{{Short description|Multimedia framework}} {{Infobox software | logo = 200px | screenshot = FFmpeg 8.0 screenshot.webp | screenshot size = 300px | caption = FFmpeg being used to convert a file from the PNG file format to the WebP format | author = Fabrice Bellard <br /> Bobby Bingham (libavfilter)<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://ffmpeg.org/pipermail/ffmpeg-devel/2008-February/045338.html | date=2008-02-09 | title=Bobby announces work on libavfilter as GsOC project | archive-date=2021-10-07 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211007032422/http://ffmpeg.org/pipermail/ffmpeg-devel/2008-February/045338.html | access-date=2021-10-07 | url-status=live }}</ref> | developer = FFmpeg team | released = {{Start date and age|2000|12|20}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://git.videolan.org/?p=ffmpeg.git;a=commit;h=9aeeeb63f7e1ab7b0b7bb839a5f258667a2d2d78 |title=Initial revision - git.videolan.org/ffmpeg.git/commit |publisher=git.videolan.org |date=2000-12-20 |access-date=2013-05-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131225083213/http://git.videolan.org/?p=ffmpeg.git%3Ba%3Dcommit%3Bh%3D9aeeeb63f7e1ab7b0b7bb839a5f258667a2d2d78 |archive-date=2013-12-25 }}</ref> | latest release version = {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q847465|P348|P548=Q2804309}} | latest release date = {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|Q847465|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}} | latest preview version = {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q847465|P348|P548=Q51930650}} | latest preview date = {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|Q847465|P348|P548=Q51930650|P577}} | repo = {{URL|https://git.ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg.git}} | programming language = C and Assembly<ref name=SEC4>{{cite web |url=https://ffmpeg.org/developer.html |title=Developer Documentation |publisher=ffmpeg.org |date=2011-12-08 |access-date=2012-01-04 |archive-date=2012-02-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204192831/http://ffmpeg.org/developer.html |url-status=live }}</ref> | operating system = Various, including Windows, macOS, and Linux (executable programs are only available from third parties, as the project only distributes source code)<ref name="ffmpeg-platform-info">{{cite web |title=Platform Specific Information |url=https://ffmpeg.org/platform.html |website=FFmpeg.org |access-date=25 February 2020 |archive-date=25 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200225202151/https://ffmpeg.org/platform.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=Homepage>{{cite web |url=https://ffmpeg.org/download.html |title=Download |work=ffmpeg.org |publisher=FFmpeg |access-date=2012-01-04 |archive-date=2011-10-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006131811/http://www.ffmpeg.org/download.html |url-status=live }}</ref> | platform = x86, ARM, PowerPC, MIPS, RISC-V, DEC Alpha, Blackfin, AVR32, SH-4, and SPARC; may be compiled for other desktop computers | genre = Multimedia framework | license = LGPL-2.1-or-later, GPL-2.0-or-later <br />Unredistributable if compiled with any software with a license incompatible with the GPL<ref>FFmpeg can be compiled with various external libraries, some of which have licenses that are incompatible with the FFmpeg's primary license, the GNU GPL.</ref> | website = [https://ffmpeg.org/ ffmpeg.org] }} '''FFmpeg''' is a free and open-source software project consisting of a suite of libraries and programs for handling video, audio, and other multimedia files and streams. At its core is the command-line <code>ffmpeg</code> tool itself, designed for processing video and audio files. It is widely used for format transcoding, basic editing (trimming and concatenation), video scaling, video post-production effects, and standards compliance (SMPTE, ITU).
FFmpeg also includes other tools: <code>ffplay</code>, a simple media player, and <code>ffprobe</code>, a command-line tool to display media information. Among included libraries are libavcodec, an audio/video codec library used by many commercial and free software products, '''libavformat''' (Lavf),<ref name="Lavf">{{cite web|url=https://www.ffmpeg.org/doxygen/2.2/group__libavf.html|title=FFmpeg: Lavf: I/O and Muxing/Demuxing Library|work=ffmpeg.org|access-date=21 October 2016|archive-date=3 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161203035541/http://ffmpeg.org/doxygen/2.2/group__libavf.html|url-status=live}}</ref> an audio/video container mux and demux library, and libavfilter, a library for enhancing and editing filters through a GStreamer-like filtergraph.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Libavfilter Documentation|url=https://ffmpeg.org/libavfilter.html|access-date=2021-10-07|website=ffmpeg.org|archive-date=2021-10-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211007032443/https://ffmpeg.org/libavfilter.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
FFmpeg is part of the workflow of many other software projects, and its libraries are a core part of software media players such as VLC, and has been included in core processing for YouTube and Bilibili.<ref>{{Citation|title=ijkplayer|date=2021-10-05|url=https://github.com/bilibili/ijkplayer|publisher=bilibili|access-date=2021-10-05|archive-date=2021-10-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211005224814/https://github.com/bilibili/ijkplayer|url-status=live}}</ref> Encoders and decoders for many audio and video file formats are included, making it highly useful for the transcoding of common and uncommon media files.
FFmpeg is published under the LGPL-2.1-or-later or GPL-2.0-or-later, depending on which options are enabled.<ref name="legal">{{cite web|url=https://www.ffmpeg.org/legal.html|title=FFmpeg License and Legal Considerations|publisher=ffmpeg.org|access-date=2012-01-04|archive-date=2012-01-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120103190924/http://ffmpeg.org/legal.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
== Project history == The project was started by Fabrice Bellard<ref name="legal" /> (using the pseudonym "Gérard Lantau") in 2000, and was led by Michael Niedermayer from 2004 until 2015.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url = https://ffmpeg.org/pipermail/ffmpeg-devel/2015-July/176489.html|title = [FFmpeg-devel] FFmpegs future and resigning as leader|access-date = 2015-09-22|first = Michael|last = Niedermayer| date=31 July 2015 |archive-date = 2015-08-15|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150815230313/https://ffmpeg.org/pipermail/ffmpeg-devel/2015-July/176489.html|url-status = live}}</ref> Some FFmpeg developers were also part of the MPlayer project.
