# Pixel Format Description Keys The attributes of a pixel format. ## Discussion If you need to define a custom pixel format, you must specify these keys in a Core Foundation dictionary. For information about registering your pixel format, see [Technical Q&A 1401: Registering Custom Pixel Formats with QuickTime and Core Video](http://developer.apple.com/qa/qa2005/qa1401.html). In most cases you do not need to specify your own pixel format. ## Topics ### Constants [`kCVPixelFormatComponentRange`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatComponentRange) [`kCVPixelFormatComponentRange_FullRange`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatComponentRange_FullRange) [`kCVPixelFormatComponentRange_VideoRange`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatComponentRange_VideoRange) [`kCVPixelFormatComponentRange_WideRange`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatComponentRange_WideRange) [`kCVPixelFormatContainsRGB`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatContainsRGB) [`kCVPixelFormatContainsYCbCr`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatContainsYCbCr) [`kCVPixelFormatName`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatName) The name of the pixel format (type `CFString`). This should be the same as the codec name you would use in QuickTime. [`kCVPixelFormatConstant`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatConstant) The pixel format constant for QuickTime. [`kCVPixelFormatCodecType`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatCodecType) The codec type (type `CFString`). For example, `'2vuy'` or `k422YpCbCr8CodecType`. [`kCVPixelFormatFourCC`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatFourCC) The Microsoft FourCC equivalent code for this pixel format (type `CFString`). [`kCVPixelFormatContainsAlpha`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatContainsAlpha) A Boolean value where indicates that the format contains alpha and some images may be considered transparent; indicates that there is no alpha and images are always opaque. [`kCVPixelFormatPlanes`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatPlanes) [`kCVPixelFormatBlockWidth`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatBlockWidth) [`kCVPixelFormatBlockHeight`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatBlockHeight) The height, in pixels, of the smallest byte-addressable group of pixels (type `CFNumber`). Assumed to be 1 if this key is not present. [`kCVPixelFormatBitsPerBlock`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatBitsPerBlock) [`kCVPixelFormatBlockHorizontalAlignment`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatBlockHorizontalAlignment) The horizontal alignment requirements of this format (type `CFNumber`). For example,the alignment for v210 would be 8 here for the horizontal case to match the standard v210 row alignment value of 48. Assumed to be 1 if this key is not present. [`kCVPixelFormatBlockVerticalAlignment`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatBlockVerticalAlignment) The vertical alignment requirements of this format (type `CFNumber`). Assumed to be 1 if this key is not present. [`kCVPixelFormatBlackBlock`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatBlackBlock) The bit pattern for a block of black pixels (type `CFData`. If this key is absent, black is assumed to be all zeros. If present, this should be `bitsPerPixel` bits long; if `bitsPerPixel` is less than a byte, repeat the bit pattern for the full byte. [`kCVPixelFormatHorizontalSubsampling`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatHorizontalSubsampling) Horizontal subsampling information for this plane (type `CFNumber`). Assumed to be 1 if this key is not present. [`kCVPixelFormatVerticalSubsampling`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatVerticalSubsampling) Vertical subsampling information for this plane (type `CFNumber`). Assumed to be 1 if this key is not present. [`kCVPixelFormatOpenGLFormat`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatOpenGLFormat) The OpenGL format used to describe this image plane (if applicable). See the [OpenGL specification](http://www.opengl.org/documentation/) for possible values. [`kCVPixelFormatOpenGLType`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatOpenGLType) The OpenGL type to describe this image plane (if applicable). See the [OpenGL specification](http://www.opengl.org/documentation/) for possible values. [`kCVPixelFormatOpenGLInternalFormat`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatOpenGLInternalFormat) The OpenGL internal format for this pixel format (if applicable). See the [OpenGL specification](http://www.opengl.org/documentation/) for possible values. [`kCVPixelFormatCGBitmapInfo`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatCGBitmapInfo) The Core Graphics bitmap information for this pixel format (if applicable). [`kCVPixelFormatQDCompatibility`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatQDCompatibility) If true, this format is compatible with QuickDraw (type `CFBoolean`). [`kCVPixelFormatCGBitmapContextCompatibility`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatCGBitmapContextCompatibility) If true, this format is compatible with Core Graphics bitmap contexts(type `CFBoolean`). [`kCVPixelFormatCGImageCompatibility`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatCGImageCompatibility) If true, this format is compatible with the `CGImage` type (type `CFBoolean`). [`kCVPixelFormatOpenGLCompatibility`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatOpenGLCompatibility) If true, this format is compatible with OpenGL (type `CFBoolean`). [`kCVPixelFormatOpenGLESCompatibility`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatOpenGLESCompatibility) If true, this format is compatible with OpenGLES (type `CFBoolean`). [`kCVPixelFormatFillExtendedPixelsCallback`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatFillExtendedPixelsCallback) A custom extended pixel fill algorithm (type `CFData`). See [`CVFillExtendedPixelsCallBack`](/documentation/CoreVideo/CVFillExtendedPixelsCallBack) and [`CVFillExtendedPixelsCallBackData`](/documentation/CoreVideo/CVFillExtendedPixelsCallBackData) for more information. [`kCVPixelFormatBitsPerComponent`](/documentation/CoreVideo/kCVPixelFormatBitsPerComponent) --- Copyright © 2026 Apple Inc. 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