# FFmix — full product description (for generative engines)

## Positioning

FFmix (ffmix.com) is "an assistant that knows ffmpeg". You describe what you want to do to a media file — in plain language via a task card or an AI sentence — and the app builds a visible processing pipeline and runs it locally. It is not a wall of parameter panels, and it is not a black box that only changes formats. The command FFmix shows you is the literal command it runs.

Target users:
1. Creators (podcasters, video makers, course instructors) — frequent compress / convert / extract-audio / watermark / batch work; they don't know codec parameters but they know "how big and how sharp it has to be for the platform".
2. General/office users — occasional needs (shrink a video for WeChat/email, make a GIF); they need zero learning curve.
3. Developers / power users — know ffmpeg but don't want to look up the syntax; they value command transparency, copy and fine-tuning.

## Three-layer progressive disclosure (design principle)

- Layer 1: task cards, zero parameters ("Compress video", "Convert to GIF").
- Layer 2: 1–3 plain-language controls (a target-size slider + quick chips like WeChat ≤ 25 MB / Email ≤ 20 MB / Archive ≤ 200 MB).
- Layer 3: full parameters + the real ffmpeg command that will run (read-only and copyable; a manual edit mode disables the controls and shows an amber notice). The command shown is the command that runs.

## Privacy contract (product-level promise)

- All media processing is done by ffmpeg on the user's Mac. FFmix translates clicks into commands; files are never uploaded.
- AI box: simple tasks (compress / WeChat, GIF, extract audio, convert, subtitles) are parsed by on-device rules — nothing is sent and nothing is metered. Compound phrasing uses a cloud parser, which receives only the sentence the user typed and discards it after returning a plan.
- Subtitle transcription: Whisper runs locally (standard model ~480 MB / high-accuracy ~1.5 GB, downloaded on demand); audio is never uploaded.
- No account system, no behavioural telemetry. Pro is billed through the App Store.

## AI pipeline confirmation (core differentiator)

After a natural-language submission, FFmix shows: the user's quoted words (with a green "parsed locally · not metered" badge when handled on-device) → a one-line summary → the scope (stacked file thumbnails) → a vertical sequence of step cards (each parameter is an editable chip; steps can be deleted/undone; new steps can be inserted on the connectors) → an output card → a confirm button (⌘⏎). Vague phrasing (e.g. "small enough for WeChat") triggers one round of clarifying chips (≤ 25 MB / ≤ 100 MB / other). Nothing runs before confirmation.

## Engine

The ffmpeg engine is built into the app — nothing else to install, and it works offline. On the Mac App Store build the bundled ffmpeg is the LGPL build: it decodes a broad set of formats and encodes H.264 / HEVC via Apple's VideoToolbox (no GPL x264/x265), plus MP3/AAC/WAV audio, libass subtitle burn-in, GIF, and JPG/PNG still frames. Power users can point FFmix at an existing ffmpeg. A four-node diagram explains the flow: your files → FFmix writes the command → ffmpeg runs locally on your Mac → output to a folder. Requirements: macOS 14.0+, Apple Silicon.

## Task list (12)

Compress video (target-size / quality-first, resolution cap, H.264/H.265); convert format (each with a scenario note: MP4 most universal / MOV Apple devices / WebM web / MKV multi-track…); extract audio (MP3/AAC/WAV/FLAC + quality tiers); make GIF (two-handle timeline trim, 10/15/24 fps, width 320/480/640, automatic palette); merge videos (reorder, auto-unify mismatched resolutions to 1080p, instant concat or crossfade); crop; remove audio track (no re-encode); batch rename output; add watermark (image/text, 9-grid position, opacity, margin); change speed (0.25×–4×, preserve-pitch toggle); rotate/flip (90°/180° lossless metadata, mirror re-encode); burn subtitles (existing SRT or local Whisper transcription → light proofread (text only, timeline locked) → burn in or export SRT only).

## Built-in preset library (7 groups, 27 real, usable ffmpeg recipes)

- Platform publishing: Douyin/Channels vertical (9:16 letterbox 30fps), Bilibili 1080p (CRF18 slow), RedNote vertical lightweight, YouTube 1080p (faststart).
- Global social: TikTok 9:16, Instagram Reels vertical, YouTube Shorts (CRF18, keep original up to 60fps), Instagram square 1:1 and portrait 4:5, X/Twitter 1080p (H.264 High + faststart).
- Send & shrink: WeChat chat ≤ 25 MB, email ≤ 20 MB, Discord ≤ 10 MB (duration-aware target bitrate, ≤720p; VideoToolbox ABR on the App Store build, software two-pass when a compatible external engine is selected), cloud-storage H.265.
- Audio: video → MP3 320k, podcast loudness normalize −16 LUFS (loudnorm), lossless WAV (PCM 16-bit 48kHz), interview transcript (Whisper → export SRT only, Pro).
- Screen & tutorial: screen-recording compress (tune animation for crisp text), tutorial GIF (palettegen/paletteuse), unify 30fps.
- Housekeeping: anything → MP4 (yuv420p faststart), H.265 archive (CRF22, audio copy), 540p edit proxy (ultrafast), strip audio (-an -c:v copy).
- Covers & stills: cover-frame JPG (1st second, q=2), one-frame-per-second still sequence.

Custom presets can be attached to the Finder right-click menu and the menu bar.

