How in-browser video processing works, and what hardware helps

Updated October 14, 2026 · Peelframe

Peelframe does not send your video to a server. Reading the file, finding and removing subtitles with AI and writing the result all happen inside the browser on the computer you are using. Here is how that works and what makes it fast.

What happens

1. Reading the file: when you pick a video, the browser reads it directly. It is not sent anywhere.
2. Downloading the AI models: the first AI run downloads the models for subtitle detection and background restoration (about 130 MB for GPU, about 71 MB for CPU). The models are software only; nothing of your video is in them.
3. Computing on your device: the video is decoded frame by frame and only frames with subtitles are restored. With a graphics processor it runs on WebGPU; otherwise on the CPU.
4. Saving and checking: the restored frames and the original sound are packed back into an MP4, which is then checked automatically to make sure it plays to the end. The result stays on your computer.

Why it is done this way

• Privacy: family videos and unreleased work never sit on someone else's server.
• No queue: you never wait behind other people's jobs; it runs as fast as your computer.
• Kept apart from ads: the ads on the workspace page and the editor that handles your video load from different addresses, so ad scripts cannot reach the video inside the editor.

The trade-off is that speed and limits depend on your device. Browsers can only use so much memory, so one video can be up to 120 MB, 3 minutes and 1920 px on the long side.

Checking WebGPU

AI restoration is much faster when it can use the graphics processor. Type chrome://gpu (or edge://gpu in Edge) into the address bar and look for WebGPU under Graphics Feature Status: it should say Hardware accelerated. Peelframe also shows which device (GPU or CPU) it actually used when it runs a preview or a job.

Recommended setup

• Browser: a recent desktop Chrome or Edge
• Computer: a desktop or laptop with a graphics card or recent integrated graphics. More memory makes it steadier.
• Phones and tablets: not recommended. They often run out of memory and stop, or are very slow.

While it works

• Keep the tab in front. Browsers slow down background tabs, so switching tabs or minimizing can slow or pause the job.
• Plug in a laptop. Battery mode often limits graphics performance.
• Close games or other video editors that use the graphics card heavily.
• When you pick a video you see a time range for GPU and CPU; a 0.2-second preview refines it with a measurement from your own device.

For cleaner results, read eight tips for removing subtitles without a trace, or open the workspace to start.