Install FFmpeg

Oliver Ehmer

2023-06-07

English

Windows

To install FFmpeg on Windows the program must be downloaded and its location must be specified in an environment variable. This is necessary so that FFmpeg can be started easily in the command prompt or terminal. The steps required for installation are explained below for Windows 10.

(1) Download

FFmpeg can be downloaded from the following site: https://github.com/BtbN/FFmpeg-Builds/releases

On this site, FFmpeg is available for various operating systems and under several open source licenses. Be sure to download a .zip file that contains win64 in the name, e.g. the following:

ffmpeg-N-102754-g604924a069-win64-lgpl.zip

If the above link does not work, an alternative link is available on the FFmpeg main page https://ffmpeg.org/download.html.

(2) Unzip

The .zip file will be located in your Downloads folder after downloading. Find the file and extract it. (Right click on the file > “Extract all…”)

(3) Rename the folder

After unpacking, you will get a folder with the overall name of the original .zip file.

Inside it, there is a subfolder with the same name. Rename this folder to ffmpeg (right click > “Rename”.)

This folder has two subfolders named doc and bin. The doc folder contains documentation, the bin folder contains various program files, among them the file ffmpeg.exe .

(4) Move the folder

Move the newly renamed ffmpeg folder to the main level of your hard disk C:\ .

To do this, first select the ffmpeg folder and press the key combination CTRL + X (to cut).

Then navigate to the main level of your hard disk C:\ and press the key combination CTRL + V (to paste).

The folder ffmpeg should now be on the main level of the hard disk C: and the folder bin should be directly inside it.

(Note: You can also move the folder to another location, but then you will have to adjust the path accordingly in step (8)).

(5) Open Advanced System Properties

In the search bar next to the Start menu icon, type Advanced System Properties.

From the list of search results, select the “Advanced System Properties” app.

The „System properties“ window opens.

(6) Open environment variables

Select “Environment variables…” on this window.

The “Environment variables” window opens.

(7) Changing the “Path” variable

Click on the “Path” entry in the upper “User variables” area. Then select “Edit…”.

Another window opens.

Select the “New” command here.

One of the lines is then activated. Enter the following string: C:\ffmpeg\bin

(This is the path to the folder where the program ffmpeg.exe is located).

Click “OK”

Close the “Environment Variables” window with “OK”

Close the “System Properties” window with “OK”

(8) Testing the installation

In the search bar next to the Start menu icon, type “Command Prompt.”

Select the Command Prompt app from the list.

A terminal window will open.

Enter the following command:

ffmpeg -version

If the installation was successful, you will receive the adjacent output with the version information.