diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 9822ae8e1..e17ee0872 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ jobs:
       # vcpkg (manifest mode) + caches
       # ------------------------------------------------------------------
       # The runner has no vcpkg preinstalled; bootstrap a fresh clone.
-      # The manifest at the repo root pins the dependency set (FFmpeg 9.0.1
+      # The manifest at the repo root pins the dependency set (FFmpeg 8.1.2
       # via `overrides`, everything else via `builtin-baseline`) and the
       # resolved tree lands in vcpkg_installed/.
       - name: Bootstrap vcpkg
diff --git a/docs/build.md b/docs/build.md
index 42eb1a56c..0903811d7 100644
--- a/docs/build.md
+++ b/docs/build.md
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ macOS, Linux, and Windows. For the Chinese version see
 - **CI/CD uses the vcpkg manifest instead of `build-ffmpeg.sh`.** Every
   desktop job runs `vcpkg install --triplet <x64-windows | x64-linux |
   arm64-osx | arm64-linux>` against the repo-root `vcpkg.json`, which
-  pins FFmpeg to **9.0.1#1** (`overrides`) and every other port through
+  pins FFmpeg to **8.1.2#3** (`overrides`) and every other port through
   `builtin-baseline`; the tree lands in `vcpkg_installed/<triplet>` and
   jobs point `FFMPEG_DIR`/`PKG_CONFIG_PATH` at it. The C/C++ libraries
   outside that set (OCIO is vendored, the rest come from the system
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ cargo test  --workspace         # Linux: see "headless tests" below
 
 > **CI/CD note**: the GitHub Windows CI/CD no longer uses this path — it
 > builds MSVC-ABI on `warp-windows-2025-vs2026-x64-16x` with vcpkg
-> manifest mode (`vcpkg.json` at the repo root: FFmpeg 9.0.1 with every
+> manifest mode (`vcpkg.json` at the repo root: FFmpeg 8.1.2 with every
 > free codec + hwaccel, pkgconf, librsvg, all pinned by
 > `overrides`/`builtin-baseline`) and the vendored static OCIO. The
 > MSYS2 flow below remains the documented local-build alternative.
diff --git a/vcpkg.json b/vcpkg.json
index e139fb33c..1d3a573ef 100644
--- a/vcpkg.json
+++ b/vcpkg.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
 	"name": "oak",
 	"version": "0.5.0",
-	"$comment": "FFmpeg (+ pkgconf, librsvg on Windows) for every desktop platform CI/CD builds — Linux, macOS and Windows — with the project's feature set (every free codec + hwaccel, mirroring tooling/ffmpeg/build-ffmpeg.sh's configure switches). Local builds may keep using tooling/install-deps.sh + tooling/ffmpeg/build-ffmpeg.sh. ffmpeg is pinned to 9.0.1#1 via overrides; builtin-baseline pins the rest of the port tree.",
+	"$comment": "FFmpeg (+ pkgconf, librsvg on Windows) for every desktop platform CI/CD builds — Linux, macOS and Windows — with the project's feature set (every free codec + hwaccel, mirroring tooling/ffmpeg/build-ffmpeg.sh's configure switches). Local builds may keep using tooling/install-deps.sh + tooling/ffmpeg/build-ffmpeg.sh. ffmpeg is pinned to 8.1.2#3 via overrides (matching the ffmpeg-next 8.x binding); builtin-baseline pins the rest of the port tree.",
 	"builtin-baseline": "771b0a2e7c473c3a6bee56553be4d5bb32bb653c",
 	"dependencies": [
 		{
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 				"vpx",
 				"openh264",
 				"openjpeg",
-				"png",
+				"zlib",
 				"theora",
 				"webp",
 				"mp3lame",