VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR(3)

# VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR(3) Manual Page

## Name

VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR - Structure specifying parameters of a newly created video session

## C Specification

The VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR structure is defined as:

    // Provided by VK_KHR_video_queue
    typedef struct VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR {
        VkStructureType                 sType;
        const void*                     pNext;
        uint32_t                        queueFamilyIndex;
        VkVideoSessionCreateFlagsKHR    flags;
        const VkVideoProfileInfoKHR*    pVideoProfile;
        VkFormat                        pictureFormat;
        VkExtent2D                      maxCodedExtent;
        VkFormat                        referencePictureFormat;
        uint32_t                        maxDpbSlots;
        uint32_t                        maxActiveReferencePictures;
        const VkExtensionProperties*    pStdHeaderVersion;
    } VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR;

## Members

- `sType` is a VkStructureType value identifying this structure.

- `pNext` is `NULL` or a pointer to a structure extending this structure.

- `queueFamilyIndex` is the index of the queue family the created video session will be used with.

- `flags` is a bitmask of VkVideoSessionCreateFlagBitsKHR specifying creation flags.

- `pVideoProfile` is a pointer to a VkVideoProfileInfoKHR structure specifying the video profile the created video session will be used with.

- `pictureFormat` is the image format the created video session will be used with. If `pVideoProfile->videoCodecOperation` specifies a decode operation, then `pictureFormat` is the image format of decode output pictures usable with the created video session. If `pVideoProfile->videoCodecOperation` specifies an encode operation, then `pictureFormat` is the image format of encode input pictures usable with the created video session.

- `maxCodedExtent` is the maximum width and height of the coded frames the created video session will be used with.

- `referencePictureFormat` is the image format of reference pictures stored in the DPB the created video session will be used with.

- `maxDpbSlots` is the maximum number of DPB Slots that can be used with the created video session.

- `maxActiveReferencePictures` is the maximum number of active reference pictures that can be used in a single video coding operation using the created video session.

- `pStdHeaderVersion` is a pointer to a VkExtensionProperties structure requesting the Video Std header version to use for the `videoCodecOperation` specified in `pVideoProfile`.

## Description

Valid Usage

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-protectedMemory-07189
  If the `protectedMemory` feature is not enabled or if VkVideoCapabilitiesKHR::`flags` does not include VK_VIDEO_CAPABILITY_PROTECTED_CONTENT_BIT_KHR, as returned by vkGetPhysicalDeviceVideoCapabilitiesKHR for the video profile specified by `pVideoProfile`, then `flags` must not include VK_VIDEO_SESSION_CREATE_PROTECTED_CONTENT_BIT_KHR

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-flags-08371
  If `flags` includes VK_VIDEO_SESSION_CREATE_INLINE_QUERIES_BIT_KHR, then `videoMaintenance1` must be enabled

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-flags-10398
  If `flags` includes VK_VIDEO_SESSION_CREATE_INLINE_SESSION_PARAMETERS_BIT_KHR, then `videoMaintenance2` must be enabled

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-flags-10399
  If `flags` includes VK_VIDEO_SESSION_CREATE_INLINE_SESSION_PARAMETERS_BIT_KHR, then `pVideoProfile->videoCodecOperation` must specify a decode operation

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-flags-10264
  If `flags` includes VK_VIDEO_SESSION_CREATE_ALLOW_ENCODE_QUANTIZATION_DELTA_MAP_BIT_KHR or VK_VIDEO_SESSION_CREATE_ALLOW_ENCODE_EMPHASIS_MAP_BIT_KHR, then the `videoEncodeQuantizationMap` feature must be enabled

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-flags-10265
  If `flags` includes VK_VIDEO_SESSION_CREATE_ALLOW_ENCODE_QUANTIZATION_DELTA_MAP_BIT_KHR or VK_VIDEO_SESSION_CREATE_ALLOW_ENCODE_EMPHASIS_MAP_BIT_KHR, then `pVideoProfile->videoCodecOperation` must specify an encode operation