The "FF" in FFmpeg stands for "fast forward."<ref>{{cite web|last=Bellard|first=Fabrice|author-link=Fabrice Bellard|date=18 February 2006|title=FFmpeg naming and logo|url=https://ffmpeg.org/pipermail/ffmpeg-devel/2006-February/010315.html|access-date=24 December 2011|work=FFmpeg developer mailing list|publisher=FFmpeg website|archive-date=26 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426071311/http://ffmpeg.org/pipermail/ffmpeg-devel/2006-February/010315.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The logo represents a zigzag scan pattern that shows how MPEG video codecs handle entropy encoding.<ref>{{Cite FTP |last=Carlsen|first=Steve|date=1992-06-03|title=TIFF 6.0 specification|url=ftp://ftp.sgi.com/graphics/tiff/TIFF6.ps|access-date=2016-08-14|page=98|format=PS|server=Aldus Corporation|url-status=dead|quote=Zig-Zag Scan}} [http://partners.adobe.com/public/developer/en/tiff/TIFF6.pdf Alt URL] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120703095221/http://partners.adobe.com/public/developer/en/tiff/TIFF6.pdf |date=2012-07-03 }}</ref>
On March 13, 2011, a group of FFmpeg developers decided to fork the project under the name Libav.<ref>{{citation|title=Libav project site|url=http://www.libav.org/|access-date=2012-01-04|archive-date=2012-01-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120103091848/http://libav.org/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{citation|author=Ronald S. Bultje|title=Project renamed to Libav|date=2011-03-14|url=http://article.gmane.org/gmane.comp.video.ffmpeg.devel/129579|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161107163133/http://article.gmane.org/gmane.comp.video.ffmpeg.devel/129579|access-date=2012-01-04|archive-date=2016-11-07|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{citation|title=A group of FFmpeg developers just forked as Libav|date=2011-03-14|url=https://www.phoronix.com/news/OTIwNw|publisher=Phoronix|access-date=2012-01-04|archive-date=2011-09-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110915210209/http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=OTIwNw|url-status=live}}</ref> The group decided to fork the project due to a disagreement with the leadership of FFmpeg.{{clarify|date=March 2025}}<ref>{{citation|title=What happened to FFmpeg|date=2011-03-30|url=https://codecs.multimedia.cx/2011/03/what-happened-to-ffmpeg/|access-date=2012-05-19|archive-date=2018-09-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180902151632/https://codecs.multimedia.cx/2011/03/what-happened-to-ffmpeg/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{citation|title=FFMpeg turmoil|date=2011-01-19|url=https://lwn.net/Articles/423702/|access-date=2012-01-04|archive-date=2012-01-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112085953/http://lwn.net/Articles/423702/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=The FFmpeg/Libav situation|url=http://blog.pkh.me/p/13-the-ffmpeg-libav-situation.html|access-date=2015-09-22|website=blog.pkh.me|archive-date=2012-07-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120701210503/http://blog.pkh.me/p/13-the-ffmpeg-libav-situation.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Libav was declared abandoned in 2020.<ref>{{cite web |last=Kunhya |first=Kieran |date=2020-04-16 |title=[libav-devel] What is the status of this project? |url=https://lists.libav.org/pipermail/libav-devel/2020-April/086589.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812182017/https://lists.libav.org/pipermail/libav-devel/2020-April/086589.html |archive-date=2020-08-12 |access-date=2020-12-20}}</ref>
On January 10, 2014, two Google employees announced that over 1000 bugs had been fixed in FFmpeg during the previous two years by means of fuzz testing.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://security.googleblog.com/2014/01/ffmpeg-and-thousand-fixes.html|title=FFmpeg and a thousand fixes|date=January 10, 2014|work=googleblog.com|access-date=21 October 2016|archive-date=22 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161022022444/https://security.googleblog.com/2014/01/ffmpeg-and-thousand-fixes.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
In January 2018, the ''ffserver'' command-line program – a long-time component of FFmpeg – was removed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/ffserver|title=ffserver – FFmpeg|website=trac.ffmpeg.org|access-date=2018-02-03|archive-date=2018-02-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180204000416/https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/ffserver|url-status=live}}</ref> The developers had previously deprecated the program citing high maintenance efforts due to its use of internal application programming interfaces.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ffmpeg.org/index.html#ffserv|title=ffserver program being dropped|date=2016-07-10|website=ffmpeg.org|language=en|access-date=2018-02-03|archive-date=2016-07-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160716124052/http://ffmpeg.org/index.html#ffserv|url-status=live}}</ref>
In April 2026, Anthropic's Claude Mythos Preview found a 16-year-old critical vulnerability in FFmpeg codec H.264.<ref name="pcquest/11720635">{{cite news |last1=Pandey |first1=Ashok |title=Anthropic's New AI Cracks Open Decades-Old Security Bugs |url=https://www.pcquest.com/artificial-intelligence/anthropics-new-ai-cracks-open-decades-old-security-bugs-11720635 |access-date=14 April 2026 |work=PCQuest (magazine) |date=13 Apr 2026 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="pcworld/3109427">{{cite news |title=Anthropic's new AI found thousands of zero-day flaws on its own |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/3109427/anthropics-new-ai-found-thousands-of-zero-day-flaws-on-its-own.html |access-date=14 April 2026 |work=PCWorld |date=Apr 8, 2026 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="piunikaweb/ffmpeg-thanks-claude">{{cite news |last1=Cubbins |first1=Dwayne |title=FFmpeg thanks Anthropic’s Claude Mythos for real 16-year bug fix |url=https://piunikaweb.com/2026/04/08/ffmpeg-thanks-claude-mythos-16-year-bug-fix/ |access-date=14 April 2026 |work=PiunikaWeb |date=8 April 2026}}</ref>
The project publishes a new release every three months on average. While release versions are available from the website for download, FFmpeg developers recommend that users compile the software from source using the latest build from their source code, using the Git version control system.<ref name="release_policy">{{cite web|url=https://ffmpeg.org/download.html#releases|title=ffmpeg.org/download.html#releases|publisher=ffmpeg.org|access-date=2015-04-27|archive-date=2011-10-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006131811/http://www.ffmpeg.org/download.html#releases|url-status=live}}</ref>
== Codec development == Two video coding formats with corresponding codecs and one container format have been created within the FFmpeg project so far. The two video codecs are the lossless FFV1, and the lossless and lossy Snow codec. Development of Snow has stalled, while its bit-stream format has not been finalized yet, making it experimental since 2011. The multimedia container format called NUT is no longer being actively developed, but still maintained.<ref name="nut">{{cite web |url=http://wiki.multimedia.cx/index.php?title=NUT |title=NUT |publisher=Multimedia Wiki |year=2012 |access-date=2014-01-03 |archive-date=2014-01-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140103022122/http://wiki.multimedia.cx/index.php?title=NUT |url-status=live }}</ref>
In summer 2010, FFmpeg developers Fiona Glaser, Ronald Bultje, and David Conrad, announced the ffvp8 decoder. Through testing, they determined that ffvp8 was faster than Google's own libvpx decoder.<ref>{{citation |url=http://x264dev.multimedia.cx/?p=499 |title=Diary Of An x264 Developer: Announcing the world's fastest VP8 decoder |first=Fiona |last=Glaser |date=2010-07-23 |access-date=2012-01-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100930181634/http://x264dev.multimedia.cx/?p=499 |archive-date=2010-09-30 }}</ref><ref>{{citation |url=https://news.slashdot.org/story/10/07/24/1227241/FFmpeg-Announces-High-Performance-VP8-Decoder |title=FFmpeg Announces High-Performance VP8 Decoder |publisher=Slashdot |date=2010-07-24 |access-date=2012-01-04 |archive-date=2011-12-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111221092712/http://news.slashdot.org/story/10/07/24/1227241/ffmpeg-announces-high-performance-vp8-decoder |url-status=live }}</ref> Starting with version 0.6, FFmpeg also supported WebM and VP8.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://newteevee.com/2010/06/17/ffmpeg-goes-webm-enabling-vp8-for-boxee-co/ |title=FFmpeg Goes WebM, Enabling VP8 for Boxee & Co |publisher=newteevee.com |date=2010-06-17 |access-date=2012-01-04 |quote=...with VLC, Boxee, MythTV, Handbrake and MPlayer being some of the more popular projects utilizing FFmpeg... |archive-date=2010-06-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100620003915/http://newteevee.com/2010/06/17/ffmpeg-goes-webm-enabling-vp8-for-boxee-co/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In October 2013, a native VP9<ref name="LaunchpadVP9Decoder">{{cite news |title=Native VP9 decoder is now in the Git master branch |work=Launchpad |url=https://launchpad.net/ffmpeg/+announcement/12045 |date=2013-10-03 |access-date=2013-10-21 |archive-date=2013-10-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022011447/https://launchpad.net/ffmpeg/+announcement/12045 |url-status=live }}</ref> decoder and OpenHEVC, an open source High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) decoder, were added to FFmpeg.<ref name=FFmpegHEVCOctober2013Softpedia>{{cite news |title=FFmpeg Now Features Native HEVC/H.265 Decoder Support |publisher=Softpedia |url=https://linux.softpedia.com/blog/Ffmpeg-Now-Features-Native-HEVC-H-265-Decoder-Support-391582.shtml |date=2013-10-16 |access-date=2013-10-16 |archive-date=2014-06-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140615002423/http://news.softpedia.com/news/Ffmpeg-Now-Features-Native-HEVC-H-265-Decoder-Support-391582.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2016 the native AAC encoder was considered stable, removing support for the two external AAC encoders from VisualOn and FAAC. FFmpeg 3.0 (nicknamed ''"Einstein"'') retained build support for the Fraunhofer FDK AAC encoder.<ref name="Einstein">{{cite web|url=https://ffmpeg.org/index.html#pr3.0|title=February 15th, 2016, FFmpeg 3.0 "Einstein"|date=2016-02-15|access-date=2016-04-02|author=FFmpeg|author-link=FFmpeg<!-- for copies -->|archive-date=2016-07-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160716124052/http://ffmpeg.org/index.html#pr3.0|url-status=live}}</ref> Since version 3.4 ''"Cantor"'' FFmpeg supported the FITS image format.<ref name="Cantor">{{cite web|url=https://ffmpeg.org/index.html#pr3.4|title=October 15th, 2017, FFmpeg 3.4 "Cantor"|date=2017-10-15|access-date=2019-05-10|author=FFmpeg|author-link=FFmpeg|archive-date=2016-07-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160716124052/http://ffmpeg.org/index.html#pr3.4|url-status=live}}</ref> Since November 2018 in version 4.1 ''"al-Khwarizmi"'' AV1 can be muxed in MP4 and Matroska, including WebM.<ref name="al-Khwarizmi">{{cite web|url=https://ffmpeg.org/index.html#pr4.1|title=November 6th, 2018, FFmpeg 4.1 "al-Khwarizmi"|date=2018-11-06|access-date=2019-05-10|author=FFmpeg|author-link=FFmpeg|archive-date=2016-07-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160716124052/http://ffmpeg.org/index.html#pr4.1|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.streamingmedia.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=130284 |title=Good News: AV1 Encoding Times Drop to Near-Reasonable Levels |author=Jan Ozer |date=2019-03-04 |website=StreamingMedia.com |access-date=2019-05-10 |archive-date=2021-05-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514020514/https://www.streamingmedia.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=130284 |url-status=live }}</ref>
== Components ==
=== Command-line tools === * ''ffmpeg'' is a command-line tool that converts audio or video formats. It can also capture and encode in real-time from various hardware and software sources<ref>This video of Linux desktop (X11) was captured by ffmpeg and encoded in realtime{{Circular reference|date=March 2024}}</ref> such as a TV capture card. * ''ffplay'' is a simple media player utilizing SDL and the FFmpeg libraries. * ''ffprobe'' is a command-line tool to display media information (text, CSV, XML, JSON), see also MediaInfo.