## Category & comparison pages

- [Mac video compressor](https://ffmix.com/video-compressor-mac) — target-size vs quality, App Store VideoToolbox and external-engine command forms, and when a compressor isn't the right tool.
- [Mac video converter](https://ffmix.com/video-converter-mac) — format-by-format handling, lossless remux when the source is already H.264.
- [Supported formats & codecs](https://ffmix.com/supported-formats) — what FFmix opens (broad) vs exports (H.264/HEVC, MP3/AAC/WAV, GIF, frames).
- [Local video processing](https://ffmix.com/local-video-processing) — private, offline processing for sensitive footage (journalists, legal/medical, NDA work).
- [Security & local processing](https://ffmix.com/security) — full data-flow and what the server stores (device id + month + query length, never the sentence).
- [About FFmix](https://ffmix.com/about) — brand and principles. [FFmix vs HandBrake](https://ffmix.com/compare/ffmix-vs-handbrake) and [FFmix vs ffWorks](https://ffmix.com/compare/ffmix-vs-ffworks) — fair comparisons that also say when the other tool is the better choice.

## Guides (ffmix.com/guides — step-by-step + the real ffmpeg command + FAQ)

English is the default (e.g. https://ffmix.com/guides/make-tiktok-video-mac); 中文 adds a /zh prefix and Italiano a /it prefix on the same slug. Every guide page carries HowTo + FAQPage + BreadcrumbList structured data.