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-flags-10266
  If `flags` includes VK_VIDEO_SESSION_CREATE_ALLOW_ENCODE_QUANTIZATION_DELTA_MAP_BIT_KHR, then it must not also include VK_VIDEO_SESSION_CREATE_ALLOW_ENCODE_EMPHASIS_MAP_BIT_KHR

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-flags-10267
  If VkVideoEncodeCapabilitiesKHR::`flags` does not include VK_VIDEO_ENCODE_CAPABILITY_QUANTIZATION_DELTA_MAP_BIT_KHR, as returned by vkGetPhysicalDeviceVideoCapabilitiesKHR for the video profile specified by `pVideoProfile`, then `flags` must not include VK_VIDEO_SESSION_CREATE_ALLOW_ENCODE_QUANTIZATION_DELTA_MAP_BIT_KHR

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-flags-10268
  If VkVideoEncodeCapabilitiesKHR::`flags` does not include VK_VIDEO_ENCODE_CAPABILITY_EMPHASIS_MAP_BIT_KHR, as returned by vkGetPhysicalDeviceVideoCapabilitiesKHR for the video profile specified by `pVideoProfile`, then `flags` must not include VK_VIDEO_SESSION_CREATE_ALLOW_ENCODE_EMPHASIS_MAP_BIT_KHR

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-pVideoProfile-11759
  `pVideoProfile->videoCodecOperation` must be supported by the queue family index specified in `queueFamilyIndex`, as reported in VkQueueFamilyVideoPropertiesKHR::`videoCodecOperations`

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-pVideoProfile-04845
  `pVideoProfile` must be a supported video profile

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-maxDpbSlots-04847
  `maxDpbSlots` must be less than or equal to VkVideoCapabilitiesKHR::`maxDpbSlots`, as returned by vkGetPhysicalDeviceVideoCapabilitiesKHR for the video profile specified by `pVideoProfile`

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-maxActiveReferencePictures-04849
  `maxActiveReferencePictures` must be less than or equal to VkVideoCapabilitiesKHR::`maxActiveReferencePictures`, as returned by vkGetPhysicalDeviceVideoCapabilitiesKHR for the video profile specified by `pVideoProfile`

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-maxDpbSlots-04850
  If either `maxDpbSlots` or `maxActiveReferencePictures` is `0`, then both must be `0`

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-maxCodedExtent-04851
  `maxCodedExtent` must be between VkVideoCapabilitiesKHR::`minCodedExtent` and VkVideoCapabilitiesKHR::`maxCodedExtent`, inclusive, as returned by vkGetPhysicalDeviceVideoCapabilitiesKHR for the video profile specified by `pVideoProfile`

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-referencePictureFormat-04852
  If `pVideoProfile->videoCodecOperation` specifies a decode operation and `maxActiveReferencePictures` is greater than `0`, then `referencePictureFormat` must be one of the supported decode DPB formats, as returned by vkGetPhysicalDeviceVideoFormatPropertiesKHR in VkVideoFormatPropertiesKHR::`format` when called with the `imageUsage` member of its `pVideoFormatInfo` parameter containing VK_IMAGE_USAGE_VIDEO_DECODE_DPB_BIT_KHR, and with a VkVideoProfileListInfoKHR structure specified in the `pNext` chain of its `pVideoFormatInfo` parameter whose `pProfiles` member contains an element matching `pVideoProfile`

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-referencePictureFormat-06814
  If `pVideoProfile->videoCodecOperation` specifies an encode operation and `maxActiveReferencePictures` is greater than `0`, then `referencePictureFormat` must be one of the supported decode DPB formats, as returned by then `referencePictureFormat` must be one of the supported encode DPB formats, as returned by vkGetPhysicalDeviceVideoFormatPropertiesKHR in VkVideoFormatPropertiesKHR::`format` when called with the `imageUsage` member of its `pVideoFormatInfo` parameter containing VK_IMAGE_USAGE_VIDEO_ENCODE_DPB_BIT_KHR, and with a VkVideoProfileListInfoKHR structure specified in the `pNext` chain of its `pVideoFormatInfo` parameter whose `pProfiles` member contains an element matching `pVideoProfile`

