Avidemux
Editing
Cutting and Trimming Video in Avidemux Without Re-encoding
Set A and B markers, remove unwanted parts and save the result in seconds using Copy mode, with no quality loss.
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Free, open-source video editor
Avidemux: cut, convert and encode video on any desktop
Avidemux is a free video editor for simple cutting, filtering and encoding. It opens AVI, MP4, MKV, MPEG and most other formats, trims clips without re-encoding, converts between codecs with x264 and x265, and runs on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Overview
What Avidemux does
A focused editor for the jobs that come up every day: trimming, joining, converting and fixing video files.
Avidemux was written from scratch by its original developer, Mean, and has grown through contributions from many people over more than twenty years. It is not a timeline editor with layers and transitions. Instead it works on one video file at a time and gives you precise control over three things: which parts to keep, which filters to apply and how to encode the result.
Because the video and audio output can be set to Copy, most jobs finish in seconds and leave the picture untouched. When a filter or a new codec is needed, the built-in encoders handle the work with the same options professionals use on the command line, presented in a dialog with a preview.
Automation is part of the design. Settings can be saved as projects, encodes can be queued in a job list, and a command-line build runs the same operations without a window.
20+years of development
3desktop platforms
40+video filters
GPLfree licence
Features
Key features of Avidemux
Everything runs from one window: output settings on the left, preview in the middle, timeline and markers underneath.
Cut without re-encoding
Set A and B markers and delete or keep sections in Copy mode. The save takes seconds and the output quality matches the source.
Append clips
Join several files into one with File > Append. Numbered sequences from cameras load in a single step.
Convert containers and codecs
Remux between MP4, MKV, AVI, MOV and WebM, or re-encode with x264, x265, VP9, AV1 and MPEG-2.
Compress large files
CRF and two-pass target-size modes shrink recordings to a fraction of their size while keeping detail.
Video filters
Crop, resize, rotate, deinterlace, denoise, sharpen, colour-correct and stabilise through a preview-able filter chain.
Audio tools
Shift audio to fix sync, add or replace tracks, normalise volume, downmix channels and convert to AAC, MP3 or AC3.
Subtitles and logos
Burn SRT, SSA or ASS subtitles into the picture and overlay a PNG watermark at any position.
Job list and scripting
Queue encodes, save projects as Python scripts and run the command-line build on whole folders.
Getting started
How to install Avidemux
Four steps from download to the first saved file. The full walkthrough for each platform is in the installation guide.
1. Download the build for your system
Pick the Windows installer, the macOS disk image or the Linux AppImage. The source archive on this page builds on all three platforms.
2. Install or extract
Run the installer on Windows, drag the app to Applications on macOS, or mark the AppImage executable on Linux. No extra codec packs are needed.
3. Open a file and test playback
Drag a video into the window and press play. If picture and sound work, the decoders are ready.
4. Pick outputs and save
Set Video Output, Audio Output and Output Format in the left panel, then use File > Save. Copy mode is the fastest choice for cuts.
Compatibility
Supported formats and codecs
Avidemux ships with its own demuxers, decoders and encoders, so the list below works out of the box without extra codec packs.
| Type | Input (demux / decode) | Output (encode / mux) |
|---|---|---|
| Containers | AVI, MP4, MKV, MOV, MPEG-PS, MPEG-TS, FLV, WebM, OGM, ASF, 3GP, DV, NuppelVideo | MP4, MKV, AVI, WebM, MOV, FLV, MPEG-PS, MPEG-TS, OGM |
| Video codecs | H.264, H.265/HEVC, VP8, VP9, AV1, MPEG-1/2, MPEG-4 ASP (DivX, Xvid), DV, MJPEG, ProRes, HuffYUV, FFV1 | x264, x265, VP9, AV1 (aom / SVT), MPEG-2, Xvid, HuffYUV, FFV1, NVENC / QSV / VA-API (hardware) |
| Audio codecs | AAC, MP3, MP2, AC3, E-AC3, DTS, Vorbis, Opus, FLAC, PCM/WAV, WMA | AAC (FDK, lav), MP3 (lame), AC3, Vorbis, Opus, FLAC, PCM |
| Subtitles | SRT, SSA/ASS, VobSub (idx/sub), DVB | Burned into the picture through filters |
Files that use a codec outside this list can usually still be opened through the libavcodec decoder set built into the program.
