Extract Frames from a Video as Images (FFmpeg)

Dump video frames to numbered PNG files at any interval.

WindowsframesimageffmpegLow risk

Run ffmpeg -i video.mp4 -vf fps=1 frame_%04d.png to save one frame per second as frame_0001.png, frame_0002.png, ...

01Command

Command

$ ffmpeg -i video.mp4 -vf fps=1 frame_%04d.png

02What it does

fps=1 selects one frame per second; use fps=1/5 for one every 5 seconds, or drop the -vf filter entirely to capture every single frame. The %04d part numbers the output files so ffmpeg writes them all. PNG is lossless — switch the extension to .jpg for much smaller thumbnails.

03Risk

RiskLow risk

RequirementsFFmpeg is not preinstalled on Windows — install it first with: winget install --id Gyan.FFmpeg

!Warning: Extracting every frame of a long video produces thousands of files in seconds — always start with fps=1 or lower to test.

04Undo

✓No undo needed — this command does not change persistent state.

05Sources

fps — FFmpeg Filters Documentation
FFmpeg · vendor-doc · 2026-09-17
Evidence: Documents the fps filter used to select frames at a given rate before writing them as images.

Last verified: 2026-09-18 · Category: Media