The easiest way to install FFmpeg on Windows is to download the official executable.

Official FFmpeg download page: https://www.gyan.dev/ffmpeg/builds

There are multiple versions available on the download page, as shown in the image below. What are the differences between them, and which one should you download?

Detailed Explanation of Each Version

1. ffmpeg-release-essentials (Essentials Version)

• Includes:
  • ffmpeg.exe (main program for audio/video conversion and processing)
  • ffprobe.exe (for viewing detailed media file information)
  • ffplay.exe (a simple player for quick previews)
  • A set of core, commonly used libraries (encoders, decoders, filters, etc.), such as H.264, H.265 (HEVC), AAC, MP3, VP9, etc.
• Features:
  • Smallest file size.
  • Sufficient for most everyday tasks, like format conversion, video editing, merging, and audio extraction.
• Who it's for:
  • Most general users and beginners. If you're unsure which version to choose, this one is a safe bet.

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2. ffmpeg-release-full (Full Version)

• Includes:
  • Everything in the essentials version.
  • Additionally includes many non-essential but powerful third-party libraries and filters, such as:
    • More professional encoders (e.g., svt-av1 for AV1).
    • Advanced filters (e.g., libvmaf for video quality assessment).
    • Support for more uncommon formats and protocols.
• Features:
  • Most comprehensive feature set, supporting almost everything FFmpeg can do.
  • Larger file size than the essentials version.
  • This is a "static" build, meaning all dependent libraries are compiled into the ffmpeg.exe and other executable files. This makes the program very portable (only the .exe files are needed), but the .exe files themselves are larger.
• Who it's for:
  • Everyone, or if you encounter "Unknown encoder/decoder/filter..." errors with the essentials version, indicating a missing feature, then you should download the full version.

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3. ffmpeg-release-full-shared (Full Shared Version)

Non-developers should avoid this version, as you may encounter "missing xxx.dll" errors.

• Includes:
  • Functionally identical to the full version, containing all libraries.
  • Structural difference: This is a "shared" build. Libraries are not compiled into the .exe files but are provided as separate .dll files (dynamic link libraries) in the bin folder.
• Features:
  • The ffmpeg.exe file itself is small.
  • The program depends on the .dll files in the same directory; you cannot move the .exe file alone.
  • The total extracted folder size is the largest.
• Who it's for:
  • Software developers. If you want to call FFmpeg functions from your own programs (e.g., in C++, Python, C#), you need to link against these .dll files. Regular command-line users rarely need this version.

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Adding FFmpeg to System Environment Variables

To add to the Path environment variable: Press Win + Pause (key in the top-right corner), then in the window that opens, click: Advanced system settings → Environment Variables → Under System Variables, find and double-click Path.

Then click New → Browse, and navigate to the directory containing the three .exe files.

In the browse dialog, find the directory where ffmpeg.exe is located, then click OK.

You will see the newly added path on the left. Click OK to close, and continue clicking OK to close all open dialogs.

Animated Demonstration

Verifying the Environment Variable Setup

Open any Command Prompt window and type ffmpeg then press Enter. If it displays output like the image below, the installation is correct. If you see an error like "'ffmpeg' is not recognized as an internal or external command...", there was an issue with the environment variable setup; please reconfigure it.

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About Compression Formats: .7z vs .zip

• ffmpeg-release-essentials.7z (27 MB)
• ffmpeg-release-essentials.zip (88 MB)

These two files contain exactly the same content; the only difference is the compression algorithm.

• .7z: Uses the 7-Zip algorithm, which has a higher compression ratio, resulting in a smaller download file. You need software like 7-Zip or WinRAR to extract it.
• .zip: Windows has built-in support for extracting .zip files, offering the best compatibility, but the compression ratio is lower, so the download file is larger.

Recommendation: If you have 7-Zip or WinRAR installed, download the .7z version to save download time and bandwidth.

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Summary and Selection Guide

Version Name	Main Features	Target Users	Recommendation
ffmpeg-release-essentials	Core features, small size	General users, beginners	★★★★★ (Most Recommended)
ffmpeg-release-full	Full features, static build, large executables	Advanced users, professionals	★★★★☆
ffmpeg-release-full-shared	Full features, dynamic linking, includes many DLLs	Software developers	★☆☆☆☆ (Avoid for general use)

In a nutshell:

• Unsure which to choose? -> Download ffmpeg-release-essentials.7z.
• Getting "unknown feature" errors with essentials? -> Switch to ffmpeg-release-full.7z.
• Are you a developer integrating FFmpeg into your project? -> Download ffmpeg-release-full-shared.7z.