This wikiHow teaches you how to install FFmpeg on a computer running Windows 10. FFmpeg is a special command-line program that allows you to convert video and audio to other formats and record audio and video directly on your computer.
Step
Step 1. Go to
You will be redirected to a page containing the FFmpeg installation package and the latest binary files.
If you don't have an application to extract files with a.7z extension (e.g. WinRAR or 7Zip), you must install it first before moving on to the next step.
Step 2. Select the Windows logo button
This button is a blue rectangle with a white window in it.
Step 3. Select Windows builds from gyan.dev
After that, you'll be redirected to a page showing all Windows-only builds of FFmpeg. Each build contains all the hardware libraries that may be required.
If you want, select " Windows builds by BtbN ” which is another build for Windows. There are various builds that you can access from various websites. The official FFmpeg site features more builds as they become available.
Step 4. Scroll the screen to the " git " section
You'll find this segment in the bottom half of the page, between the series of green boxes and the "release" segment.
Step 5. Click the displayed link to download the ffmpeg-git-full.7z file
In full, the text of the link to click is https://www.gyan.dev/ffmpeg/builds/ffmpeg-git-full.7z. Once you click the link, the latest versions of FFmpeg files will be downloaded to your computer in archive or compressed format.
Step 6. Extract the contents of the file you have downloaded
Here's how:
- Right-click the Windows menu button / "Start", then click " File Explorer ”.
- Select directory " Downloads ” in the left pane of the window (you may have to select the folder “ This PC ” first to find the directory).
- Right click the file " ffmpeg-*-git-*full_build.7z " Accurately, the full name of the file will depend on the latest release or version downloaded.
- Click " Extract Here ” and wait for the contents of the file to finish extracting. A new directory named the same as the.7z filename will be created.
Step 7. Rename the extracted directory to FFmpeg
Right-click the directory, type FFmpeg, and press “ Enter ” to change the folder name.
Step 8. Single click the “FFmpeg” directory and use the keyboard shortcut Control+X
The directory will be “cut” from the “Downloads” folder and you can paste it into the root folder of the main hard drive.
Step 9. Select This PC from File Explorer
This folder has a computer icon and is displayed in the left pane of the window.
Step 10. Open the main hard drive by double-clicking on it
Usually, the primary drive is labeled as " Windows (C:) " or " Local Disk (C:) ". However, the name and letter of the drive marker may be different.
Step 11. Right-click an empty space in the right pane and click Paste
The directory you cut earlier will be pasted into the root folder of the drive.
Step 12. Open the system environment variables control panel
Here's how:
- Press the button " Windows ” + “ S ” to display the search bar.
- Type system variables into the search bar.
- Click " Edit the system environment variables ” in the search results.
- Click the button " Environment variables ” in the lower right corner of the window.
Step 13. Select the Path variable under the "User variables for (your name)" section and click Edit
A list of addresses or paths will be displayed.
Step 14. Add the FFmpeg binary directory to path
This way, you can easily run FFmpeg commands from the Command Prompt, without having to type in the full address of FFmpeg. Here's how:
- Click the button " New ” to open a new blank line under the bottom path or address.
- Type in C:\ffmpeg\bin. If you are placing the FFmpeg directory on another drive or folder, replace the address with the appropriate location (don't forget to add the "\bin" element at the end of the address).
- Click " OK " Now, you should see the FFmpeg address at the end of the " Path " variable, in the top corner of the window.
Step 15. Click OK to save changes
Now you have FFmpeg installed and set the appropriate environment variables. To make sure FFmpeg is working, open Command Prompt and run the following command to see the version number of FFmpeg running: ffmpeg -version
Warning
- FFmpeg is a command line-only program so it can only be used through the Command Prompt. This program may be difficult to use for users who are not or not familiar with the Command Prompt.
- You must be logged in to an administrator account in order to install FFmpeg on your computer.
