diff --git a/frigate/config.py b/frigate/config.py
index 3f68f302a..98d4e87fb 100644
--- a/frigate/config.py
+++ b/frigate/config.py
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ from frigate.util.builtin import (
     load_config_with_no_duplicates,
 )
 from frigate.util.image import create_mask
-from frigate.util.services import get_video_properties
+from frigate.util.services import auto_detect_hwaccel, get_video_properties
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -599,8 +599,8 @@ class FfmpegConfig(FrigateBaseModel):
     global_args: Union[str, List[str]] = Field(
         default=FFMPEG_GLOBAL_ARGS_DEFAULT, title="Global FFmpeg arguments."
     )
-    hwaccel_args: Union[str, List[str]] = Field(
-        default_factory=list, title="FFmpeg hardware acceleration arguments."
+    hwaccel_args: Optional[Union[str, List[str]]] = Field(
+        default=None, title="FFmpeg hardware acceleration arguments."
     )
     input_args: Union[str, List[str]] = Field(
         default=FFMPEG_INPUT_ARGS_DEFAULT, title="FFmpeg input arguments."
@@ -1097,6 +1097,10 @@ class FrigateConfig(FrigateBaseModel):
             elif config.objects.filters[attribute].min_score == 0.5:
                 config.objects.filters[attribute].min_score = 0.7
 
+        # auto detect hwaccel args
+        if config.ffmpeg.hwaccel_args is None:
+            config.ffmpeg.hwaccel_args = auto_detect_hwaccel()
+
         # Global config to propagate down to camera level
         global_config = config.dict(
             include={
diff --git a/frigate/const.py b/frigate/const.py
index d00221341..97e33b689 100644
--- a/frigate/const.py
+++ b/frigate/const.py
@@ -35,6 +35,11 @@ AUDIO_MAX_BIT_RANGE = 32768.0
 AUDIO_SAMPLE_RATE = 16000
 AUDIO_MIN_CONFIDENCE = 0.5
 
+# Ffmpeg Presets
+
+FFMPEG_HWACCEL_NVIDIA = "preset-nvidia"
+FFMPEG_HWACCEL_VAAPI = "preset-vaapi"
+
 # Regex Consts
 
 REGEX_CAMERA_NAME = r"^[a-zA-Z0-9_-]+$"
diff --git a/frigate/ffmpeg_presets.py b/frigate/ffmpeg_presets.py
index 82ca92dda..96314e6a5 100644
--- a/frigate/ffmpeg_presets.py
+++ b/frigate/ffmpeg_presets.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import os
 from enum import Enum
 from typing import Any
 
+from frigate.const import FFMPEG_HWACCEL_NVIDIA, FFMPEG_HWACCEL_VAAPI
 from frigate.util.services import vainfo_hwaccel
 from frigate.version import VERSION
 
@@ -62,55 +63,72 @@ _user_agent_args = [
 PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_DECODE = {
     "preset-rpi-64-h264": "-c:v:1 h264_v4l2m2m",
     "preset-rpi-64-h265": "-c:v:1 hevc_v4l2m2m",
-    "preset-vaapi": f"-hwaccel_flags allow_profile_mismatch -hwaccel vaapi -hwaccel_device {_gpu_selector.get_selected_gpu()} -hwaccel_output_format vaapi",
+    FFMPEG_HWACCEL_VAAPI: f"-hwaccel_flags allow_profile_mismatch -hwaccel vaapi -hwaccel_device {_gpu_selector.get_selected_gpu()} -hwaccel_output_format vaapi",
     "preset-intel-qsv-h264": f"-hwaccel qsv -qsv_device {_gpu_selector.get_selected_gpu()} -hwaccel_output_format qsv -c:v h264_qsv",
     "preset-intel-qsv-h265": f"-load_plugin hevc_hw -hwaccel qsv -qsv_device {_gpu_selector.get_selected_gpu()} -hwaccel_output_format qsv -c:v hevc_qsv",
-    "preset-nvidia-h264": "-hwaccel cuda -hwaccel_output_format cuda",
-    "preset-nvidia-h265": "-hwaccel cuda -hwaccel_output_format cuda",
-    "preset-nvidia-mjpeg": "-hwaccel cuda -hwaccel_output_format cuda",
+    FFMPEG_HWACCEL_NVIDIA: "-hwaccel cuda -hwaccel_output_format cuda",
     "preset-jetson-h264": "-c:v h264_nvmpi -resize {1}x{2}",
     "preset-jetson-h265": "-c:v hevc_nvmpi -resize {1}x{2}",
     "preset-rk-h264": "-c:v h264_rkmpp_decoder",
     "preset-rk-h265": "-c:v hevc_rkmpp_decoder",
 }
+PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_DECODE["preset-nvidia-h264"] = PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_DECODE[
+    FFMPEG_HWACCEL_NVIDIA
+]
+PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_DECODE["preset-nvidia-h265"] = PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_DECODE[
+    FFMPEG_HWACCEL_NVIDIA
+]
+PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_DECODE["preset-nvidia-mjpeg"] = PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_DECODE[
+    FFMPEG_HWACCEL_NVIDIA
+]
 
 PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_SCALE = {
     "preset-rpi-64-h264": "-r {0} -vf fps={0},scale={1}:{2}",
     "preset-rpi-64-h265": "-r {0} -vf fps={0},scale={1}:{2}",
-    "preset-vaapi": "-r {0} -vf fps={0},scale_vaapi=w={1}:h={2}:format=nv12,hwdownload,format=nv12,format=yuv420p",
+    FFMPEG_HWACCEL_VAAPI: "-r {0} -vf fps={0},scale_vaapi=w={1}:h={2}:format=nv12,hwdownload,format=nv12,format=yuv420p",
     "preset-intel-qsv-h264": "-r {0} -vf vpp_qsv=framerate={0}:w={1}:h={2}:format=nv12,hwdownload,format=nv12,format=yuv420p",
     "preset-intel-qsv-h265": "-r {0} -vf vpp_qsv=framerate={0}:w={1}:h={2}:format=nv12,hwdownload,format=nv12,format=yuv420p",
-    "preset-nvidia-h264": "-r {0} -vf fps={0},scale_cuda=w={1}:h={2}:format=nv12,hwdownload,format=nv12,format=yuv420p",
-    "preset-nvidia-h265": "-r {0} -vf fps={0},scale_cuda=w={1}:h={2}:format=nv12,hwdownload,format=nv12,format=yuv420p",
+    FFMPEG_HWACCEL_NVIDIA: "-r {0} -vf fps={0},scale_cuda=w={1}:h={2}:format=nv12,hwdownload,format=nv12,format=yuv420p",
     "preset-jetson-h264": "-r {0}",  # scaled in decoder
     "preset-jetson-h265": "-r {0}",  # scaled in decoder
     "preset-rk-h264": "-r {0} -vf fps={0},scale={1}:{2}",
     "preset-rk-h265": "-r {0} -vf fps={0},scale={1}:{2}",
     "default": "-r {0} -vf fps={0},scale={1}:{2}",
 }
+PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_SCALE["preset-nvidia-h264"] = PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_SCALE[
+    FFMPEG_HWACCEL_NVIDIA
+]
+PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_SCALE["preset-nvidia-h265"] = PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_SCALE[
+    FFMPEG_HWACCEL_NVIDIA
+]
 
 PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_ENCODE_BIRDSEYE = {
     "preset-rpi-64-h264": "ffmpeg -hide_banner {0} -c:v h264_v4l2m2m {1}",
     "preset-rpi-64-h265": "ffmpeg -hide_banner {0} -c:v hevc_v4l2m2m {1}",
-    "preset-vaapi": "ffmpeg -hide_banner -hwaccel vaapi -hwaccel_output_format vaapi -hwaccel_device {2} {0} -c:v h264_vaapi -g 50 -bf 0 -profile:v high -level:v 4.1 -sei:v 0 -an -vf format=vaapi|nv12,hwupload {1}",
+    FFMPEG_HWACCEL_VAAPI: "ffmpeg -hide_banner -hwaccel vaapi -hwaccel_output_format vaapi -hwaccel_device {2} {0} -c:v h264_vaapi -g 50 -bf 0 -profile:v high -level:v 4.1 -sei:v 0 -an -vf format=vaapi|nv12,hwupload {1}",
     "preset-intel-qsv-h264": "ffmpeg -hide_banner {0} -c:v h264_qsv -g 50 -bf 0 -profile:v high -level:v 4.1 -async_depth:v 1 {1}",
     "preset-intel-qsv-h265": "ffmpeg -hide_banner {0} -c:v h264_qsv -g 50 -bf 0 -profile:v high -level:v 4.1 -async_depth:v 1 {1}",
-    "preset-nvidia-h264": "ffmpeg -hide_banner {0} -c:v h264_nvenc -g 50 -profile:v high -level:v auto -preset:v p2 -tune:v ll {1}",
-    "preset-nvidia-h265": "ffmpeg -hide_banner {0} -c:v h264_nvenc -g 50 -profile:v high -level:v auto -preset:v p2 -tune:v ll {1}",
+    FFMPEG_HWACCEL_NVIDIA: "ffmpeg -hide_banner {0} -c:v h264_nvenc -g 50 -profile:v high -level:v auto -preset:v p2 -tune:v ll {1}",
     "preset-jetson-h264": "ffmpeg -hide_banner {0} -c:v h264_nvmpi -profile high {1}",
     "preset-jetson-h265": "ffmpeg -hide_banner {0} -c:v h264_nvmpi -profile high {1}",
     "preset-rk-h264": "ffmpeg -hide_banner {0} -c:v h264_rkmpp_encoder -profile high {1}",
     "preset-rk-h265": "ffmpeg -hide_banner {0} -c:v hevc_rkmpp_encoder -profile high {1}",
     "default": "ffmpeg -hide_banner {0} -c:v libx264 -g 50 -profile:v high -level:v 4.1 -preset:v superfast -tune:v zerolatency {1}",
 }
+PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_ENCODE_BIRDSEYE[
+    "preset-nvidia-h264"
+] = PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_ENCODE_BIRDSEYE[FFMPEG_HWACCEL_NVIDIA]
+PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_ENCODE_BIRDSEYE[
+    "preset-nvidia-h265"
+] = PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_ENCODE_BIRDSEYE[FFMPEG_HWACCEL_NVIDIA]
 
 PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_ENCODE_TIMELAPSE = {
     "preset-rpi-64-h264": "ffmpeg -hide_banner {0} -c:v h264_v4l2m2m -pix_fmt yuv420p {1}",
     "preset-rpi-64-h265": "ffmpeg -hide_banner {0} -c:v hevc_v4l2m2m -pix_fmt yuv420p {1}",
-    "preset-vaapi": "ffmpeg -hide_banner -hwaccel vaapi -hwaccel_output_format vaapi -hwaccel_device {2} {0} -c:v h264_vaapi {1}",
+    FFMPEG_HWACCEL_VAAPI: "ffmpeg -hide_banner -hwaccel vaapi -hwaccel_output_format vaapi -hwaccel_device {2} {0} -c:v h264_vaapi {1}",
     "preset-intel-qsv-h264": "ffmpeg -hide_banner {0} -c:v h264_qsv -profile:v high -level:v 4.1 -async_depth:v 1 {1}",
     "preset-intel-qsv-h265": "ffmpeg -hide_banner {0} -c:v hevc_qsv -profile:v high -level:v 4.1 -async_depth:v 1 {1}",
-    "preset-nvidia-h264": "ffmpeg -hide_banner -hwaccel cuda -hwaccel_output_format cuda -extra_hw_frames 8 {0} -c:v h264_nvenc {1}",
+    FFMPEG_HWACCEL_NVIDIA: "ffmpeg -hide_banner -hwaccel cuda -hwaccel_output_format cuda -extra_hw_frames 8 {0} -c:v h264_nvenc {1}",
     "preset-nvidia-h265": "ffmpeg -hide_banner -hwaccel cuda -hwaccel_output_format cuda -extra_hw_frames 8 {0} -c:v hevc_nvenc {1}",
     "preset-jetson-h264": "ffmpeg -hide_banner {0} -c:v h264_nvmpi -profile high {1}",
     "preset-jetson-h265": "ffmpeg -hide_banner {0} -c:v hevc_nvmpi -profile high {1}",
@@ -118,6 +136,9 @@ PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_ENCODE_TIMELAPSE = {
     "preset-rk-h265": "ffmpeg -hide_banner {0} -c:v hevc_rkmpp_encoder -profile high {1}",
     "default": "ffmpeg -hide_banner {0} -c:v libx264 -preset:v ultrafast -tune:v zerolatency {1}",
 }
+PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_ENCODE_TIMELAPSE[
+    "preset-nvidia-h264"
+] = PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_ENCODE_TIMELAPSE[FFMPEG_HWACCEL_NVIDIA]
 
 # encoding of previews is only done on CPU due to comparable encode times and better quality from libx264
 PRESETS_HW_ACCEL_ENCODE_PREVIEW = {
diff --git a/frigate/util/services.py b/frigate/util/services.py
index 28421cef3..55ca7ac57 100644
--- a/frigate/util/services.py
+++ b/frigate/util/services.py
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@ from typing import Optional
 import cv2
 import psutil
 import py3nvml.py3nvml as nvml
+import requests
 
+from frigate.const import FFMPEG_HWACCEL_NVIDIA, FFMPEG_HWACCEL_VAAPI
 from frigate.util.builtin import escape_special_characters
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -371,6 +373,36 @@ def vainfo_hwaccel(device_name: Optional[str] = None) -> sp.CompletedProcess:
     return sp.run(ffprobe_cmd, capture_output=True)
 
 
+def auto_detect_hwaccel() -> str:
+    """Detect hwaccel args by default."""
+    try:
+        cuda = False
+        vaapi = False
+        resp = requests.get("http://192.168.50.106:1984/api/ffmpeg/hardware", timeout=3)
+
+        if resp.status_code == 200:
+            data: dict[str, list[dict[str, str]]] = resp.json()
+            for source in data.get("sources", []):
+                if "cuda" in source.get("url", "") and source.get("name") == "OK":
+                    cuda = True
+
+                if "vaapi" in source.get("url", "") and source.get("name") == "OK":
+                    vaapi = True
+    except requests.RequestException:
+        pass
+
+    if cuda:
+        logger.info("Automatically detected nvidia hwaccel for video decoding")
+        return FFMPEG_HWACCEL_NVIDIA
+
+    if vaapi:
+        logger.info("Automatically detected vaapi hwaccel for video decoding")
+        return FFMPEG_HWACCEL_VAAPI
+
+    logger.warning("Did not detect hwaccel, using a GPU for accelerated video decoding is highly recommended")
+    return ""
+
+
 async def get_video_properties(url, get_duration=False) -> dict[str, any]:
     async def calculate_duration(video: Optional[any]) -> float:
         duration = None