ONVIF Profile S vs T vs G vs M Explained (and What Happened to Q)
ONVIF stops accepting new Profile S conformance claims after 31 March 2027 and names Profile T as the replacement. For a factory camera, the useful set is Profile T for live video, events and metadata, Profile G for SD-card or edge recording, and Profile M for analytics metadata. Profile Q was deprecated on 1 April 2022. Profiles A, C and D cover access control.
Verified against
- ONVIF, Profiles overview plus the profile pages for S, T, G, M, Q, A, C, D and V
- Profile S Specification v1.3, Profile T Specification v1.0 (Sept 2018), Profile G Specification v1.1 (Oct 2025), Profile M Specification v1.1 (Mar 2024)
- ONVIF Core Specification v26.06 (June 2026)
- ONVIF press release, "ONVIF to End Support for Profile S" (9 Oct 2025)
- ONVIF Conformant Products, Conformance Process and Conformance FAQ
- Checked 13 Oct 2026.
ONVIF profiles at a glance
| Profile | What it covers | Clauses worth knowing | Status (Oct 2026) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | Basic live video streaming and configuration | MJPEG streaming is mandatory. H.264 is conditional ("if supported"). The spec has no H.265 clause. Devices must support WS-UsernameToken authentication | Being deprecated. The June 2026 test tool, valid for 9 months, is the last one that allows Profile S claims. Last submissions: 31 Mar 2027 | Spec v1.3, release |
| T | Advanced streaming: H.264/H.265, imaging, motion and tamper events, metadata streaming, on-screen display | A device must stream at least one of H.264 or H.265. A client must decode both. Digest authentication for HTTP and RTSP is mandatory. HTTPS and WebSocket streaming are conditional | Current. Introduced 2018 | Spec v1.0, page |
| G | Edge storage: recording on the camera or over IP, then search and replay | Recording search (FindRecordings, FindEvents) and replay control are mandatory. Dynamic recording control is conditional | Current. v1.0 June 2014, v1.1 Oct 2025 (editorial fix) | Spec v1.1 |
| M | Metadata and events for analytics | Metadata streaming and analytics-module configuration are mandatory. Object classification, vehicle, plate, face and body metadata, object-counting events and MQTT are conditional | Current. v1.0 June 2021, v1.1 Mar 2024 | Spec v1.1, page |
| Q | Quick discovery and basic setup | Required anonymous access to all ONVIF commands in the factory-default state | Deprecated 1 Apr 2022. Existing declarations stay valid | page |
| A / C | Access control: credentials, schedules and rules (A); doors, events and alarms (C) | Not video profiles | Current | A, C |
| D | Access-control peripherals: readers, keypads, locks, and cameras used for face or plate credentials | Peripheral passes credentials to a client, which decides | Current | page |
| V | Cloud video (VSaaS): an outbound WSS uplink, H.264 over WebRTC, encrypted cloud recording | Device starts the connection itself, so it works without port forwarding | Release candidate. Spec open to members only | page |
ONVIF lists the profiles video systems can use as D, G, M, S and T (overview). One device can conform to several. ONVIF's own example is a camera with local storage that conforms to both T and G.
Conformant vs "declared": what the logo does not prove
- Self-declared but registered. ONVIF conformance is a self-declaration scheme. The manufacturer runs ONVIF's test tool, then submits a Declaration of Conformance, a Feature List and an Interface Guide (Conformance Process). Only ONVIF members, excluding Observer members, can claim conformance.
- The database is the only proof. ONVIF calls the Conformant Products page "the only authoritative list". If a product is not listed there, it is not conformant, whatever the datasheet says (FAQ).
- Conformance belongs to one firmware version. It is "valid indefinitely for the specific firmware/software version". A camera on a different firmware is not covered by that listing.
- Test tools expire. ONVIF releases new test tools twice a year, in June and December. Each stays valid until the next release, plus a grace period of about three months.
- Product families are a grey zone. The FAQ says each model in a family must be tested and listed individually. Yet database records carry a "Related products" field marked "have not been individually tested". Treat a related product as untested.
"Supports ONVIF" in a brochure is a vendor claim. "Profile T conformant" is something you can check.
How to check a model on onvif.org
- Open onvif.org/conformant-products.
- Fill at least one search field. The page offers Application Type, Profile(s), Add-on(s), Manufacturer, Product Name and "Do not show records older than".