=== Libraries === * ''libswresample'' is a library containing audio resampling routines. * ''libavcodec'' is a library containing all of the native FFmpeg audio/video encoders and decoders. Most codecs were developed from scratch to ensure best performance and high code reusability. * ''libavformat'' (Lavf)<ref name="Lavf" /> is a library containing demuxers and muxers for audio/video container formats. * ''libavutil'' is a helper library containing routines common to different parts of FFmpeg. This library includes hash functions, ciphers, LZO decompressor and Base64 encoder/decoder. * ''libswscale'' is a library containing video image scaling and colorspace/pixelformat conversion routines. * ''libavfilter'' is the substitute for vhook which allows the video/audio to be modified or examined (for debugging) between the decoder and the encoder. Filters have been ported from many projects including MPlayer and avisynth. * ''libavdevice'' is a library containing audio/video io through internal and external devices.
== Supported hardware == === CPUs === FFmpeg encompasses software implementations of video and audio compressing and decompressing algorithms. These can be compiled and run on many different instruction sets, including x86 (IA-32 and x86-64), PPC (PowerPC), ARM, DEC Alpha, SPARC, and MIPS.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://fate.multimedia.cx/ |title=FFmpeg Automated Testing Environment |publisher=Fate.multimedia.cx |access-date=2012-01-04 |archive-date=2016-04-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160410165839/http://fate.multimedia.cx/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
=== Special purpose hardware === There are a variety of application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) for audio/video compression and decompression. These ASICs can partially or completely offload the computation from the host CPU. Instead of a complete implementation of an algorithm, only the API is required to use such an ASIC.<ref name="HWAccelIntro">{{cite web |title=FFmpeg Hardware Acceleration |url=https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/HWAccelIntro |website=trac.ffmpeg.org |publisher=ffmpeg.org Wiki |access-date=2016-11-12 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161204005157/http://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/HWAccelIntro |archive-date=2016-12-04 }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" ! Firm !! ASIC !! purpose !! supported by FFmpeg !! Details |- | rowspan=2 | AMD || UVD ||decoding|| {{ya}} ||via VDPAU API and VAAPI |- | VCE ||encoding|| {{ya}} ||via VAAPI, considered experimental<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/Hardware/VAAPI|title=Hardware/VAAPI – FFmpeg|website=trac.ffmpeg.org|access-date=2017-10-16|archive-date=2017-10-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171016175234/https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/Hardware/VAAPI|url-status=live}}</ref> |- | Amlogic || Amlogic Video Engine ||decoding|| {{dunno}} || |- |BlackMagic |DeckLink |encoding/decoding || {{ya}} || real-time ingest and playout |- | Broadcom || Crystal HD ||decoding|| {{ya}} || |- | Samsung || Exynos MFC||decoding|| {{ya}} || |- |Qualcomm |Hexagon |encoding/decoding|| {{ya}} |hwaccel<ref>{{Cite web|title=HEVC Video Encoder User Manual|url=https://developer.qualcomm.com/download/hevc/hevc-video-encoder-user-manual.pdf|access-date=2021-02-23|website=Qualcomm Developer Network|language=en|archive-date=2021-04-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416113519/https://developer.qualcomm.com/download/hevc/hevc-video-encoder-user-manual.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> |- | rowspan=2 | Intel || Intel Clear Video ||decoding|| {{ya}} || (libmfx, VAAPI) |- | Intel Quick Sync Video ||encoding/decoding|| {{ya}} || (libmfx, VAAPI) |- | rowspan=2 | Nvidia || PureVideo / NVDEC ||decoding|| {{ya}} || via the VDPAU API as of FFmpeg v1.2 (deprecated)<br />via CUVID API as of FFmpeg v3.1<ref>{{cite web |url=https://github.com/FFmpeg/FFmpeg/blob/master/Changelog |title=FFmpeg Changelog |website=GitHub |access-date=2016-11-12 |archive-date=2017-03-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170321031856/https://github.com/FFmpeg/FFmpeg/blob/master/Changelog |url-status=live }}</ref> |- | NVENC ||encoding|| {{ya}} || as of FFmpeg v2.6 |}
The following APIs are also supported: DirectX Video Acceleration (DXVA2, Windows), Direct3D 11 (D3D11VA, Windows), Media Foundation (Windows), Vulkan (VKVA), VideoToolbox (iOS, iPadOS, macOS), RockChip MPP, OpenCL, OpenMAX, MMAL (Raspberry Pi), MediaCodec (Android OS), V4L2 (Linux). Depending on the environment, these APIs may lead to specific ASICs, to GPGPU routines, or to SIMD CPU code.<ref name="HWAccelIntro"/>
== Supported codecs and formats == === Image formats === {{Technical|date=April 2023|section}} FFmpeg supports many common and some uncommon image formats.
The {{anchor|PGMYUV}} '''PGMYUV''' image format is a homebrew variant of the binary (P5) PGM Netpbm format. FFmpeg also supports 16-bit depths of the PGM and PPM formats, and the binary (P7) PAM format with or without alpha channel, depth 8 bit or 16 bit for <code>pix_fmts</code> ''monob, gray, gray16be, rgb24, rgb48be, ya8, rgba, rgb64be''.