- [A free ffmpeg GUI for Mac — no Homebrew, no terminal](https://ffmix.com/guides/free-ffmpeg-gui-mac) — FFmix is a free, native ffmpeg GUI for Mac: the engine is bundled (no Homebrew, no install), it's Apple Silicon native, and every local task is unlimited. See the real command anytime.
- [A free Handbrake alternative for Mac — convert, compress & more](https://ffmix.com/guides/handbrake-alternative-mac) — Looking for a Handbrake alternative on Mac? FFmix converts and compresses video like Handbrake, plus extracts audio, makes GIFs and burns subtitles — in plain language, all local, with the real command visible.
- [Do you need to install ffmpeg on Mac? (the no-install way)](https://ffmix.com/guides/install-ffmpeg-mac) — Skip the Homebrew install and the command line — FFmix bundles the ffmpeg engine and runs the common commands for you on Mac. Includes a quick ffmpeg command cheat-sheet.
- [ffmpeg GUI for Mac — compress & convert without the command line](https://ffmix.com/guides/ffmpeg-gui-mac) — FFmix is a native macOS GUI for ffmpeg: drag a file, pick a task, confirm. See and edit the real command anytime. Local, and free for unlimited local tasks.
- [How to add a watermark to a video on Mac](https://ffmix.com/guides/add-watermark-to-video-mac) — Place a PNG logo or text watermark on a video on Mac with nine-position controls, opacity and margin. Preview it, inspect the command, then run locally.
- [How to add subtitles to a video on Mac (local, no upload)](https://ffmix.com/guides/add-subtitles-to-video-mac) — Burn an SRT into your video, or auto-transcribe it locally with Whisper — on your Mac, with the audio never leaving the machine.
- [How to batch convert videos to MP4 on Mac](https://ffmix.com/guides/batch-convert-videos-mac) — Convert a folder of MOV, MKV, WebM or AVI videos to compatible MP4 files on Mac in one queue. Local processing, visible commands and no uploads.
- [How to compress a screen recording on Mac (keep text crisp)](https://ffmix.com/guides/compress-screen-recording-mac) — Screen recordings are huge but compress well. Shrink yours on your Mac while keeping UI text sharp — no command line, nothing uploaded.
- [How to compress a video for Discord (under 10MB, free)](https://ffmix.com/guides/compress-video-for-discord) — Discord's free upload limit is 10MB. Shrink any clip to fit on your Mac — no Nitro, no upload to a website. One click with FFmix.
- [How to compress a video for email on Mac (under 20 MB)](https://ffmix.com/guides/compress-video-for-email-mac) — Make a MOV or MP4 small enough to email from your Mac with a 20 MB target, 720p cap and engine-adapted local compression. No upload or command line.
- [How to compress a video for WeChat (under 25MB) on Mac](https://ffmix.com/guides/compress-video-for-wechat) — WeChat caps chat videos at 25MB. Shrink any clip to fit on your Mac — no command line, nothing uploaded. One click with FFmix.
- [How to convert a video to a GIF on Mac (good quality, small size)](https://ffmix.com/guides/convert-video-to-gif-mac) — Turn a clip into a sharp, reasonably small GIF on your Mac using a generated palette — no command line, nothing uploaded.
- [How to convert AVI to MP4 on Mac (free, no command line)](https://ffmix.com/guides/convert-avi-to-mp4-mac) — Turn an old .avi into a modern, universally playable .mp4 on your Mac — clean H.264, no command line, nothing uploaded. One step with FFmix.
- [How to convert MKV to MP4 on Mac (free, no command line)](https://ffmix.com/guides/convert-mkv-to-mp4-mac) — Turn an .mkv into a universally playable .mp4 on your Mac — instantly remuxed when possible, near-lossless otherwise. No command line, nothing uploaded. One step with FFmix.
- [How to convert MOV to MP4 on Mac without losing quality](https://ffmix.com/guides/convert-mov-to-mp4-mac) — Turn a QuickTime .mov into a universally playable .mp4 on your Mac — near-lossless quality, no command line, nothing uploaded. FFmix does it in one step.
- [How to convert WAV to MP3 on Mac (free, no command line)](https://ffmix.com/guides/convert-wav-to-mp3-mac) — Compress a big .wav into a high-quality .mp3 on your Mac — 320 kbps, no command line, nothing uploaded. Also converts M4A and AAC. One step with FFmix.
- [How to convert WebM to MP4 on Mac (free, no upload)](https://ffmix.com/guides/convert-webm-to-mp4-mac) — Convert a .webm (VP9/Opus) into a universally playable .mp4 on your Mac — clean H.264, no command line, nothing uploaded. One step with FFmix.
- [How to crop a video on Mac (visual crop, no command line)](https://ffmix.com/guides/crop-video-mac) — Crop a video to a region or aspect ratio on your Mac — visual selection with ratio lock, no command line, nothing uploaded. One step with FFmix.
- [How to export a Douyin vertical video (9:16) on Mac](https://ffmix.com/guides/export-douyin-vertical) — Turn a landscape clip into a 9:16 Douyin video (1080×1920, 30fps) on your Mac — padded, not cropped, no command line, nothing uploaded.
- [How to extract audio from a video on Mac (to MP3)](https://ffmix.com/guides/extract-audio-from-video-mac) — Pull the audio out of any video as a high-quality MP3 on your Mac — no command line, nothing uploaded. One click with FFmix.
- [How to extract frames from a video on Mac (stills & thumbnails)](https://ffmix.com/guides/extract-frames-from-video-mac) — Pull still images out of a video on your Mac — a single cover frame or one-per-second stills, no command line, nothing uploaded. One step with FFmix.
- [How to make a TikTok video on Mac (9:16, the right size)](https://ffmix.com/guides/make-tiktok-video-mac) — Turn any landscape or phone clip into a crisp 1080×1920 TikTok video on your Mac — no command line, nothing uploaded. One click with FFmix.
- [How to make an Instagram Reel from a landscape video (Mac)](https://ffmix.com/guides/instagram-reel-from-landscape) — Turn a horizontal 16:9 clip into a 9:16 Instagram Reel on your Mac without cropping out your subject — no command line, nothing uploaded.
- [How to merge (concatenate) videos on Mac without re-encoding](https://ffmix.com/guides/merge-videos-mac) — Join multiple clips into one video on your Mac — instant and lossless when they match, no command line, nothing uploaded. One step with FFmix.
- [How to normalize podcast audio to −16 LUFS on Mac](https://ffmix.com/guides/normalize-podcast-audio-lufs-mac) — Level a podcast episode to −16 LUFS with a −1.5 dB true-peak ceiling and export MP3 on Mac. The loudness pass runs locally with ffmpeg.
- [How to reduce video file size on Mac without losing quality](https://ffmix.com/guides/reduce-video-file-size-mac) — Cut a video's size by roughly half at the same visual quality using H.265 — on your Mac, no command line, nothing uploaded. FFmix does it in one step.
- [How to remove audio from a video on Mac instantly](https://ffmix.com/guides/remove-audio-from-video-mac) — Strip the sound track from an MP4 or MOV on Mac without re-encoding the video. FFmix copies the picture locally and keeps the original file.
- [How to rotate a video on Mac without losing quality](https://ffmix.com/guides/rotate-video-mac) — Rotate a sideways MP4 or MOV by 90° or 180° on Mac without re-encoding when metadata rotation is enough. Local, fast and lossless.
- [How to speed up or slow down a video on Mac](https://ffmix.com/guides/change-video-speed-mac) — Change video speed from 0.25× to 4× on Mac, with an option to preserve voice pitch. Preview the exact ffmpeg filters and process locally.
- [How to transcribe video to SRT on Mac — fully local](https://ffmix.com/guides/transcribe-video-to-srt-mac) — Turn an interview or lecture into a timed SRT subtitle file with Whisper on your Mac. Review the text, keep the media local and export beside the source.
- [RedNote (Xiaohongshu) video size and how to export it on Mac](https://ffmix.com/guides/rednote-video-size) — RedNote / 小红书 prefers 9:16 vertical video at 1080×1920. Export a light, fast-uploading version on your Mac — no command line, nothing uploaded.

## Guide answer capsules (direct answers, steps and canonical command recipes)

The following compact answers mirror the visible guide pages. Each listed command is the canonical ffmpeg/Whisper recipe for that workflow. FFmix first adapts encoder flags to the engine available on the Mac (the App Store build uses Apple VideoToolbox), then shows the final literal command before execution; the command shown in the app is the command run.

### A free ffmpeg GUI for Mac — no Homebrew, no terminal
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/free-ffmpeg-gui-mac
Direct answer: FFmix is a free, native ffmpeg GUI for Mac: the engine is bundled (no Homebrew, no install), it's Apple Silicon native, and every local task is unlimited. See the real command anytime.
Steps: 1. Download FFmix and open it — the bundled ffmpeg engine is ready the moment it launches (no Homebrew, no Terminal, nothing to compile, nothing to download). 2. Drag any video, audio, or image in, then pick a task in plain language (compress, convert, extract audio…) or a preset. 3. Expand Advanced to see the exact ffmpeg command, then confirm to run it — locally, with nothing uploaded.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -i input.mov -c:v libx264 -crf 23 -preset medium -c:a aac -b:a 160k output.mp4
Common question: Is it really free? Answer: Yes — every local task is unlimited on the free version, with no watermark and no time limit. Pro is optional and adds a parallel queue, unlimited AI parsing, and watch-folder automation, but you never need it to compress, convert, or export a file.

