# Installing FFmpeg

FFmpeg is a tool to convert between various media formats. If you want to [export video](/video/exporting-video.md) in MuseScore Studio, you must install FFmpeg’s software libraries via a method outlined below.

{% hint style="warning" %}
Other methods of installing FFmpeg may not give you libraries that work in MuseScore Studio.
{% endhint %}

## Windows

Download Buanzo’s [FFmpeg for MuseScore Studio](https://lame.buanzo.org/ffmpeg-for-musescore.php) and double-click the MSI to install it.

{% hint style="info" %}
When you install the MSI, Microsoft Defender might warn you that it’s from an unknown publisher. That’s OK in this case; you can click **More info** and **Run anyway**. Here’s a [VirusTotal scan](https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/3f1a19d7278744674e9733600c833bf1719f85d89edec45dee5c8f2127f3c6e0/) confirming the file is not malicious. You can upload it to [VirusTotal](https://www.virustotal.com/gui/home/upload) yourself if you’re unsure.
{% endhint %}

You can install Buanzo’s FFmpeg wherever you want on your machine and MuseScore 4.7 will locate it automatically via the Windows Registry. You might need to restart MuseScore for this to happen.

If you want to use a different version of FFmpeg, you’ll need to locate it manually in MuseScore via **Preferences -> Video**. You need to browse for whichever folder contains FFmpeg’s DLLs, such as `avformat.dll`. On Windows, this is normally the `bin` folder (short for ‘binary’).

## macOS

Download Buanzo’s [FFmpeg for MuseScore Studio](https://lame.buanzo.org/ffmpeg-for-musescore.php) and double-click the PKG to install it. It will install FFmpeg to a location that MuseScore should find automatically. You might need to restart MuseScore for this to happen.

{% hint style="info" %}
Buanzo’s PKG is notarized, which means it has been scanned and signed by Apple to confirm that it’s not malicious. Also, here’s a [VirusTotal scan](https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/3b4f3574bdbdff67286e8e276d998d07bfe5eed0aee9f8aa627a875d005cea44/). You can upload it to [VirusTotal](https://www.virustotal.com/gui/home/upload) yourself if you’re unsure.
{% endhint %}

Advanced users can try the Homebrew version of FFmpeg instead, which is installed via the command line. MuseScore should detect Homebrew’s FFmpeg automatically, but if Homebrew updates their version in the future, it may no longer work in MuseScore Studio.

If you want to use any other version of FFmpeg, you’ll need to locate it manually in MuseScore via **Preferences -> Video**. You need to browse for whichever folder contains FFmpeg’s DYLIBs, such as `avformat.dylib`. On macOS, this is normally the `lib` folder (short for ‘library’).

## Linux

You can install FFmpeg from your distribution and MuseScore 4.7 should find it automatically.

Use the command for your distribution's package manager:

```bash
sudo apt install ffmpeg  # Debian, Ubuntu, and derivatives.
sudo pacman -Syu ffmpeg  # Arch, Manjaro, and derivatives.
```

On Fedora, Redhat, CentOS, and derivatives you must install the [RPM Fusion](https://rpmfusion.org/Configuration) repository then run:

```bash
sudo dnf install ffmpeg
```

If you want to use any other version of FFmpeg, such as one you compiled yourself, you’ll need to locate it manually in MuseScore via **Preferences -> Video**. You need to browse for whichever folder contains FFmpeg’s SO (shared object) files, such as `avformat.so`. On Linux, this is normally the `lib` folder (short for ‘library’).


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