=== Supported formats === {{Further|libavcodec}}{{More citations needed section|date=July 2022}} In addition to FFV1 and Snow formats, which were created and developed from within FFmpeg, the project also supports the following formats: {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" ! Group !! Format type !! Format name |- | rowspan = 4 | ISO/IEC/ITU-T | Video || MPEG-1 Part 2, H.261 (Px64),<ref name="svn8747" /> H.262/MPEG-2 Part 2, H.263,<ref name="svn8747" /> MPEG-4 Part 2, H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, HEVC/H.265<ref name=FFmpegHEVCOctober2013Softpedia /> (MPEG-H Part 2), MPEG-4 VCB (a.k.a. VP8), Motion JPEG, IEC DV video<!--IEC 61834-2--> and CD+G<!--IEC 908--> |- | Audio || MP1, MP2, MP3, AAC, HE-AAC, MPEG-4 ALS, G.711 μ-law, G.711 A-law, G.721 (a.k.a. G.726 32k), G.722, G.722.2 (a.k.a. AMR-WB), G.723 (a.k.a. G.726 24k and 40k), G.723.1, G.726, G.729, G.729D, IEC DV audio and Direct Stream Transfer |- | Subtitle || MPEG-4 Timed Text (a.k.a. 3GPP Timed Text) |- | Image || JPEG, Lossless JPEG, JPEG-LS, JPEG 2000, JPEG XL,<ref>{{Cite web |title=FFmpeg Lands JPEG-XL Support |url=https://www.phoronix.com/news/FFmpeg-JPEG-XL-Lands |access-date=2022-04-26 |website=www.phoronix.com |language=en |archive-date=2022-07-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220724085837/https://www.phoronix.com/news/FFmpeg-JPEG-XL-Lands |url-status=live }}</ref> PNG, CCITT G3 and CCITT G4 |- |rowspan=2 | Alliance for Open Media |Video |AV1<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://git.ffmpeg.org/gitweb/ffmpeg.git/commit/43778a501f1bfbceeddc8eaeea2ea2b3506beeda|title=git.ffmpeg.org Git - ffmpeg.git/commit|website=git.ffmpeg.org|language=en-US|access-date=2018-04-23|archive-date=2018-04-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180423232534/https://git.ffmpeg.org/gitweb/ffmpeg.git/commit/43778a501f1bfbceeddc8eaeea2ea2b3506beeda|url-status=live}}</ref> |- |Image |AVIF<ref name="phoronix_5_1"/> |- | EIA | Subtitle || EIA-608 |- | CEA | Subtitle || CEA-708 |- | rowspan="3" | SMPTE | Video || SMPTE 314M (a.k.a. DVCAM and DVCPRO), SMPTE 370M (a.k.a. DVCPRO HD), VC-1 (a.k.a. WMV3), VC-2 (a.k.a. Dirac Pro), VC-3 (a.k.a. AVID DNxHD) |- | Audio || SMPTE 302M |- | Image || DPX |- | rowspan="2" | ATSC/ETSI/DVB | Audio ||Full Rate (GSM 06.10), AC-3 (Dolby Digital), Enhanced AC-3 (Dolby Digital Plus) and DTS Coherent Acoustics (a.k.a. DTS or DCA)<!--ETSI TS 102 114--> |- | Subtitle || DVB Subtitling (ETSI 300 743) |- | rowspan = 2 | DVD Forum/Dolby | Audio || MLP / Dolby TrueHD |- | Subtitle || DVD-Video subtitles |- | Xperi/DTS, Inc/QDesign | Audio || DTS Coherent Acoustics (a.k.a. DTS or DCA), DTS Extended Surround (a.k.a. DTS-ES), DTS 96/24, DTS-HD High Resolution Audio, DTS Express (a.k.a. DTS-HD LBR), DTS-HD Master Audio, QDesign Music Codec 1 and 2 |- | Blu-ray Disc Association | Subtitle || PGS (Presentation Graphics Stream) |- | 3GPP || Audio || AMR-NB, AMR-WB (a.k.a. G.722.2) |- | 3GPP2 || Audio || QCELP-8 (a.k.a. SmartRate or IS-96C)<!--C.S0009-->, QCELP-13 (a.k.a. PureVoice or IS-733)<!--C.S0020--> and Enhanced Variable Rate Codec (EVRC. a.k.a. IS-127)<!--C.S0014--> |- | rowspan = 3 | World Wide Web Consortium | Video || Animated GIF<ref name="phoronix_1_1"/> |- | Subtitle || WebVTT |- | Image || GIF, and SVG (via librsvg) |- | rowspan = 2 | IETF | Video || FFV1<!--RFC 9043--> |- | Audio || iLBC<!--RFC 3951--> (via libilbc), Opus<!--RFC 6716--> and Comfort noise<!--RFC 3389--> |- | International Voice Association || Audio || DSS-SP |- | SAC || Video || AVS video, AVS2 video<ref name="phoronix_4_1"/> (via libdavs2), and AVS3 video (via libuavs3d) |- | rowspan = 4 | Microsoft | Video || Microsoft RLE, Microsoft Video 1, Cinepak, Microsoft MPEG-4 v1, v2 and v3, Windows Media Video (WMV1, WMV2, WMV3/VC-1), WMV Screen and Mimic codec |- | Audio || Windows Media Audio (WMA1, WMA2, WMA Pro and WMA Lossless), XMA (XMA1 and XMA2),<ref>[https://www.phoronix.com/news/FFmpeg-3.0-Released FFmpeg 3.0 Released, Supports VP9 VA-API Acceleration] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808081632/https://www.phoronix.com/news/FFmpeg-3.0-Released |date=2022-08-08 }}. Phoronix. February 15, 2016</ref> MSN Siren, MS-GSM and MS-ADPCM |- | Subtitle || SAMI |- | Image || Windows Bitmap, WMV Image (WMV9 Image and WMV9 Image v2), DirectDraw Surface, and MSP<ref>[https://www.phoronix.com/news/FFmpeg-4.4-Released FFmpeg 4.4 Released With AV1 VA-API Decoder, SVT-AV1 Encoding] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808081633/https://www.phoronix.com/news/FFmpeg-4.4-Released |date=2022-08-08 }}. Phoronix. April 9, 2021</ref> |- | Interactive Multimedia Association || Audio || IMA ADPCM |- | rowspan = 2 | Intel / Digital Video Interactive | Video || RTV 2.1 (Indeo 2), Indeo 3, 4 and 5,<ref name="svn8747" /> and Intel H.263 |- | Audio || DVI4 (a.k.a. IMA DVI ADPCM), Intel Music Coder, and Indeo Audio Coder |- | rowspan = 3 | RealNetworks | Video || RealVideo Fractal Codec (a.k.a. Iterated Systems ClearVideo), 1, 2, 3 and 4 |- | Audio || RealAudio v1 – v10, and RealAudio Lossless<ref name="phoronix_0_11"/> |- | Subtitle || RealText |- | rowspan = 4 | Apple / Spruce Technologies | Video || Cinepak (Apple Compact Video), ProRes, Sorenson 3 Codec, QuickTime Animation (Apple Animation), QuickTime Graphics (Apple Graphics), Apple Video, Apple Intermediate Codec and Pixlet<ref name="phoronix_3_3"/> |- | Audio || ALAC |- | Image || QuickDraw PICT |- | Subtitle || Spruce subtitle (STL) |- | rowspan = 2 | Adobe Flash Player (SWF) | Video || Screen video, Screen video 2, Sorenson Spark and VP6 |- | Audio || Adobe SWF ADPCM and Nellymoser Asao |- | Adobe / Aldus | Image || TIFF, PSD,<ref name="phoronix_3_3">[https://www.phoronix.com/news/FFmpeg-3.3-Released FFmpeg 3.3 Brings Native Opus Encoder, Support For Spherical Videos] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808072028/https://www.phoronix.com/news/FFmpeg-3.3-Released |date=2022-08-08 }}. Phoronix. April 17, 2017</ref> and DNG |- | rowspan = 3 | Xiph.Org | Video || Theora |- | Audio || Speex,<ref>[https://www.phoronix.com/news/FFmpeg-5.0-Released FFmpeg 5.0 Released For This Popular, Open-Source Multimedia Library] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808082930/https://www.phoronix.com/news/FFmpeg-5.0-Released |date=2022-08-08 }}. Phoronix. January 14, 2022</ref> Vorbis, Opus and FLAC |- | Subtitle || Ogg Writ |- | Sony | Audio || Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding (ATRAC1, ATRAC3, ATRAC3Plus,<ref name="phoronix_2_2">[https://www.phoronix.com/news/MTY0MTA FFmpeg 2.2 Release Adds The Libx265 Encoder] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808082929/https://www.phoronix.com/news/MTY0MTA |date=2022-08-08 }}. Phoronix. March 23, 2014</ref> and ATRAC9<ref name="phoronix_4_1">[https://www.phoronix.com/news/FFmpeg-4.1-Released