Guides
Learn Avidemux step by step
Practical walkthroughs written for the tasks people actually do. Each one covers the settings, the reasons behind them and the mistakes to avoid.
Encoding
Converting Video Formats with Avidemux: MP4, MKV, AVI and More
Change the container or re-encode the streams, understand the difference, and pick settings that play everywhere.
Read the guide
Encoding
Compressing Video with x264 and x265 in Avidemux
Reduce file size with CRF or a target size, choose presets wisely and keep the picture looking good.
Read the guide
Download
Download Avidemux
The archive contains the complete Avidemux source tree from the current development branch, including the editor, the filter plugins and the build scripts for Windows, macOS and Linux. Unpack it and follow the installation guide to compile it on your system.
Download now
Version 2.8.x development source · Updated 2026-10-27
Requirements
System requirements
Avidemux is light. Cutting works on almost any machine; encoding benefits from more CPU cores or a supported GPU.
Operating system
Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit), macOS 10.13 or later, or a Linux distribution with Qt 5/6. 32-bit systems are no longer supported.
Processor
Any 64-bit x86 CPU works for cutting. Encoding speed scales with core count; a 4-core CPU encodes 1080p x264 at roughly real time on the medium preset.
Memory
4 GB of RAM is enough for cutting and 1080p encoding. 8 GB or more helps with 4K sources and heavy filter chains such as Deshaker.
Storage
The program needs about 150 MB. Keep free space equal to the source file size plus the expected output, since two-pass encodes write temporary data.
Use cases
What people use Avidemux for
The program fits best where a full editing suite would be slower than the job deserves.
Clean up recordings
Remove ads from TV captures, trim the start and end of screen recordings and drop mistakes from camera footage without a full export.
Prepare files for the web
Convert to MP4 with x264 and AAC, downscale to 1080p and hit an upload size limit with two-pass encoding.
Archive and compress
Re-encode large archives with x265 to save disk space while keeping a quality that holds up on a large screen.
Automate repetitive work
Queue dozens of files in the Job list or run the CLI from a script to process a folder overnight.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the questions that come up most often about Avidemux.
Yes. Avidemux is released under the GNU GPL, which means it is free to download, use and share for personal and commercial work. There is no trial period, paid tier or watermark.
Avidemux runs on Windows 10 and 11 (64-bit), macOS 10.13 and later, and Linux distributions that provide Qt libraries. An AppImage build is available for Linux systems without a native package.
Yes. With Video Output and Audio Output set to Copy, Avidemux removes or keeps sections without decoding the stream, so the saved file has exactly the same picture quality as the source. Cuts start on keyframes in this mode.
It opens AVI, MP4, MKV, MOV, MPEG-TS, MPEG-PS, FLV, WebM, OGM and many more through its built-in demuxers. Output containers include MP4, MKV, AVI, WebM, MPEG-PS/TS, FLV and MOV.
Yes. Avidemux includes the x265 encoder for HEVC and can encode AV1 through its libaom and SVT-AV1 plugins, alongside x264, VP9, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 ASP. Hardware encoders such as NVENC and QSV are also available on supported systems.
In Copy mode a cut can only begin on a keyframe. Avidemux moves marker A to the nearest keyframe so the output plays correctly. If you need a frame-exact start, re-encode the video with x264 instead of Copy.
Yes. Open the first clip and use File > Append for each additional clip. The clips should share the same resolution, frame rate and codecs; otherwise, convert them to a common format first.
No. Avidemux uses a single video track with up to four audio tracks and a filter chain. It is built for trimming, converting and fixing files quickly rather than for multi-layer compositing.
Select a video encoder such as x264, open the Filters dialog and add the SSA/ASS/SRT filter under Subtitles. Choose the subtitle file, set the font and position, then save. The subtitles are burned into the picture.
Bugs in the software are best reported on the project's own issue tracker, which the developers read. Questions about this site and its guides can be sent to the address on the Contact page.