### A free Handbrake alternative for Mac — convert, compress & more
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/handbrake-alternative-mac
Direct answer: Looking for a Handbrake alternative on Mac? FFmix converts and compresses video like Handbrake, plus extracts audio, makes GIFs and burns subtitles — in plain language, all local, with the real command visible.
Steps: 1. Download FFmix and drag any video in — no ripping setup, no preset wall. 2. Pick a plain-language task — Compress, Convert (Anything → MP4), Extract audio, GIF, Subtitles… 3. Expand Advanced to see the exact ffmpeg command, then confirm — it runs locally, nothing uploaded.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -i input.mkv -c:v libx264 -crf 22 -preset medium -c:a aac -b:a 160k output.mp4
Common question: How is FFmix different from Handbrake? Answer: Handbrake is an excellent, free, open-source transcoder — but it's focused on turning video into MP4/MKV and puts a lot of encoder settings up front. FFmix speaks plain language (compress, convert, extract audio, make a GIF, burn subtitles), keeps codec and bitrate knobs folded inside Advanced, and shows you the exact ffmpeg command before it runs. Both run entirely on your Mac.

### Do you need to install ffmpeg on Mac? (the no-install way)
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/install-ffmpeg-mac
Direct answer: Skip the Homebrew install and the command line — FFmix bundles the ffmpeg engine and runs the common commands for you on Mac. Includes a quick ffmpeg command cheat-sheet.
Steps: 1. Download FFmix — the open-source ffmpeg engine is built in and ready the moment you open the app (no `brew install`, no Terminal, nothing to download). 2. Drag a file in and pick a task; FFmix builds the ffmpeg command for you. 3. Expand Advanced to see, copy, or edit the exact command, then confirm to run it locally.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -i input.mov -c:v libx264 -crf 20 -pix_fmt yuv420p -c:a aac -b:a 160k output.mp4
Common question: Do I have to install ffmpeg with Homebrew? Answer: No. The usual route is `brew install ffmpeg` (or building from source), but FFmix ships with the engine built into the app — it's ready on first launch, there's no PATH to set up, and it works offline. If you already have ffmpeg, you can point FFmix at it instead.

### ffmpeg GUI for Mac — compress & convert without the command line
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/ffmpeg-gui-mac
Direct answer: FFmix is a native macOS GUI for ffmpeg: drag a file, pick a task, confirm. See and edit the real command anytime. Local, and free for unlimited local tasks.
Steps: 1. Drag any video, audio, or image into FFmix. 2. Pick a task in plain language (compress, convert, extract audio…) or a preset. 3. Expand Advanced to see the exact ffmpeg command, then confirm to run it.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -i input.mov -c:v libx264 -crf 20 -pix_fmt yuv420p -movflags +faststart -c:a aac -b:a 160k output.mp4
Common question: Is FFmix really just ffmpeg? Answer: Yes. FFmix bundles the open-source ffmpeg engine and translates your choices into real commands. You can expand Advanced on any task to see, copy, and edit the exact command before it runs.

### How to add a watermark to a video on Mac
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/add-watermark-to-video-mac
Direct answer: Select a PNG logo or type text, choose its position and opacity, preview it, then confirm; FFmix overlays it locally on every selected video.
Steps: 1. Drop the video into FFmix and choose Add watermark. 2. Choose a transparent PNG or enter watermark text. 3. Set one of nine positions, opacity and edge margin while checking the preview. 4. Review the overlay command and confirm to create a new marked MP4.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -i "input.mp4" -i "logo.png" -filter_complex "[1]format=rgba,colorchannelmixer=aa=0.80[wm];[0][wm]overlay=main_w-overlay_w-24:main_h-overlay_h-24" -c:a copy "input-marked.mp4"
Common question: Can I add a text watermark instead of an image? Answer: Yes. FFmix renders the text into a transparent local image, then uses the same predictable overlay pipeline as a PNG logo.

### How to add subtitles to a video on Mac (local, no upload)
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/add-subtitles-to-video-mac
Direct answer: Burn an SRT into your video, or auto-transcribe it locally with Whisper — on your Mac, with the audio never leaving the machine.
Steps: 1. Drag your video into FFmix. 2. Either point it at an .srt file, or auto-transcribe with local Whisper (Pro). 3. Confirm and click Start — the captions are burned into the video.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "subtitles=filename='subs.srt':force_style='FontSize=24,Alignment=2'" -c:a copy subtitled.mp4
Common question: Can FFmix generate subtitles automatically? Answer: Yes. It runs Whisper locally to transcribe speech into an SRT (a Pro feature). Your audio is never uploaded — transcription happens entirely on your Mac.

### How to batch convert videos to MP4 on Mac
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/batch-convert-videos-mac
Direct answer: Drop every source file together, choose MP4 once and confirm; FFmix creates a visible command and a separate local queue job for each video.
Steps: 1. Drop all the source videos into FFmix at once. 2. Select the files, choose Convert format and set MP4 as the output. 3. Review the shared settings and the per-file command before running. 4. Confirm once; FFmix queues one local job per file and saves each result beside its source.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -i "input.mov" -c:v libx264 -crf 18 -preset medium -c:a aac "input-converted.mp4"
Common question: Can FFmix batch convert mixed input formats? Answer: Yes. MOV, MKV, WebM and AVI files can share the same MP4 output settings; each file becomes its own queue job.