FFmpeg 4.1 Brings AV1 Parser & Support For AV1 In MP4] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808081633/https://www.phoronix.com/news/FFmpeg-4.1-Released |date=2022-08-08 }}. Phoronix. November 6, 2018</ref>)<ref name="svn8747">{{cite web|url=http://svn.mplayerhq.hu/ffmpeg/trunk/Changelog?revision=8747&view=marku |title=Changelog |publisher=FFmpeg |work=FFmpeg trunk SVN |date=17 April 2007 |access-date=26 April 2007 }}{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> and PSX ADPCM |- | NTT || Audio || TwinVQ |- | rowspan = 3 | Google / On2 / GIPS || Video || Duck TrueMotion 1, Duck TrueMotion 2, Duck TrueMotion 2.0 Real Time, VP3, VP4,<ref>[https://www.phoronix.com/news/FFmpeg-4.2-Released FFmpeg 4.2 Released With AV1 Decoding Support, GIF Parser] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808082929/https://www.phoronix.com/news/FFmpeg-4.2-Released |date=2022-08-08 }}. Phoronix. August 6, 2019</ref> VP5,<ref name="svn8747" /> VP6,<ref name="svn8747" /> VP7, VP8,<ref>[https://www.phoronix.com/news/ODM0MA FFmpeg 0.6 Released With H.264, VP8 Love] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808074540/https://www.phoronix.com/news/ODM0MA |date=2022-08-08 }}. Phoronix. June 16, 2010</ref> VP9<ref name="LaunchpadVP9Decoder" /> and animated WebP |- | Audio || DK ADPCM Audio 3/4, On2 AVC and iLBC (via libilbc) |- | Image || WebP<ref name="phoronix_2_5"/> |- | rowspan = 2 | Epic Games / RAD Game Tools || Video || Smacker video and Bink video |- | Audio || Bink audio |- | CRI Middleware || Audio || ADX ADPCM, and HCA |- | rowspan = 2 | Nintendo / NERD || Video || Mobiclip video |- | Audio || GCADPCM (a.k.a. ADPCM THP), FastAudio, and ADPCM IMA MOFLEX |- | Synaptics / DSP Group || Audio || Truespeech |- | rowspan = 2 | Electronic Arts / Criterion Games / Black Box Games / Westwood Studios || Video || RenderWare TXD,<ref name="ffdev20070507">{{cite web|url=http://lists.mplayerhq.hu/pipermail/ffmpeg-devel/2007-May/028760.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070811203618/http://lists.mplayerhq.hu/pipermail/ffmpeg-devel/2007-May/028760.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 August 2007 |title=FFmpeg development mailing list |publisher=FFmpeg |work=FFmpeg development |date=7 May 2007 |access-date=24 December 2010 }}</ref> Madcow, CMV, TGV, TGQ, TQI, Midivid VQ (MVDV), MidiVid 3.0 (MV30), Midivid Archival (MVHA), and Vector Quantized Animation (VQA) |- | Audio || Electronic Arts ADPCM variants |- | Netpbm || Image || PBM, PGM, PPM, PNM, PAM, PFM and PHM |- | MIT/X Consortium/The Open Group || Image || XBM,<ref name="phoronix_0_11">[https://www.phoronix.com/news/MTEwNzM FFmpeg 0.11 Has Blu-Ray Protocol, New Encoders] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808081633/https://www.phoronix.com/news/MTEwNzM |date=2022-08-08 }}. Phoronix. May 26, 2012</ref> XPM and xwd |- | rowspan = 2 | HPE / SGI / Silicon Graphics || Video || Silicon Graphics RLE 8-bit video,<ref name="phoronix_1_1"/> Silicon Graphics MVC1/2<ref name="phoronix_1_1"/> |- | Image || Silicon Graphics Image |- | Oracle/Sun Microsystems || Image || Sun Raster |- | IBM || Video || IBM UltiMotion |- | rowspan = 2 | Avid Technology / Truevision || Video || Avid 1:1x, Avid Meridien,<ref name="phoronix_0_11"/> Avid DNxHD, Avid DNx444,<ref name="phoronix_2_2"/> and DNxHR |- | Image || Targa<ref name="phoronix_1_1"/> |- | rowspan = 2 | Autodesk / Alias || Video || Autodesk Animator Studio Codec and FLIC |- | Image || Alias PIX |- | Activision Blizzard / Activision / Infocom || Audio || ADPCM Zork |- | rowspan = 2 | Konami / Hudson Soft || Video || HVQM4 Video |- | Audio || Konami MTAF, and ADPCM IMA HVQM4 |- | Grass Valley / Canopus || Video || HQ, HQA, HQX and Lossless |- | rowspan=2 | Vizrt / NewTek || Video || SpeedHQ |- | Image || Vizrt Binary Image<ref name="phoronix_5_1">[https://www.phoronix.com/news/FFmpeg-5.1-Released FFmpeg 5.1 Released With Many Improvements To This Important Multimedia Project] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220807151020/https://www.phoronix.com/news/FFmpeg-5.1-Released |date=2022-08-07 }}. Phoronix. July 22, 2022</ref> |- | Academy Software Foundation / ILM || Image || OpenEXR<ref name="phoronix_0_11"/> |- | Mozilla Corporation || Video || APNG<ref name="phoronix_2_5">[https://www.phoronix.com/news/MTg1NDQ FFmpeg 2.5 Brings Animated PNG, WebP Decoding Support] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808071333/https://www.phoronix.com/news/MTg1NDQ |date=2022-08-08 }}. Phoronix. December 4, 2014</ref> |- | Matrox || Video || Matrox Uncompressed SD (M101) / HD (M102) |- | AMD/ATI || Video || ATI VCR1/VCR2 |- | Asus || Video || ASUS V1/V2 codec |- | Commodore || Video || CDXL codec |- | Kodak || Image || Photo CD |- | Blackmagic Design / Cintel || Image || Cintel RAW |- | Houghton Mifflin Harcourt / The Learning Company / ZSoft Corporation || Image || PCX |- | Australian National University || Image || X-Face<ref name="phoronix_1_1">[https://www.phoronix.com/news/MTI2OTA FFmpeg 1.1 Brings New Support, Encoders/Decoders] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808081634/https://www.phoronix.com/news/MTI2OTA |date=2022-08-08 }}. Phoronix. January 7, 2013</ref> |- | Bluetooth Special Interest Group || Audio || SBC, and mSBC |- | Qualcomm / CSR || Audio || QCELP, aptX, and aptX HD |- | Open Mobile Alliance / WAP Forum || Image || Wireless Bitmap |}
=== Muxers === Output formats (container formats and other ways of creating output streams) in FFmpeg are called "muxers". FFmpeg supports, among others, the following: {{div col}} * AIFF * ASF * AVI and also input from AviSynth * BFI<ref name="ffdev20080413">{{cite web|author=vitor |url=https://lists.mplayerhq.hu/pipermail/ffmpeg-cvslog/2008-April/013231.html |title=FFmpeg development mailing list |publisher=FFmpeg website |work=FFmpeg development |date=13 April 2008 |access-date=14 April 2008 }}{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> * CAF * FLV * GIF * GXF, General eXchange Format, SMPTE 360M * HLS, HTTP Live Streaming * IFF<ref name="ffdev20080330">{{cite web|author=vitor |url=https://lists.mplayerhq.hu/pipermail/ffmpeg-cvslog/2008-March/012963.html |title=FFmpeg development mailing list |publisher=FFmpeg website |work=FFmpeg development |date=30 March 2008 |access-date=30 March 2008 }}{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> * ISO base media file format (including QuickTime, 3GP and MP4) * Matroska (including WebM) * Maxis XA<ref name="MaxisXADemuxContext">{{cite web |url=https://ffmpeg.org/doxygen/5.1/structMaxisXADemuxContext.html |title=FFmpeg: MaxisXADemuxContext Struct Reference |publisher=FFmpeg website |work=FFmpeg development |access-date=17 March 2024 |archive-date=17 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240317184808/https://ffmpeg.org/doxygen/5.1/structMaxisXADemuxContext.html |url-status=live }}</ref> * MPEG-DASH<ref>{{cite web|url=http://git.videolan.org/?p=ffmpeg.git;a=blob;f=RELEASE_NOTES;hb=release/2.5|title=RELEASE NOTES for FFmpeg 2.5 "Bohr"|date=2014-12-05|publisher=VideoLAN|author=Michael Niedermayer, Timothy Gu|access-date=2014-12-05|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141208011850/http://git.videolan.org/?p=ffmpeg.git%3Ba%3Dblob%3Bf%3DRELEASE_NOTES%3Bhb%3Drelease%2F2.5|archive-date=2014-12-08}}</ref> * MPEG program stream * MPEG transport stream (including AVCHD) * MXF, Material eXchange Format, SMPTE 377M * MSN Webcam stream<ref name="ffdev20080318">{{cite web |author=ramiro |url=http://lists.mplayerhq.hu/pipermail/ffmpeg-cvslog/2008-March/012708.html |title=FFmpeg development mailing list |publisher=FFmpeg website |work=FFmpeg development |date=18 March 2008 |access-date=18 March 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080817072304/http://lists.mplayerhq.hu/pipermail/ffmpeg-cvslog/2008-March/012708.html |archive-date=17 August 2008 }}</ref> * {{anchor|NUT}}NUT<ref name="nut" /> * Ogg * OMA<ref name="ffdev20080608">{{cite web |author=banan |url=http://lists.mplayerhq.hu/pipermail/ffmpeg-cvslog/2008-June/014417.html |title=FFmpeg development mailing list |publisher=FFmpeg website |work=FFmpeg development |date=8 June 2008 |access-date=8 June 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090114195646/http://lists.mplayerhq.hu/pipermail/ffmpeg-cvslog/2008-June/014417.html |archive-date=14 January 2009 }}</ref> * RL2<ref name="ffdev20080321">{{cite web |author=((faust3)) |url=http://lists.mplayerhq.hu/pipermail/ffmpeg-cvslog/2008-March/012799.html |title=FFmpeg development mailing list |publisher=FFmpeg website |work=FFmpeg development |date=21 March 2008 |access-date=21 March 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080425024126/http://lists.mplayerhq.hu/pipermail/ffmpeg-cvslog/2008-March/012799.html |archive-date=25 April 2008 }}</ref> * Segment, for creating segmented video streams * Smooth Streaming * TXD<ref name="ffdev20070507" /> * WTV {{div col end}}
=== Pixel formats === {{More citations needed section|date=July 2022}}
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" ! rowspan=2| Type ! rowspan=2| Color ! colspan=2| Packed ! colspan=3| Planar ! Palette |- ! Without alpha !! With alpha !! Without alpha !! With alpha !! Chroma-interleaved !! With alpha |- ! rowspan=2 | Monochrome | Binary (1-bit monochrome) || {{yes|monoblack, monowhite}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} |- | Grayscale || {{yes|8/9/10/12/14/16bpp}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{yes|16/32bpp}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} |- ! rowspan=6 | RGB | RGB 1:2:1 (4-bit color) || {{yes|4bpp}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} |- | RGB 3:3:2 (8-bit color) || {{yes|8bpp}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} |- | RGB 5:5:5 (High color) || {{yes|16bpp}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} |- | RGB 5:6:5 (High color) || {{yes|16bpp}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} |- | RGB/BGR || {{yes|24/30<ref group="p">10-bit color components with 2-bit padding (X2RGB10)</ref>/48bpp}} || {{yes|32<ref group="p">RGBx (rgb0) and xBGR (0bgr) are also supported</ref>/64bpp}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{yes|8bit->32bpp}} |- | GBR<ref group="p">used in YUV-centric codecs such like H.264</ref> || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{yes|8/9/10/12/14/16bpc}} || {{yes|8/10/12/16bpc}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} |- ! rowspan=2 | RGB Float | RGB || {{yes|32bpc}} || {{yes|16/32bpc}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} |- | GBR || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{yes|32bpc}} || {{yes|32bpc}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} |- ! rowspan=10 | YUV | YVU 4:1:0 || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{no|(9bpp (YVU9))<ref group="p" name="pixfmt-rawvideo">YVU9, YV12, YV16, and YV24 are supported as ''rawvideo'' codec in FFmpeg.</ref>}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} |- | YUV 4:1:0 || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{yes|9bpp}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} |- | YUV 4:1:1 || {{yes|8bpc (UYYVYY)}} || {{sdash}} || {{yes|8bpc}} || {{sdash}} || {{no|(8bpc (NV11))}} || {{sdash}} |- | YVU 4:2:0 || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{no|(8bpc (YV12))<ref group="p" name="pixfmt-rawvideo" />}} || {{sdash}} || {{yes|8 (NV21)}} || {{sdash}} |- | YUV 4:2:0 || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{yes|8<ref group="p">I420<!--Windows, libvpx, libx264, libx265--> a.k.a. YUV420P<!--FFmepg, Video4Linux2--></ref>/9/10/12/14/16bpc}} || {{yes|8/9/10/16bpc}} || {{yes|8 (NV12)/10 (P010)/12 (P012)/16bpc (P016)}} || {{sdash}} |- | YVU 4:2:2 || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{no|(8bpc (YV16))<ref group="p" name="pixfmt-rawvideo" />}} || {{sdash}} || {{no|(8bpc (NV61))}} || {{sdash}} |- | YUV 4:2:2 || {{partial|8 (YUYV<ref group="p">aka YUY2 in Windows</ref> and UYVY)/10 (Y210)/12bpc (Y212)<ref group="p">UYVY 10bpc without a padding is supported as ''bitpacked'' codec in FFmpeg. UYVY 10bpc with 2-bits padding is supported as ''v210'' codec in FFmpeg. 16bpc (Y216) is supported as ''targa_y216'' codec in FFmpeg.</ref>}} || {{sdash}} || {{yes|8<ref group="p">I422 a.k.a. YUV422P</ref>/9/10/12/14/16bpc}} || {{yes|8/9/10/12/16bpc}} || {{yes|8 (NV16)/10 (NV20 and P210)/16bpc (P216)}} || {{sdash}} |- | YUV 4:4:0 || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{yes|8/10/12bpc}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} |- | YVU 4:4:4 || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{no|(8bpc (YV24))<ref group="p" name="pixfmt-rawvideo" />}} || {{sdash}} || {{yes|8bpc (NV42)}} || {{sdash}} |- | YUV 4:4:4 || {{partial|8 (VUYX)/10<ref group="p">XV30 a.k.a. XVYU2101010</ref>/12bpc<ref group="p">XV36</ref>}}|| {{yes|8<ref group="p">VUYA a.k.a. AYUV</ref> / 16bpc (AYUV64)<ref group="p">10bpc (Y410), 12bpc (Y412), and Y416 (16bpc) are not supported.</ref> }} || {{yes|8<ref group="p">I444 a.k.a. YUV444P</ref>/9/10/12/14/16bpc}} || {{yes|8/9/10/12/16bpc}} || {{yes|8 (NV24)/10 (P410)/ 16bpc (P416)}} || {{sdash}} |- ! XYZ | XYZ 4:4:4<ref group="p">used in JPEG2000</ref> || {{yes|12bpc}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} |- ! Bayer | BGGR/RGGB/GBRG/GRBG || {{yes|8/16bpp}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} || {{sdash}} |} <references group="p" />
FFmpeg does not support IMC1-IMC4, AI44, CYMK, RGBE, Log RGB and other formats. It also does not yet support ARGB <abbr title="ARGB1555">1:5:5:5</abbr>, <abbr title="A2R10G10B10">2:10:10:10</abbr>, or other BMP bitfield formats that are not commonly used.
