ffmpeg
An MCP server that provides 17 FFmpeg-based tools for video and audio processing, including conversion, compression, and editing. It enables AI assistants to perform complex media tasks like extracting audio, adding watermarks, and merging videos usi
What is ffmpeg?
ffmpeg is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to mcp server that provides 17 ffmpeg-based tools for video and audio processing, including conversion, compression, and editing. it enables ai assistants to perform complex media tasks like extracting a...
An MCP server that provides 17 FFmpeg-based tools for video and audio processing, including conversion, compression, and editing. It enables AI assistants to perform complex media tasks like extracting audio, adding watermarks, and merging videos usi
This server falls under the Developer Tools category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- An MCP server that provides 17 FFmpeg-based tools for video
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
NPM
npx -y ffmpeg-mcpManual Installation
npx -y ffmpeg-mcpConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use ffmpeg
The ffmpeg-mcp server brings the full power of FFmpeg into your AI assistant through 17 purpose-built tools covering every major media processing task. It connects Claude or any MCP-compatible client to a local FFmpeg installation so you can convert video formats, compress files, extract audio tracks, trim clips, add watermarks, generate GIFs, and more — all through natural language. This server is ideal for developers, content creators, and editors who want to automate repetitive media workflows without writing shell scripts.
Prerequisites
- Node.js 18 or later installed
- FFmpeg installed and available on your system PATH (install via brew, apt, or ffmpeg.org)
- An MCP-compatible client such as Claude Desktop, Cursor, or Claude Code
- Basic familiarity with file paths on your operating system
Verify FFmpeg is installed
The server delegates all media work to a local FFmpeg binary. Confirm it is available before proceeding.
ffmpeg -versionRun the server with npx
The package can be launched directly with npx without a global install. The server communicates over stdio by default.
npx -y ffmpeg-mcpAdd the server to your MCP client configuration
Open your MCP client config file (for Claude Desktop: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json on macOS) and add the server entry.
Configure transport (optional)
By default the server uses stdio transport. You can switch to SSE or HTTP by passing environment variables: set transport to 'sse' or 'http', and optionally set port (default 3100) and host (default 127.0.0.1).
Restart your MCP client and verify connection
Restart Claude Desktop or your chosen client. The ffmpeg-mcp tools should now appear. Test with a simple probe command on any video file.
ffmpeg Examples
Client configuration
Add this block to claude_desktop_config.json to enable ffmpeg-mcp via stdio transport.
{
"mcpServers": {
"ffmpeg": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "ffmpeg-mcp"]
}
}
}Prompts to try
These prompts exercise the 17 available tools once the server is connected.
- "Show me the details (codec, duration, resolution) of /tmp/myvideo.mp4"
- "Convert /tmp/input.avi to MP4 and save it to /tmp/output.mp4"
- "Extract the audio from /tmp/myvideo.mp4 as an MP3 file"
- "Trim /tmp/myvideo.mp4 from the 1-minute mark to 3 minutes"
- "Add a watermark image /tmp/logo.png to the bottom-right of /tmp/video.mp4"
- "Create a GIF from the first 5 seconds of /tmp/clip.mp4"
- "Scale /tmp/video.mp4 down to 720p"Troubleshooting ffmpeg
Server starts but tools fail with 'ffmpeg not found'
Ensure FFmpeg is on the PATH that the MCP server process inherits. On macOS you may need to add /usr/local/bin or /opt/homebrew/bin to the PATH env key inside your MCP config's env block.
Large file conversions time out
Long-running FFmpeg operations can exceed default MCP client timeouts. Process smaller segments, or increase the timeout in your client settings if supported.
npx -y ffmpeg-mcp fails to install
Check your npm registry access and Node.js version (requires 18+). Try clearing the npx cache with 'npm cache clean --force' and re-run.
Frequently Asked Questions about ffmpeg
What is ffmpeg?
ffmpeg is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that mcp server that provides 17 ffmpeg-based tools for video and audio processing, including conversion, compression, and editing. it enables ai assistants to perform complex media tasks like extracting audio, adding watermarks, and merging videos usi It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install ffmpeg?
Install via npm with the command: npx -y ffmpeg-mcp. Then add the server configuration to your AI client's JSON config file (e.g., claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json).
Which AI clients work with ffmpeg?
ffmpeg works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is ffmpeg free to use?
Yes, ffmpeg is open source and available under the MIT license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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Set Up ffmpeg in Your Editor
Choose your AI client for step-by-step setup instructions.
Quick Config Preview
Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json
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