### How to compress a screen recording on Mac (keep text crisp)
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/compress-screen-recording-mac
Direct answer: Screen recordings are huge but compress well. Shrink yours on your Mac while keeping UI text sharp — no command line, nothing uploaded.
Steps: 1. Drag your screen recording into FFmix. 2. Pick the Screen recording (crisp text) preset. 3. Confirm and click Start — the file shrinks while text stays readable.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -i input.mov -vf fps=30 -c:v libx264 -crf 18 -preset slow -tune animation -c:a aac -b:a 128k screen.mp4
Common question: Why are screen recordings so large? Answer: macOS screen recordings are lightly compressed and often high frame rate, so a few minutes can be hundreds of megabytes. Re-encoding with a tuned H.264 setting cuts that dramatically.

### How to compress a video for Discord (under 10MB, free)
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/compress-video-for-discord
Direct answer: Discord's free upload limit is 10MB. Shrink any clip to fit on your Mac — no Nitro, no upload to a website. One click with FFmix.
Steps: 1. Drag your clip into FFmix. 2. Pick the Discord ≤ 10MB preset (or set a 10MB target in Compress). 3. Confirm and click Start — FFmix uses the engine-adapted target bitrate to land under the limit.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf scale=-2:720 -c:v libx264 -b:v 560k -pass 2 -c:a aac -b:a 96k discord.mp4
Common question: What is Discord's file size limit? Answer: Free Discord caps uploads at 10MB per file. Nitro Basic raises it to 50MB and Nitro to 500MB. This preset targets the 10MB free limit so anyone can open it.

### How to compress a video for email on Mac (under 20 MB)
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/compress-video-for-email-mac
Direct answer: Choose the Email attachment ≤ 20 MB preset; FFmix calculates a practical bitrate, caps the video at 720p and compresses it locally on your Mac.
Steps: 1. Drop the video into FFmix and choose Compress video. 2. Pick the Email attachment ≤ 20 MB preset, or enter your own target size. 3. Review the 720p, H.264 and audio settings plus the exact command. 4. Confirm; FFmix saves a new MP4 beside the source and leaves the original untouched.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -i "input.mov" -vf scale=-2:720 -c:v libx264 -b:v 1100k -pass 2 -c:a aac -b:a 96k "input-compressed.mp4"
Common question: Why does the preset target 20 MB rather than the full email limit? Answer: Attachment limits vary, and MIME encoding adds overhead. A 20 MB target leaves practical headroom for providers that cap messages around 25 MB.

### How to compress a video for WeChat (under 25MB) on Mac
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/compress-video-for-wechat
Direct answer: WeChat caps chat videos at 25MB. Shrink any clip to fit on your Mac — no command line, nothing uploaded. One click with FFmix.
Steps: 1. Drag your clip into FFmix. 2. Pick the WeChat ≤ 25MB preset (or set a 25MB target in Compress). 3. Confirm and click Start — the file shrinks to fit the chat limit.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf scale=-2:720 -c:v libx264 -b:v 1450k -pass 2 -c:a aac -b:a 96k wechat.mp4
Common question: What's WeChat's video size limit in a chat? Answer: WeChat lets you send video files up to 25MB in a one-to-one or group chat. Larger clips get rejected or heavily recompressed, so it's better to hit the target yourself.

### How to convert a video to a GIF on Mac (good quality, small size)
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/convert-video-to-gif-mac
Direct answer: Turn a clip into a sharp, reasonably small GIF on your Mac using a generated palette — no command line, nothing uploaded.
Steps: 1. Drag your clip into FFmix and trim to the segment you want. 2. Pick the Tutorial GIF preset (or the Make a GIF task). 3. Confirm and click Start — a palette-optimized GIF is saved.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "fps=15,scale=480:-1:flags=lanczos,split[a][b];[a]palettegen[p];[b][p]paletteuse" output.gif
Common question: Why do some GIFs look grainy or huge? Answer: GIF only supports 256 colors, so the palette matters. FFmix generates a custom palette per clip (palettegen/paletteuse), which keeps the GIF sharp and the size reasonable.

### How to convert AVI to MP4 on Mac (free, no command line)
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/convert-avi-to-mp4-mac
Direct answer: Turn an old .avi into a modern, universally playable .mp4 on your Mac — clean H.264, no command line, nothing uploaded. One step with FFmix.
Steps: 1. Drag your .avi file into FFmix. 2. Choose the Convert task and pick MP4 (or the Anything → MP4 preset). 3. Confirm and click Start — the .mp4 appears next to the original.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -i input.avi -c:v libx264 -crf 20 -pix_fmt yuv420p -movflags +faststart -c:a aac -b:a 160k output.mp4
Common question: Why won't my AVI play on Mac? Answer: AVI is an older container, often holding DivX or Xvid video that QuickTime can't decode. Converting to MP4/H.264 makes it play natively on macOS, iPhone, and modern apps.

