Step-by-Step Guide to Install FFmpeg on Windows

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Step 1: Download FFmpeg

  1. Open your web browser and go to the official FFmpeg website.
  2. Click on the Windows logo to access Windows download options.
  3. Under Windows Builds, click on the recommended link, which usually leads to the Gyan.dev site for downloading pre-built FFmpeg binaries.
  4. Scroll down and download the “Full” build version as a ZIP file. (e.g., ffmpeg-release-full.7z).

Step 2: Extract the Files

  1. Once downloaded, extract the compressed ZIP or 7Z file using tools like 7-Zip or WinRAR.
  2. A folder named something like ffmpeg-<version>-full-build will be created.

Step 3: Add FFmpeg to Windows Path

To use FFmpeg from the command line, you need to add it to your system’s PATH environment variable.

  1. Copy the path of the bin folder inside the extracted FFmpeg directory (e.g., C:\ffmpeg-2024-09-23\bin).
  2. Right-click This PC or My Computer on your desktop and select Properties.
  3. On the left sidebar, click Advanced System Settings.
  4. In the System Properties window, click the Environment Variables button at the bottom.
  5. In the System variables section, find the Path variable and click Edit.
  6. Click New and paste the copied path of the bin folder.
  7. Click OK to close all windows.

Step 4: Verify Installation

  1. Open the Command Prompt by pressing Win + R, typing cmd, and pressing Enter.
  2. Type the following command to verify that FFmpeg is installed
ffmpeg -version

If the installation is successful, you will see information about your FFmpeg version.

Featured photo by Tadas Sar on Unsplash

ffmpeg windows