diff --git a/src/settings/MediaQualitySettings.tsx b/src/settings/MediaQualitySettings.tsx
index 88936e96..d47e0b10 100644
--- a/src/settings/MediaQualitySettings.tsx
+++ b/src/settings/MediaQualitySettings.tsx
@@ -122,15 +122,20 @@ export const MediaQualitySettings: FC<{
             <label htmlFor={`${id}Codec`}>
               {t("settings.codec_label", "Codec")}
             </label>
+            {/* Only list codecs the SFU actually accepts right now (confirmed
+                live via matrix-rtc-sfu negotiation logs, 2026-07-28 -
+                enabledPublishCodecs was [VP8, H264, H265]). VP9/AV1 are not
+                currently negotiated by the SFU - selecting them silently
+                falls back to VP8 via the client's backupCodec, so leaving
+                them out avoids offering a choice that has no real effect. */}
             <select
               id={`${id}Codec`}
               value={codec}
               onChange={(e): void => setCodec(e.target.value as VideoCodec)}
             >
               <option value="vp8">VP8</option>
-              <option value="vp9">VP9</option>
               <option value="h264">H.264</option>
-              <option value="av1">AV1</option>
+              <option value="h265">H.265</option>
             </select>
           </div>
         </>
diff --git a/src/settings/settings.ts b/src/settings/settings.ts
index 3c750b64..44dcf1b0 100644
--- a/src/settings/settings.ts
+++ b/src/settings/settings.ts
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ export const customLivekitUrl = new Setting<string | null>(
   null,
 );
 
-export type VideoCodec = "vp8" | "vp9" | "h264" | "av1";
+export type VideoCodec = "vp8" | "vp9" | "h264" | "av1" | "h265";
 
 /**
  * Parse a "WIDTHxHEIGHT" resolution string into numeric width and height.
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ export const screenShareBitrate = new Setting<number>(
 
 export const screenShareCodec = new Setting<VideoCodec>(
   "screen-share-codec",
-  "vp9",
+  "vp8",
 );
 
 // Camera video quality settings