handle 4K and HDR content, and is becoming increasingly popular on newer devices.

AV1: This is a newer and more advanced video codec that offers even better video quality than h265 at the same bitrate. It is designed to be royalty-free and open-source, making it a popular choice for online video streaming platforms. However, it is not yet widely supported by most devices and video players.

How do you change the Video Codec that SCRCPY uses? Using AV1, H265, H.264 in SCRCPY.

Open the Command Prompt as Administrator on your device.

• Open Command Prompt on Windows, press the Windows key + R to open the Run tool. Type "cmd" and hit Enter.
• Next, navigate to SCRCPY Directory by doing the following. Type "cd" followed by the path to the SCRCPY directory. For example, if SCRCPY is installed in the C drive on Windows, you can type "C:\SCRCPY\scrcpy-win64-v2.0".
• Once you have pointed Command Prompt to the correct location type one of the following commands:

Once you copied the command into the Command Prompt window, press Enter and SCRCPY will launch using the requested video codec. If it crashes it may not be supported on your device. Keep in mind that older devices probably won’t support H.265 and AV1.