== Supported protocols ==
=== Open standards === {{div col}} *IETF RFCs: **FTP **Gopher **HLS **HTTP **HTTPS **RTP **RTSP **SCTP **SDP **SRTP **TCP **TLS **UDP **UDP-Lite * IETF I-Ds:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://annevankesteren.nl/2010/09/draft-vs-standard|title=Internet Drafts are not Open Standards|last=van Kesteren|first=Anne|date=2010-09-01|publisher=Self-published|work=annevankesteren.nl|access-date=2015-03-22|archive-date=2010-09-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100902054734/http://annevankesteren.nl/2010/09/draft-vs-standard|url-status=live}}</ref> **SFTP (via libssh) * Microsoft OSP: **CIFS/SMB (via libsmbclient) <!--Microsoft Open Specification [MS-CIFS], [MS-SMB] and [MS-SMB2]--> **MMS over TCP (MS-MMSP) <!--Microsoft Open Specification [MS-MMSP]--> **MMS over HTTP (MS-WMSP) * CENELEC ** SAT>IP * OASIS standards: ** AMQP 0-9-1 (via librabbitmq) * SRT Alliance standard: ** SRT (via libsrt) {{div col end}}
=== De facto standards === {{div col}} * RTSP over TLS<ref>[https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc7826 Real Time Streaming Protocol 2.0 (RTSP)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231025214422/https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc7826 |date=2023-10-25 }} P.231</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://git.videolan.org/gitweb.cgi/ffmpeg.git/?a=commit;h=8b2e9636c57b22582143467a8a06b509b47b92f9|title=rtsp: Support tls-encapsulated RTSP - git.videolan.org Git - ffmpeg.git/commit|work=videolan.org|access-date=21 October 2016|archive-date=18 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018153936/http://git.videolan.org/gitweb.cgi/ffmpeg.git/?a=commit;h=8b2e9636c57b22582143467a8a06b509b47b92f9|url-status=live}}</ref> * Icecast protocol * Adobe RTMP, RTMPT, RTMPE, RTMPTE and RTMPS * RealMedia RTSP/RDT * ZeroMQ (via libzmq) * RIST (librist) {{div col end}}
== Supported filters ==
FFmpeg supports, among others, the following filters.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-filters.html |title=FFmpeg Filters |publisher=ffmpeg.org |access-date=2017-03-27 |archive-date=2017-03-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170328021020/http://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-filters.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
=== Audio === {{div col|small=yes}} * Resampling (aresample) * Pass/Stop filters ** Low-pass filter (lowpass) ** High-pass filter (highpass) ** All-pass filter (allpass) ** Butterworth Band-pass filter (bandpass) ** Butterworth Band-stop filter (bandreject) * Arbitrary Finite Impulse Response Filter (afir) * Arbitrary Infinite Impulse Response Filter (aiir) * Equalizer ** Peak Equalizer (equalizer) ** Butterworth/Chebyshev Type I/Type II Multiband Equalizer (anequalizer) ** Low Shelving filter (bass) ** High Shelving filter (treble) ** Xbox 360 equalizer ** FIR equalizer (firequalizer) ** Biquad filter (biquad) * Remove/Add DC offset (dcshift) * Expression evaluation ** Time domain expression evaluation (aeval) ** Frequency domain expression evaluation (afftfilt) * Dynamics ** Limiter (alimiter) ** Compressor (acompressor) ** Dynamic range expander ({{Not a typo |crystalizer}}) ** Side-chain Compressor (sidechaincompress) ** Compander (compand) ** Noise gate (agate) ** Side-chain Noise gate(sidechaingate) * Distortion ** Bitcrusher (acrusher) * Emphasis (aemphasis) * Amplify/Normalizer ** Volume (volume) ** Dynamic Audio Normalizer (dynaudnorm) ** EBU R 128 loudness normalizer (loudnorm) * Modulation ** Sinusoidal Amplitude Modulation (tremolo) ** Sinusoidal Phase Modulation (vibrato) ** Phaser (aphaser) ** Chorus (chorus) ** Flanger (flanger) ** Pulsator (apulsator) * Echo/Reverb ** Echo (aecho) * Routing/Panning ** Stereo widening (stereowiden) ** Increase channel differences (extrastereo) ** M/S to L/R (stereotools) ** Channel mapping (channelmap) ** Channel splitting (channelsplit) ** Channel panning (pan) ** Channel merging (amerge) ** Channel joining (join)<!--???--> ** for Headphones *** Stereo to Binaural (earwax, ported from SoX)<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080928130012/http://www.geocities.com/beinges/works.htm How it works] earwax.ca</ref> *** Bauer Stereo to Binaural (bs2b, via libbs2b) *** Crossfeed (crossfeed) *** Multi-channel to Binaural (sofalizer, requires libnetcdf) ** Delay *** Delay (adelay) *** Delay by distance (compensationdelay) * Fade ** Fader (afade) ** Crossfader (acrossfade) * Audio time stretching and pitch scaling ** Time stretching (atempo) ** Time-stretching and Pitch-shifting (rubberband, via librubberband) * Editing ** Trim (atrim) ** Silence-padding (apad) ** Silence remover (silenceremove) * Show frame/channel information ** Show frame information (ashowinfo) ** Show channel information (astats) ** Show silence ranges (silencedetect) ** Show audio volumes (volumedetect) ** ReplayGain scanner (replaygain) * Modify frame/channel information ** Set output format (aformat) ** Set number of sample (asetnsamples) ** Set sampling rate (asetrate) * Mixer (amix) * Synchronization (asyncts) * HDCD data decoder (hdcd) * Plugins ** LADSPA (ladspa) ** LV2 (lv2) * Do nothing ({{Not a typo |anull}}) {{div col end}}
=== Video === {{div col|small=yes}} * Transformations ** Cropping (crop, cropdetect) ** Fading (fade) ** Scaling (scale) ** Padding (pad) ** Rotation (rotate) ** Transposition (transpose) ** Others: *** Lens correction (lenscorrection) *** OpenCV filtering (ocv) *** Perspective correction (perspective) * Temporal editing ** Framerate (fps, framerate) ** Looping (loop) ** Trimming (trim) * Deinterlacing (bwdif, idet, kerndeint, nnedi, yadif, w3fdif) * Inverse Telecine * Filtering ** Blurring (boxblur, gblur, avgblur, sab, smartblur) ** Convolution filters *** Convolution (convolution) *** Edge detection (edgedetect) *** Sobel Filter (sobel) *** Prewitt Filter (prewitt) *** Unsharp masking (unsharp) * Denoising (atadenoise, bitplanenoise, dctdnoiz, owdenoise, removegrain) * Logo removal (delogo, removelogo) * Subtitles (ASS, subtitles) * Alpha channel editing (alphaextract, alphamerge) * Keying (chromakey, colorkey, lumakey) * Frame detection ** Black frame detection (blackdetect, blackframe) ** Thumbnail selection (thumbnail) * Frame Blending (blend, tblend, overlay) * Video stabilization (vidstabdetect, vidstabtransform) * Color and Level adjustments ** Balance and levels (colorbalance, colorlevels) ** Channel mixing (colorchannelmixer) ** Color space (colorspace) ** Parametric adjustments (curves, eq) * Histograms and visualization ** CIE Scope (ciescope) ** Vectorscope (vectorscope) ** Waveform monitor (waveform) ** Color histogram (histogram) * Drawing * OCR * Quality measures ** SSIM (ssim) ** PSNR (psnr) * Lookup Tables ** lut, lutrgb, lutyuv, lut2, lut3d, haldclut {{div col end}}
==== Supported test patterns ==== * SMPTE color bars (smptebars and smptehdbars) * EBU color bars (pal75bars and pal100bars)
==== Supported LUT formats ==== * cineSpace LUT format * Iridas Cube * Adobe After Effects 3dl * DaVinci Resolve dat * Pandora m3d
== Supported media and interfaces == FFmpeg supports the following devices via external libraries.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-devices.html |title=FFmpeg Devices Documentation |publisher=ffmpeg.org |access-date=2021-10-25 |archive-date=2021-10-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211025071944/https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-devices.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
=== Media === * Compact disc (via libcdio; input only)
=== Physical interfaces === * IEEE 1394 (a.k.a. FireWire; via libdc1394 and libraw1394; input only) * IEC 61883 (via libiec61883; input only) * DeckLink * Brooktree video capture chip (via bktr driver; input only)
