Need to convert, trim or re-mux audio and video files from the command line? FFmpeg handles conversion and media processing, while the included ffprobe reports file details and ffplay plays media.
What can FFmpeg do from the command line?
FFmpeg can transcode audio and video, change containers, extract an audio track, trim clips, apply filters, and combine media streams. Options in a command determine which input streams to use, how to process them, and where to write the result. Stream copying can also move selected tracks into a new output container without re-encoding them.
- Apply video and audio filters, such as scaling an image or adjusting sound.
- Capture media and send processed output to a stream.
- Use ffprobe to inspect media information, or ffplay to play a file.
How do the essentials and full builds differ?
The essentials build includes commonly used external libraries, including libx264 and libx265 for video encoding and libmp3lame and libopus for audio encoding. The full build adds a broader selection, including libraries for additional codecs, filters, and media features. Both variants include FFmpeg’s internal components; available external-library support depends on the build.
How does a basic conversion command work?
A typical command names the input with -i, then gives an output filename. For example, ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -c:v libx264 output.mp4 reads an MP4 file and encodes its video with libx264 into the output. Further options can select audio handling, apply filters, set a section of the clip to process, or control the output streams.
FFmpeg runs these instructions in the command prompt and prints progress and diagnostic messages there.
Pros
- Converts and processes audio and video from the command line
- Can combine, filter, record, and stream media
- Includes ffprobe for media details and ffplay for playback
- Full builds add libraries beyond the essentials selection
System requirements: Windows 10, Windows 11 · UCRT is required for Windows 7 use
What is the difference between ffmpeg and ffprobe?
FFmpeg processes media, including converting and filtering it. ffprobe reports information about media files.
Can FFmpeg convert a video without re-encoding it?
Yes. Stream copying can place selected media streams in a new output container without re-encoding them.
What does the full build add?
It includes more external libraries than the essentials build, extending support for additional codecs and media features.