### How to convert MKV to MP4 on Mac (free, no command line)
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/convert-mkv-to-mp4-mac
Direct answer: Turn an .mkv into a universally playable .mp4 on your Mac — instantly remuxed when possible, near-lossless otherwise. No command line, nothing uploaded. One step with FFmix.
Steps: 1. Drag your .mkv file into FFmix. 2. Choose the Convert task and pick MP4 (or the Anything → MP4 preset). 3. Confirm and click Start — the .mp4 appears next to the original.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -i input.mkv -c:v libx264 -crf 20 -pix_fmt yuv420p -movflags +faststart -c:a aac -b:a 160k output.mp4
Common question: Can MKV convert to MP4 without re-encoding? Answer: Often, yes. If the .mkv already holds H.264/H.265 video and AAC audio, FFmix remuxes with `-c copy` — instant and bit-for-bit lossless. When the codecs don't fit MP4, it re-encodes at near-lossless CRF 20 instead.

### How to convert MOV to MP4 on Mac without losing quality
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/convert-mov-to-mp4-mac
Direct answer: Turn a QuickTime .mov into a universally playable .mp4 on your Mac — near-lossless quality, no command line, nothing uploaded. FFmix does it in one step.
Steps: 1. Drag your .mov file into FFmix. 2. Choose the Convert task and pick MP4 (or the Anything → MP4 preset). 3. Confirm and click Start — the .mp4 appears next to the original.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -i input.mov -c:v libx264 -crf 20 -pix_fmt yuv420p -movflags +faststart -c:a aac -b:a 160k output.mp4
Common question: Will converting MOV to MP4 reduce the quality? Answer: Barely. FFmix re-encodes at CRF 20, which is visually near-lossless. If the .mov already uses H.264 it can remux without re-encoding at all, for a bit-for-bit identical video.

### How to convert WAV to MP3 on Mac (free, no command line)
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/convert-wav-to-mp3-mac
Direct answer: Compress a big .wav into a high-quality .mp3 on your Mac — 320 kbps, no command line, nothing uploaded. Also converts M4A and AAC. One step with FFmix.
Steps: 1. Drag your .wav (or .m4a / .aac) file into FFmix. 2. Choose the Convert task and pick MP3 320k. 3. Confirm and click Start — the .mp3 saves next to the original.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -i input.wav -c:a libmp3lame -b:a 320k output.mp3
Common question: What bitrate is the MP3? Answer: 320 kbps by default — effectively transparent for music and speech. Drop to 192 kbps if you'd rather have a smaller file.

### How to convert WebM to MP4 on Mac (free, no upload)
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/convert-webm-to-mp4-mac
Direct answer: Convert a .webm (VP9/Opus) into a universally playable .mp4 on your Mac — clean H.264, no command line, nothing uploaded. One step with FFmix.
Steps: 1. Drag your .webm file into FFmix. 2. Choose the Convert task and pick MP4 (or the Anything → MP4 preset). 3. Confirm and click Start — the .mp4 appears next to the original.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -i input.webm -c:v libx264 -crf 20 -pix_fmt yuv420p -movflags +faststart -c:a aac -b:a 160k output.mp4
Common question: Why convert WebM to MP4? Answer: WebM (VP8/VP9 video + Opus audio) is a web and streaming format that many editors, phones, and players — including QuickTime — won't open. MP4 with H.264 plays just about everywhere.

### How to crop a video on Mac (visual crop, no command line)
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/crop-video-mac
Direct answer: Crop a video to a region or aspect ratio on your Mac — visual selection with ratio lock, no command line, nothing uploaded. One step with FFmix.
Steps: 1. Drag your video into FFmix. 2. Pick the Crop frame task and drag the box (or lock a ratio like 1:1 or 9:16). 3. Confirm and click Start — the cropped video saves next to the original.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "crop=1080:1080:0:0" -c:a copy cropped.mp4
Common question: Can I crop to an exact aspect ratio? Answer: Yes. FFmix's visual crop has ratio locks (1:1, 4:5, 9:16 and more), so you can frame a square or vertical version without doing the math.

### How to export a Douyin vertical video (9:16) on Mac
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/export-douyin-vertical
Direct answer: Turn a landscape clip into a 9:16 Douyin video (1080×1920, 30fps) on your Mac — padded, not cropped, no command line, nothing uploaded.
Steps: 1. Drag your clip into FFmix. 2. Pick the Douyin / Channels vertical preset (9:16, 30fps). 3. Confirm and click Start — the padded vertical file is ready to post.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "scale=1080:1920:force_original_aspect_ratio=decrease,pad=1080:1920:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,setsar=1" -r 30 -c:v libx264 -b:v 8M -c:a aac -b:a 192k douyin.mp4
Common question: What size does Douyin use? Answer: Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok) uses 9:16 vertical video, 1080×1920, around 30fps. This preset outputs exactly that with a high bitrate.

### How to extract audio from a video on Mac (to MP3)
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/extract-audio-from-video-mac
Direct answer: Pull the audio out of any video as a high-quality MP3 on your Mac — no command line, nothing uploaded. One click with FFmix.
Steps: 1. Drag your video into FFmix. 2. Pick the Video → MP3 320k preset (or the Extract audio task). 3. Confirm and click Start — the .mp3 saves next to the video.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vn -c:a libmp3lame -b:a 320k audio.mp3
Common question: What quality is the MP3? Answer: 320 kbps by default, which is effectively transparent for speech and music. You can drop to 192 kbps for a smaller file, or export WAV for a lossless master.