=== Audio IO === * Advanced Linux Sound Architecture (ALSA) * Open Sound System (OSS) * PulseAudio * JACK Audio Connection Kit (JACK; input only) * OpenAL (input only) * sndio * Core Audio (for macOS) ** AVFoundation (input only) ** AudioToolbox (output only)
=== Video IO === * Video4Linux2 * Video for Windows (input only) * Windows DirectShow * Android Camera (input only)
=== Screen capture and output === * Simple DirectMedia Layer 2 (output only) * OpenGL (output only) * Linux framebuffer (fbdev) * Graphics Device Interface (GDI; input only) * X Window System (X11; via XCB; input only) * X video extension (XV; via Xlib; output only) * Kernel Mode Setting (via libdrm; input only)
=== Others === * ASCII art (via libcaca; output only)
== Applications ==
=== Legal aspects === FFmpeg contains more than 100 codecs,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ffmpeg.org/general.html#Supported-File-Formats_002c-Codecs-or-Features |title=Codecs list |publisher=ffmpeg.org |access-date=2012-01-01 |archive-date=2012-01-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120106131336/http://ffmpeg.org/general.html#Supported-File-Formats_002c-Codecs-or-Features |url-status=live }}</ref> most of which use compression techniques of one kind or another. Many such compression techniques may be subject to legal claims relating to software patents.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ffmpeg.org/legal.html |title=Legal information on FFmpeg's website |publisher=ffmpeg.org |access-date=2012-01-04 |archive-date=2012-01-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120103190924/http://ffmpeg.org/legal.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Such claims may be enforceable in countries like the United States which have implemented software patents, but are considered unenforceable or void in member countries of the European Union, for example.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-11-29|title=The European Patent Convention|url=https://www.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a52.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211119121958/https://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/html/epc/2020/e/ar52.html|archive-date=2021-11-19|access-date=2021-11-24|website=www.epo.org|publisher=European Patent Office|language=en}}</ref>{{Original research inline|date=November 2021|certain=y}} Patents for many older codecs, including AC3 and all MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 codecs, have expired.{{Citation needed|date=October 2017}}
FFmpeg is licensed under the LGPL license, but if a particular build of FFmpeg is linked against any GPL libraries (notably x264), then the entire binary is licensed under the GPL.
=== Projects using FFmpeg === {{main category|Software that uses FFmpeg}} FFmpeg is used by software such as Blender, Cinelerra-GG Infinity, HandBrake, Kodi, MPC-HC, Plex, Shotcut, VirtualDub2 (a VirtualDub fork),<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://sourceforge.net/p/vdfiltermod/wiki/Home/ | title=VirtualDub2 | access-date=2020-08-15 | archive-date=2020-08-07 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807134046/https://sourceforge.net/p/vdfiltermod/wiki/Home/ | url-status=live }}</ref> VLC media player, xine and YouTube.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://multimedia.cx/eggs/googles-youtube-uses-ffmpeg/ | title=Google's YouTube Uses FFmpeg {{pipe}} Breaking Eggs And Making Omelettes | date=2011-02-08 | publisher=Multimedia.cx | access-date=2012-08-06 | archive-date=2012-08-14 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120814124110/http://multimedia.cx/eggs/googles-youtube-uses-ffmpeg/ | url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="projects">{{cite web | url=https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/Projects | title=FFmpeg-based Projects | publisher=ffmpeg.org | access-date=2012-01-04 | archive-date=2016-02-20 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160220104135/https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/Projects | url-status=live}}.</ref> It handles video and audio playback in Chromium (and deliveries such as Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge)<ref name=projects /> and the Linux version of Firefox.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.phoronix.com/news/Firefox-FFmpeg-Default | title=Firefox Enables FFmpeg Support By Default | publisher=Phoronix | date=2015-11-15 | access-date=2015-11-18 | archive-date=2017-09-25 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170925225920/https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Firefox-FFmpeg-Default | url-status=live }}</ref> GUI front-ends for FFmpeg have been developed, including Multimedia Xpert,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.atlas-informatik.ch/multimediaXpert/ | title=Multimedia Xpert | publisher=Atlas Informatik | access-date=2022-05-26 | archive-date=2023-04-04 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404142511/https://www.atlas-informatik.ch/multimediaXpert/ | url-status=live }}</ref> XMedia Recode and ShutterEncoder.
FFmpeg is used by ffdshow, FFmpegInterop, the GStreamer FFmpeg plug-in, LAV Filters and OpenMAX IL to expand the encoding and decoding capabilities of their respective multimedia platforms.
As part of NASA's Mars 2020 mission, FFmpeg is used by the Perseverance rover on Mars for image and video compression before footage is sent to Earth.<ref>{{cite journal |title=The Mars 2020 Engineering Cameras and Microphone on the Perseverance Rover: A Next-Generation Imaging System for Mars Exploration |year=2020 |publisher=Springer Nature Switzerland AG. |doi=10.1007/s11214-020-00765-9 |last1=Maki |first1=J. N. |last2=Gruel |first2=D. |last3=McKinney |first3=C. |last4=Ravine |first4=M. A. |last5=Morales |first5=M. |last6=Lee |first6=D. |last7=Willson |first7=R. |last8=Copley-Woods |first8=D. |last9=Valvo |first9=M. |last10=Goodsall |first10=T. |last11=McGuire |first11=J. |last12=Sellar |first12=R. G. |last13=Schaffner |first13=J. A. |last14=Caplinger |first14=M. A. |last15=Shamah |first15=J. M. |last16=Johnson |first16=A. E. |last17=Ansari |first17=H. |last18=Singh |first18=K. |last19=Litwin |first19=T. |last20=Deen |first20=R. |last21=Culver |first21=A. |last22=Ruoff |first22=N. |last23=Petrizzo |first23=D. |last24=Kessler |first24=D. |last25=Basset |first25=C. |last26=Estlin |first26=T. |last27=Alibay |first27=F. |last28=Nelessen |first28=A. |last29=Algermissen |first29=S. |journal=Space Science Reviews |volume=216 |issue=8 |page=137 |pmid=33268910 |pmc=7686239 |bibcode=2020SSRv..216..137M }}</ref>
=== Embedded applications === FFmpeg is also being used in embedded applications, where it can be used with custom hardware to simplify version and dependency management and also to provide operating system abstraction across multiple different OS and processor manufacturers.
== See also == {{portal|Free and open-source software}} * MPlayer, a similar project * List of assembly software and tools * List of open-source codecs * List of video editing software
== References == {{reflist|22em}}
== External links == * {{official website}}
{{Media player (application software)|free}}{{Compression software}}
Category:FFmpeg Category:Software programmed in assembly language Category:Command-line software Category:C (programming language) libraries Category:Cross-platform free software Category:Free software for Linux Category:Free software for Windows Category:Free software for macOS Category:Free codecs Category:Free computer libraries Category:Free music software Category:Free software programmed in C Category:Free video conversion software Category:Multimedia frameworks Category:Software that uses FFmpeg Category:Software using the GNU Lesser General Public License