- Search by Manufacturer first. If a brand sells another company's OEM hardware, the listing may sit under that company's name, not the brand on the box.
- Open the record. Compare Model and Version with the camera's web page or the NVR's device list. Note the Profiles and the Date Approved.
- Download the DoC and FeatureList. The Feature List shows which conditional features were declared, for example H.265 or HTTPS streaming.
- If a product claims conformance but is missing from the database, ONVIF takes reports through its improper conformance claim form.
Brand-level conformance counts, with the RTSP path for each brand, are in the RTSP and ONVIF cheat sheet for Indian brands. The ONVIF / RTSP compatibility matrix lets you look up a specific model.
Where brands differ
Vendor pages describe profiles in their own words, and cameras and recorders often list different ones:
- Prama's PT-NC120D3-N(D2) camera page lists "ONVIF (Profile S, Profile T)" plus "WSSE and digest authentication for ONVIF" (Prama).
- Prama's PT-NRAS3A32-I8/S NVR lists "ONVIF (Profile S, Profile G), for connecting third party network cameras". It does not list Profile T (Prama).
That gap matters as Profile S winds down. ONVIF says the majority of conformant devices and clients on the market today support both S and T (release). If a future camera declares only T, ask the NVR vendor in writing whether its ONVIF client adds that camera. Neither ONVIF nor Prama documentation answers this.
Why Profile S/T matters for adding AI to existing cameras
An analytics box or service acts as an ONVIF client. It discovers the camera, logs in, calls GetProfiles and GetStreamUri, then pulls the RTSP stream. Both Profile S and Profile T make that path mandatory for devices.
Profile T adds the events and metadata stream that make analytics practical. Profile M is the standard way for a camera, or a server running analytics, to send results onward to another system. Profile T alone does not tell you whether a camera does H.264, H.265 or both, so read its Feature List. The retrofit guide covers the decode and compute side.
What breaks in a factory
- Discovery stops at the VLAN or PoE port. WS-Discovery runs on multicast (Core Spec §7). Cameras on a separate VLAN, or behind an NVR's built-in PoE ports, may not show up in a multicast scan from another subnet. Add them by IP. See NVR not detecting IP camera.
- Clocks after power cuts. WS-UsernameToken requires a nonce and a creation timestamp (Core Spec §5.9.5). ONVIF logins fail when a camera's clock resets after an outage. How much skew a camera tolerates is not specified in what we read, so put every camera on NTP.
- Firmware updates. A new firmware version may not be the one registered in the database. Re-check the listing before a plant-wide upgrade.
- Security. ONVIF itself calls digest and WS-Security "rudimentary" and recommends TLS (Core Spec §5.9). ONVIF also says regulatory compliance is outside its scope, so ONVIF conformance is no substitute for STQC or BIS (STQC vs BIS).
When to call the installer / what to ask the vendor
Ask for the ONVIF database link for your exact model, with its firmware version. Ask for the Feature List showing codecs and HTTPS. Ask whether the NVR is listed as a Profile T client. Put "Profile T conformant on onvif.org on the bid date" in the RFQ (tender template).
Mama reads a factory's existing cameras over RTSP/ONVIF and reports machine idle time to the owner each morning (askthemama.com). A Profile T camera with a clean RTSP stream is the easiest input. Leave an email or phone in the form below.
FAQ
Is ONVIF Profile S being discontinued? Yes, for new claims. The last conformance submissions are on 31 March 2027. Systems already running are not affected, but ONVIF advises dropping Profile S username-token authentication where you can, and moving to TLS/HTTPS or Profile T (release).
Does ONVIF Profile T guarantee H.265? No. A Profile T device must stream at least one of H.264 or H.265. Only Profile T clients must decode both (Profile T spec §7.9).
What is the difference between ONVIF Profile S and Profile T? Profile S is basic streaming with MJPEG mandatory and H.264 optional. Profile T requires H.264 or H.265 (at least one; H.265 is not guaranteed), plus mandatory imaging settings, motion and tamper events, metadata streaming and digest authentication. ONVIF says Profile T "contains virtually all the features of Profile S".
How do I check if a camera is really ONVIF conformant? Find the model on onvif.org/conformant-products and confirm the listed firmware version matches yours. A logo or datasheet line is not proof.