List Supported FFmpeg Filters on Windows

Finding the right filter for video or audio processing in FFmpeg can be challenging without knowing what is available on your system. This article provides a quick and direct guide on how to list all supported audio, video, and multimedia filters in FFmpeg using the Windows Command Prompt or PowerShell, including how to search for specific filters and export the list to a text file for easy viewing.

The Basic Command to List All Filters

To see every filter supported by your current installation of FFmpeg, open Command Prompt (cmd) or PowerShell and run the following command:

ffmpeg -filters

This will output a comprehensive list of all video, audio, and multimedia filters.

Understanding the Output

The output of the -filters command includes a legend of status flags on the left side, followed by the filter name and a brief description. The flags indicate how the filter behaves:

• T = Timeline support (the filter can be enabled/disabled at specific times)
• S = Slice threading (the filter can utilize multiple CPU cores)
• C = Command support (the filter can be controlled dynamically during runtime)
• A = Audio input/output
• V = Video input/output
• N = Multimedia input/output (dynamic or multiple types of streams)

For example, a line showing ..V... scale means the “scale” filter is a video filter with no special timeline, threading, or command support flags enabled in this view.

How to Search for a Specific Filter on Windows

Because the list of filters is extremely long, you can use the Windows findstr command to search for specific terms.

To search for a specific filter by name (for example, “volume”):

ffmpeg -filters | findstr "volume"

To find only video filters:

ffmpeg -filters | findstr /R "^..V"

To find only audio filters:

ffmpeg -filters | findstr /R "^..A"

Exporting the Filter List to a Text File

If you want to browse the entire list of filters in a text editor like Notepad, you can redirect the command output to a text file on your system:

ffmpeg -filters > ffmpeg_filters.txt

This command creates a file named ffmpeg_filters.txt in your current working directory containing the complete list of supported filters.