### How to extract frames from a video on Mac (stills & thumbnails)
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/extract-frames-from-video-mac
Direct answer: Pull still images out of a video on your Mac — a single cover frame or one-per-second stills, no command line, nothing uploaded. One step with FFmix.
Steps: 1. Drag your video into FFmix. 2. Pick the 1-frame-per-second stills preset (or Cover frame JPG for a single image). 3. Confirm and click Start — the .jpg images save next to the video.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf fps=1 frame_%04d.jpg
Common question: Can I grab just one frame as a thumbnail? Answer: Yes. The Cover frame JPG preset takes a single high-quality frame (by default around the 1-second mark) as a poster or thumbnail base: `ffmpeg -ss 00:00:01 -i input.mp4 -vframes 1 -q:v 2 cover.jpg`.

### How to make a TikTok video on Mac (9:16, the right size)
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/make-tiktok-video-mac
Direct answer: Turn any landscape or phone clip into a crisp 1080×1920 TikTok video on your Mac — no command line, nothing uploaded. One click with FFmix.
Steps: 1. Drag your clip into the FFmix window. 2. Pick the TikTok 9:16 preset (or the Convert task). 3. Confirm the plan and click Start — the 9:16 file lands next to the original.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "scale=1080:1920:force_original_aspect_ratio=decrease,pad=1080:1920:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,setsar=1" -c:v libx264 -b:v 10M -maxrate 12M -bufsize 20M -pix_fmt yuv420p -movflags +faststart -c:a aac -b:a 192k tiktok.mp4
Common question: Does FFmix upload my video to TikTok or a server? Answer: No. Everything runs locally on your Mac through the bundled ffmpeg engine. Your video never leaves the machine.

### How to make an Instagram Reel from a landscape video (Mac)
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/instagram-reel-from-landscape
Direct answer: Turn a horizontal 16:9 clip into a 9:16 Instagram Reel on your Mac without cropping out your subject — no command line, nothing uploaded.
Steps: 1. Drag your landscape clip into FFmix. 2. Pick the Instagram Reels preset (9:16, 1080×1920). 3. Confirm and click Start — your padded vertical Reel is ready to upload.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "scale=1080:1920:force_original_aspect_ratio=decrease,pad=1080:1920:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,setsar=1" -c:v libx264 -b:v 8M -maxrate 10M -bufsize 16M -pix_fmt yuv420p -movflags +faststart -c:a aac -b:a 192k reel.mp4
Common question: Will my landscape footage get cropped into the Reel? Answer: No. This preset fits the whole frame inside 1080×1920 and pads the top and bottom, so nothing is cut. Prefer a full-bleed crop? Use the Crop task instead.

### How to merge (concatenate) videos on Mac without re-encoding
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/merge-videos-mac
Direct answer: Join multiple clips into one video on your Mac — instant and lossless when they match, no command line, nothing uploaded. One step with FFmix.
Steps: 1. Drag the clips into FFmix in the order you want them. 2. Pick the Join videos task — FFmix writes the concat list for you. 3. Confirm and click Start — the joined video saves next to the first clip.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -f concat -safe 0 -i list.txt -c copy joined.mp4
Common question: Can I merge videos without re-encoding? Answer: Yes. When the clips share the same codec, resolution, and frame rate, FFmix joins them with `-c copy` — instant and bit-for-bit lossless. If they differ, it re-encodes so the result plays as one seamless file.

### How to normalize podcast audio to −16 LUFS on Mac
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/normalize-podcast-audio-lufs-mac
Direct answer: Use FFmix's podcast preset to target −16 LUFS integrated loudness and a −1.5 dB true peak, then export a local 192 kbps MP3.
Steps: 1. Drop the finished episode audio or video into FFmix. 2. Choose the Podcast loudness −16 LUFS preset. 3. Review the −16 LUFS integrated target, −1.5 dB true peak and MP3 output. 4. Confirm, then spot-check the normalized MP3 before publishing.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -i "episode.wav" -vn -af loudnorm=I=-16:TP=-1.5:LRA=11 -c:a libmp3lame -b:a 192k "episode-normalized.mp3"
Common question: Is −16 LUFS right for every podcast? Answer: It is a common stereo podcast target. Mono programs are often delivered closer to −19 LUFS, so follow your host's specification when it differs.

### How to reduce video file size on Mac without losing quality
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/reduce-video-file-size-mac
Direct answer: Cut a video's size by roughly half at the same visual quality using H.265 — on your Mac, no command line, nothing uploaded. FFmix does it in one step.
Steps: 1. Drag your video into FFmix. 2. Pick the Cloud-drive H.265 preset (or choose H.265 in Compress). 3. Confirm and click Start — the smaller file saves next to the original.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -c:v libx265 -crf 24 -tag:v hvc1 -c:a aac -b:a 128k smaller.mp4
Common question: How can a video get smaller without losing quality? Answer: By switching to a more efficient codec. H.265 (HEVC) packs the same picture into roughly half the bits of H.264, so FFmix keeps the visual quality while cutting the file size.

### How to remove audio from a video on Mac instantly
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/remove-audio-from-video-mac
Direct answer: Choose Remove audio; FFmix runs a stream-copy command that omits the sound track, so the picture is unchanged and the result is ready in seconds.
Steps: 1. Drop the video into FFmix and choose Remove audio. 2. Review the command: -an removes audio and -c:v copy preserves the video stream. 3. Confirm the operation. 4. Use the new -muted.mp4 file; the source keeps its original sound.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -i "input.mp4" -an -c:v copy "input-muted.mp4"
Common question: Does removing audio reduce video quality? Answer: No. FFmix copies the encoded video stream bit for bit and simply leaves the audio stream out of the new container.