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-pictureFormat-04853
  If `pVideoProfile->videoCodecOperation` specifies a decode operation, then `pictureFormat` must be one of the supported decode output formats, as returned by vkGetPhysicalDeviceVideoFormatPropertiesKHR in VkVideoFormatPropertiesKHR::`format` when called with the `imageUsage` member of its `pVideoFormatInfo` parameter containing VK_IMAGE_USAGE_VIDEO_DECODE_DST_BIT_KHR, and with a VkVideoProfileListInfoKHR structure specified in the `pNext` chain of its `pVideoFormatInfo` parameter whose `pProfiles` member contains an element matching `pVideoProfile`

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-pictureFormat-04854
  If `pVideoProfile->videoCodecOperation` specifies an encode operation, then `pictureFormat` must be one of the supported encode input formats, as returned by vkGetPhysicalDeviceVideoFormatPropertiesKHR in VkVideoFormatPropertiesKHR::`format` when called with the `imageUsage` member of its `pVideoFormatInfo` parameter containing VK_IMAGE_USAGE_VIDEO_ENCODE_SRC_BIT_KHR, and with a VkVideoProfileListInfoKHR structure specified in the `pNext` chain of its `pVideoFormatInfo` parameter whose `pProfiles` member contains an element matching `pVideoProfile`

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-pVideoProfile-10835
  If `pVideoProfile->videoCodecOperation` specifies an encode operation, the `pNext` chain of this structure includes a VkVideoEncodeSessionIntraRefreshCreateInfoKHR structure, and its `intraRefreshMode` member is not VK_VIDEO_ENCODE_INTRA_REFRESH_MODE_NONE_KHR, then the `videoEncodeIntraRefresh` feature must be enabled

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-pVideoProfile-10836
  If `pVideoProfile->videoCodecOperation` specifies an encode operation, the `pNext` chain of this structure includes a VkVideoEncodeSessionIntraRefreshCreateInfoKHR structure, and its `intraRefreshMode` member is not VK_VIDEO_ENCODE_INTRA_REFRESH_MODE_NONE_KHR, then `intraRefreshMode` must specify one of the bits included in VkVideoEncodeIntraRefreshCapabilitiesKHR::`intraRefreshModes`, as returned by vkGetPhysicalDeviceVideoCapabilitiesKHR for the video profile specified by `pVideoProfile`

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-pStdHeaderVersion-07190
  `pStdHeaderVersion->extensionName` must match VkVideoCapabilitiesKHR::`stdHeaderVersion.extensionName`, as returned by vkGetPhysicalDeviceVideoCapabilitiesKHR for the video profile specified by `pVideoProfile`

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-pStdHeaderVersion-07191
  `pStdHeaderVersion->specVersion` must be less than or equal to VkVideoCapabilitiesKHR::`stdHeaderVersion.specVersion`, as returned by vkGetPhysicalDeviceVideoCapabilitiesKHR for the video profile specified by `pVideoProfile`

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-pVideoProfile-10793
  If `pVideoProfile->videoCodecOperation` is VK_VIDEO_CODEC_OPERATION_DECODE_VP9_BIT_KHR, then the `videoDecodeVP9` feature must be enabled

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-pVideoProfile-08251
  If `pVideoProfile->videoCodecOperation` is VK_VIDEO_CODEC_OPERATION_ENCODE_H264_BIT_KHR and the `pNext` chain of this structure includes a VkVideoEncodeH264SessionCreateInfoKHR structure, then its `maxLevelIdc` member must be less than or equal to VkVideoEncodeH264CapabilitiesKHR::`maxLevelIdc`, as returned by vkGetPhysicalDeviceVideoCapabilitiesKHR for the video profile specified in `pVideoProfile`

