HandBrake
Open SourceThe open-source video transcoder for everyone. Convert any video to MP4, MKV, WebM with hardware-accelerated encoding.
By HandBrake Team v1.9.0 50M+ installs Updated
Pros
- Free and open source — no watermarks ever
- Hardware-accelerated encoding (NVENC, QuickSync, AMF)
- Batch processing for multiple files
- Preset library for phones, tablets, streaming, and more
- Cross-platform: Windows, macOS, Linux
Cons
- No support for encrypted Blu-rays (use libdvdcss for DVDs)
- UI can be overwhelming with so many settings
- Doesn't support all proprietary formats
Overview
HandBrake is the go-to free video converter for professionals and casual users alike. Whether you’re compressing a 4K video, converting DVDs, or preparing files for web streaming — HandBrake handles it with hardware-accelerated performance.
Key Settings Explained
- RF (Quality) – Lower number = better quality (18-22 is ideal for H.265)
- Encoder – H.265/HEVC for best compression, H.264 for compatibility
- Hardware encoding – Enable NVENC (NVIDIA) or QuickSync (Intel) for 5-10x speed boost
Recommended Presets
| Use Case | Preset |
|---|---|
| 4K streaming | H.265 MKV 2160p60 |
| Web/YouTube | H.264 MP4 1080p30 |
| Archive | H.265 MKV 1080p30 |
| iPhone | Apple 1080p60 Surround |
Technical Specs
- Category
- Media Tools
- Platform
- Windows, macOS, Linux
- Pricing
- Open Source
- Version
- 1.9.0
- Developer
- HandBrake Team
- Released
- Sep 2003
- Updated
- Dec 2025
- Installs
- 50M+