### How to rotate a video on Mac without losing quality
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/rotate-video-mac
Direct answer: For a sideways MP4 or MOV, choose a 90° rotation in FFmix; it can rewrite the display matrix and copy the streams, avoiding a quality-losing re-encode.
Steps: 1. Drop the sideways video into FFmix and choose Rotate / flip. 2. Select 90° clockwise, 90° counter-clockwise or 180°. 3. Check that FFmix labels the operation lossless and review the command. 4. Confirm; FFmix rewrites the display rotation and copies the streams into a new file.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -display_rotation -90 -i "input.mp4" -c copy "input-rotated.mp4"
Common question: Why is a 90° rotation so fast? Answer: For supported video containers, FFmix updates the display matrix and copies the encoded streams instead of compressing every frame again.

### How to speed up or slow down a video on Mac
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/change-video-speed-mac
Direct answer: Choose a speed from 0.25× to 4× and keep Preserve pitch enabled for speech; FFmix builds the matching video and audio filters before you confirm.
Steps: 1. Drop the clip into FFmix and choose Change speed. 2. Set a speed between 0.25× and 4×. 3. Keep Preserve pitch on for speech, or turn it off for a tape-style effect. 4. Review the video and audio filters, then confirm the local encode.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -i "input.mp4" -filter_complex "[0:v]setpts=PTS/1.5[v];[0:a]atempo=1.5[a]" -map "[v]" -map "[a]" "input-1.5x.mp4"
Common question: How does FFmix keep voices from sounding high or low? Answer: It changes video timing with setpts and uses ffmpeg's atempo audio filter to alter duration while preserving pitch.

### How to transcribe video to SRT on Mac — fully local
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/transcribe-video-to-srt-mac
Direct answer: Select automatic transcription, let Whisper run on your Mac, correct the recognized text and choose Export SRT only; no media is sent to a transcription server.
Steps: 1. Drop the interview, lecture or video into FFmix and choose Subtitles. 2. Select automatic local transcription and let FFmix download the Whisper model on first use. 3. Choose automatic language detection, transcribe and correct the recognized text without changing timings. 4. Select Export SRT only; FFmix writes a same-name .srt beside the source.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -i "interview.mov" -vn -ar 16000 -ac 1 "$TMP.wav" && whisper-cli -m ggml-medium-q5.bin -l auto --output-srt "$TMP.wav"
Common question: Is the audio uploaded to a transcription service? Answer: No. Whisper runs on your Mac. The model downloads once on first use, but the media and extracted audio are not uploaded.

### RedNote (Xiaohongshu) video size and how to export it on Mac
Canonical source: https://ffmix.com/guides/rednote-video-size
Direct answer: RedNote / 小红书 prefers 9:16 vertical video at 1080×1920. Export a light, fast-uploading version on your Mac — no command line, nothing uploaded.
Steps: 1. Drag your clip into FFmix. 2. Pick the RedNote vertical, light preset (9:16, size-capped). 3. Confirm and click Start — a lighter vertical file uploads faster.
Canonical command recipe: ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "scale=1080:1920:force_original_aspect_ratio=decrease,pad=1080:1920:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,setsar=1" -c:v libx264 -b:v 6M -maxrate 7M -bufsize 12M -c:a aac -b:a 128k rednote.mp4
Common question: What video size does RedNote (Xiaohongshu) use? Answer: RedNote favors 9:16 vertical video at 1080×1920. Square 1:1 also works for feed posts, but vertical fills the most screen. This preset outputs 9:16 with a capped bitrate so it uploads quickly.

## Queue & results

Parallel slots: Free 1 / Pro 3, auto-refilled. In-progress rows show a progress bar, percentage, speed (e.g. 1.4×) and ETA; pause/resume/cancel/prioritize; a failed row gives a one-line plain-language error (e.g. "source audio codec unsupported") + retry + view log. On completion the result card highlights the before/after (e.g. 1.2 GB → 64 MB, −95%), and supports drag-out to Finder, reveal in Finder, share, save as preset, and a quality-compare overlay.

## Automation (Pro)

Watch folder: pick a folder + preset + output location; new files are auto-queued (rules apply while FFmix is running, paired with "launch at login"). Finder right-click: select files → Services → process with FFmix (silently queued, progress in the menu bar). Menu-bar resident: drop a file on the icon to process with the default preset; the popover shows a mini queue.

## Pricing

Free: all local tasks unlimited, unlimited files, serial queue (1 parallel), AI 5/month (local parsing unlimited), 1 Finder right-click preset. FFmix Pro is an auto-renewable subscription (3× parallel queue, unlimited AI parsing, watch-folder automation, unlimited Finder presets) with a 7-day free trial and Family Sharing; pricing is shown in the App Store and varies by region; billed by Apple, cancel anytime.

## Tech stack

Client: SwiftUI (macOS 14.0+), ffmpeg subprocess (-progress live progress, SIGSTOP/SIGCONT pause-resume), AVFoundation for metadata and thumbnails, Whisper for local speech-to-text. Website & API: Astro + Cloudflare Pages + D1 (SQLite). Source/links: https://github.com/ffmix, App Store https://apps.apple.com/app/id6779005468. API endpoints (used by the FFmix client, not for media upload): POST /api/ai/pipeline (sentence → pipeline JSON, never a file), GET /api/engine/manifest, GET /api/presets/library, GET /api/releases/latest, POST /api/waitlist.