# Core Video image format utilities Create, copy, and query Core Video image format descriptions. ## Topics ### Creating Core Video image formats [`class vImageCVImageFormat`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImageCVImageFormat) A mutable description of image encoding in a Core Video pixel buffer. [`class vImageConstCVImageFormat`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImageConstCVImageFormat) An immutable description of image encoding in a Core Video pixel buffer. [`func vImageCVImageFormat_CreateWithCVPixelBuffer(CVPixelBuffer!) -> Unmanaged!`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImageCVImageFormat_CreateWithCVPixelBuffer(_:)) Creates the description of the image encoding in an existing Core Video pixel buffer. [`func vImageCVImageFormat_Create(UInt32, UnsafePointer!, CFString!, CGColorSpace!, Int32) -> Unmanaged!`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImageCVImageFormat_Create(_:_:_:_:_:)) Creates the description of image encoding in a Core Video pixel buffer from the specified properties. ### Copying Core Video image formats [`func vImageCVImageFormat_Copy(vImageConstCVImageFormat) -> Unmanaged!`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImageCVImageFormat_Copy(_:)) Returns a mutable copy of an immutable Core Video image format. ### Querying and setting the alpha hint [`func vImageCVImageFormat_GetAlphaHint(vImageConstCVImageFormat) -> Int32`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImageCVImageFormat_GetAlphaHint(_:)) Returns the alpha hint of a Core Video image format. [`func vImageCVImageFormat_SetAlphaHint(vImageCVImageFormat, Int32) -> vImage_Error`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImageCVImageFormat_SetAlphaHint(_:_:)) Sets the alpha hint of a Core Video image format. ### Querying and setting channel information [`func vImageCVImageFormat_GetChannelCount(vImageConstCVImageFormat) -> UInt32`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImageCVImageFormat_GetChannelCount(_:)) Returns the number of channels, including alpha, for the Core Video image format. [`func vImageCVImageFormat_GetChannelDescription(vImageConstCVImageFormat, vImageBufferTypeCode) -> UnsafePointer!`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImageCVImageFormat_GetChannelDescription(_:_:)) Returns the channel description for a particular channel type. [`func vImageCVImageFormat_CopyChannelDescription(vImageCVImageFormat, UnsafePointer, vImageBufferTypeCode) -> vImage_Error`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImageCVImageFormat_CopyChannelDescription(_:_:_:)) Copies the channel description for a particular channel type to an image format. [`func vImageCVImageFormat_GetChannelNames(vImageConstCVImageFormat) -> UnsafePointer!`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImageCVImageFormat_GetChannelNames(_:)) Returns the names of the channels of a Core Video image format. [`struct vImageChannelDescription`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImageChannelDescription) A description of the range and clamp limits for a pixel format. ### Querying and setting the chrominance siting [`func vImageCVImageFormat_GetChromaSiting(vImageConstCVImageFormat) -> Unmanaged!`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImageCVImageFormat_GetChromaSiting(_:)) Returns the chrominance siting of a Core Video image format. [`func vImageCVImageFormat_SetChromaSiting(vImageCVImageFormat, CFString!) -> vImage_Error`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImageCVImageFormat_SetChromaSiting(_:_:)) Sets the chrominance siting of a Core Video image format. ### Querying and setting the color space [`func vImageCVImageFormat_GetColorSpace(vImageConstCVImageFormat) -> Unmanaged!`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImageCVImageFormat_GetColorSpace(_:)) Returns the color space of a Core Video image format. [`func vImageCVImageFormat_SetColorSpace(vImageCVImageFormat, CGColorSpace!) -> vImage_Error`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImageCVImageFormat_SetColorSpace(_:_:)) Sets the color space of a Core Video image format. ### Querying and setting the conversion matrix [`func vImageCVImageFormat_GetConversionMatrix(vImageConstCVImageFormat, UnsafeMutablePointer!) -> UnsafeRawPointer!`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImageCVImageFormat_GetConversionMatrix(_:_:)) Returns a pointer to the RGB-to-YpCbCr conversion matrix of a Core Video image format. [`func vImageCVImageFormat_CopyConversionMatrix(vImageCVImageFormat, UnsafeRawPointer, vImageMatrixType) -> vImage_Error`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImageCVImageFormat_CopyConversionMatrix(_:_:_:)) Copies an RGB-to-YpCbCr conversion matrix to an image format’s internal matrix. ### Querying the image format code [`func vImageCVImageFormat_GetFormatCode(vImageConstCVImageFormat) -> UInt32`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImageCVImageFormat_GetFormatCode(_:)) Returns the four-character code that encodes the pixel format of a Core Video image format. ### Querying and setting the user data [`func vImageCVImageFormat_GetUserData(vImageConstCVImageFormat) -> UnsafeMutableRawPointer!`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImageCVImageFormat_GetUserData(_:)) Returns the user data of a Core Video image format. [`func vImageCVImageFormat_SetUserData(vImageCVImageFormat, UnsafeMutableRawPointer!, ((vImageCVImageFormat?, UnsafeMutableRawPointer?) -> Void)!) -> vImage_Error`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImageCVImageFormat_SetUserData(_:_:_:)) Sets the user data of a Core Video image format. ### Image format memory management [`void vImageCVImageFormat_Retain(vImageCVImageFormatRef fmt);`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImageCVImageFormat_Retain) Retains a Core Video image format. [`void vImageCVImageFormat_Release(vImageCVImageFormatRef fmt);`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImageCVImageFormat_Release) Releases a Core Video image format. --- Copyright © 2026 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. | [Terms of Use](https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/terms/site.html) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.apple.com/privacy/privacy-policy)