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-pVideoProfile-08252
  If `pVideoProfile->videoCodecOperation` is VK_VIDEO_CODEC_OPERATION_ENCODE_H265_BIT_KHR and the `pNext` chain of this structure includes a VkVideoEncodeH265SessionCreateInfoKHR structure, then its `maxLevelIdc` member must be less than or equal to VkVideoEncodeH265CapabilitiesKHR::`maxLevelIdc`, as returned by vkGetPhysicalDeviceVideoCapabilitiesKHR for the video profile specified in `pVideoProfile`

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-pVideoProfile-10269
  If `pVideoProfile->videoCodecOperation` is VK_VIDEO_CODEC_OPERATION_ENCODE_AV1_BIT_KHR, then the `videoEncodeAV1` feature must be enabled

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-pVideoProfile-10270
  If `pVideoProfile->videoCodecOperation` is VK_VIDEO_CODEC_OPERATION_ENCODE_AV1_BIT_KHR and the `pNext` chain of this structure includes a VkVideoEncodeAV1SessionCreateInfoKHR structure, then its `maxLevel` member must be less than or equal to VkVideoEncodeAV1CapabilitiesKHR::`maxLevel`, as returned by vkGetPhysicalDeviceVideoCapabilitiesKHR for the video profile specified in `pVideoProfile`

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-pVideoProfile-10923
  If the `pVideoProfile->pNext` chain includes a VkVideoEncodeProfileRgbConversionInfoVALVE structure, then the `videoEncodeRgbConversion` feature must be enabled

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-pNext-10924
  If a VkVideoEncodeProfileRgbConversionInfoVALVE structure is included in the `pNext` chain of `pVideoProfile` and `VkVideoEncodeProfileRgbConversionInfoVALVE`::`performEncodeRgbConversion` is enabled, a VkVideoEncodeSessionRgbConversionCreateInfoVALVE structure must be included in the `pNext` chain of VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR

Valid Usage (Implicit)

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-sType-sType
  `sType` must be VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_VIDEO_SESSION_CREATE_INFO_KHR

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-pNext-pNext
  Each `pNext` member of any structure (including this one) in the `pNext` chain must be either `NULL` or a pointer to a valid instance of VkVideoEncodeAV1SessionCreateInfoKHR, VkVideoEncodeH264SessionCreateInfoKHR, VkVideoEncodeH265SessionCreateInfoKHR, VkVideoEncodeSessionIntraRefreshCreateInfoKHR, or VkVideoEncodeSessionRgbConversionCreateInfoVALVE

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-sType-unique
  The `sType` value of each structure in the `pNext` chain must be unique

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-flags-parameter
  `flags` must be a valid combination of VkVideoSessionCreateFlagBitsKHR values

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-pVideoProfile-parameter
  `pVideoProfile` must be a valid pointer to a valid VkVideoProfileInfoKHR structure

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-pictureFormat-parameter
  `pictureFormat` must be a valid VkFormat value

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-referencePictureFormat-parameter
  `referencePictureFormat` must be a valid VkFormat value

- VUID-VkVideoSessionCreateInfoKHR-pStdHeaderVersion-parameter
  `pStdHeaderVersion` must be a valid pointer to a valid VkExtensionProperties structure

## See Also

VK_KHR_video_queue, VkExtensionProperties, VkExtent2D, VkFormat, VkStructureType, VkVideoProfileInfoKHR, VkVideoSessionCreateFlagsKHR, vkCreateVideoSessionKHR

## Document Notes

For more information, see the Vulkan Specification.

This page is extracted from the Vulkan Specification. Fixes and changes should be made to the Specification, not directly.

## Copyright

Copyright 2014-2026 The Khronos Group Inc.

SPDX-License-Identifier: CC-BY-4.0