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Run ffmpeg -i input.flv -vf "fps=1/60" -q:v 2 screenshots/frame_%04d.jpg to extract one frame every 60 seconds from an FLV file. FFmpeg decodes the video, selects one output frame per minute, and writes numbered JPEG files such as frame_0001.jpg. The original FLV is not changed.
The one-minute FFmpeg command
First create the destination directory, then run:
mkdir -p screenshots
ffmpeg -i input.flv -vf "fps=1/60" -q:v 2 screenshots/frame_%04d.jpgOn Windows PowerShell, create the folder with New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force screenshots, then run the FFmpeg command from the same directory. Replace input.flv with the path to your file.
-i input.flvselects the input video.-vf "fps=1/60"applies the video filter and emits one frame every 60 seconds.-q:v 2requests high-quality JPEG output; lower values generally mean higher JPEG quality.screenshots/frame_%04d.jpgis the image-sequence pattern.%04dproduces four-digit numbering such asframe_0001.jpg.
FFmpeg chooses the image2 sequence muxer automatically because the output name ends in an image extension. It decodes and re-encodes still images; it does not modify or recompress the source FLV.
How the timing works
The fps filter sets the output frame rate. At 1/60, the output rate is one frame per 60 seconds. The first selected frame depends on the input timestamps and the installed FFmpeg version’s handling of those timestamps, so a file with irregular or damaged timing may not produce a frame at exactly the wall-clock moments you expect.
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Numbering starts at the first image written, not at the minute number in the video. For example, a 10-minute file may produce files numbered from frame_0001.jpg through approximately frame_0010.jpg, subject to the actual duration and timestamps.
Choose JPEG or PNG
JPEG for compact thumbnails
ffmpeg -i input.flv -vf "fps=1/60" -q:v 2 screenshots/frame_%04d.jpgJPEG is normally the practical choice for contact sheets, previews and web thumbnails. The -q:v value controls JPEG quality in FFmpeg’s image2 workflow; test a few values if file size matters.
PNG for lossless stills
ffmpeg -i input.flv -vf "fps=1/60" screenshots/frame_%04d.pngPNG preserves image detail without JPEG compression, but files are usually larger. It is useful when frames contain text, screen captures or graphics that show compression artifacts.
Limit where FFmpeg extracts frames
Start at a particular time
ffmpeg -ss 00:10:00 -i input.flv -vf "fps=1/60" -q:v 2 screenshots/frame_%04d.jpgThis starts processing at 10 minutes. Placing -ss before -i generally enables faster, less exact input seeking. If you need frame-accurate seeking, put it after the input:
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ffmpeg -i input.flv -ss 00:10:00 -vf "fps=1/60" -q:v 2 screenshots/frame_%04d.jpgAccurate seeking can require more decoding and therefore take longer, especially with long GOPs or an input whose keyframes are far apart.
Process only a fixed duration
ffmpeg -i input.flv -t 00:30:00 -vf "fps=1/60" -q:v 2 screenshots/frame_%04d.jpg-t 00:30:00 stops output after 30 minutes of input processing. This is useful for previews or a known segment and avoids scanning the rest of a large file.
Stop after a fixed number of images
ffmpeg -i input.flv -vf "fps=1/60" -frames:v 20 -q:v 2 screenshots/frame_%04d.jpg-frames:v 20 limits the output to 20 frames. At one frame per minute, that represents roughly the first 20 minutes, subject to timestamps and the selected starting point. You can combine it with -ss and -t.
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Useful complete examples
Extract minute marks from a file with spaces in its name
ffmpeg -i "my recording.flv" -vf "fps=1/60" -q:v 2 "screenshots/frame_%04d.jpg"Use an absolute output directory
ffmpeg -i /videos/input.flv -vf "fps=1/60" -q:v 2 /exports/flv-frames/frame_%04d.jpgMake sure the output directory exists and that your account can write to it.
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ffmpeg -i input.flv -vf "fps=1/60,scale=1280:-2" -q:v 2 screenshots/frame_%04d.jpgThe scale filter keeps the aspect ratio when the height is set to -2, which asks FFmpeg to calculate an even value. Resizing reduces disk use and makes downstream thumbnail generation faster.
fps=1/60 versus -r 1/60
Both approaches can create a low-rate image sequence, but they express different intent. The filter-based command is explicit: the fps filter controls the frames emitted by the video filter graph before the image muxer writes them. It is the clearest choice for “one frame every minute.”
An output-rate form is also possible:
ffmpeg -i input.flv -fps_mode cfr -r 1/60 -f image2 -q:v 2 screenshots/frame_%04d.jpgThe official formats documentation demonstrates this image2 pattern with a one-frame-per-second rate. Use the filter form when readability and predictable filter-graph behavior matter; use the output-rate form when you are matching an existing FFmpeg pipeline that already controls output frame rate. With irregular timestamps, inspect the resulting sequence rather than assuming every file represents an exact minute boundary.
Estimate output count and disk space
A file’s duration in seconds divided by 60 gives a rough frame count. A 3,600-second recording therefore yields about 60 images, although the exact count depends on the first and last usable timestamps. JPEG size varies with resolution and scene detail; PNG can be substantially larger. If storage is constrained, combine -t, -frames:v, resizing, and JPEG output.
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Verify the input before a long run
Use FFmpeg’s probing output to check that the file has a video stream and a sensible duration:
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ffmpeg -i input.flvFFmpeg prints stream information and then reports that no output was specified. That is expected for this inspection command. Look for a video stream, its dimensions, frame rate and duration. If FFmpeg reports that it cannot open the file, fix the path, permissions or filename before changing the filter.
Troubleshooting
No images are created
- Confirm that
input.flvis the actual path and that the file is readable. - Create the destination directory before running the command.
- Check that FFmpeg detected a video stream rather than an audio-only or malformed FLV.
- Verify that the source duration is longer than the requested start time and that
-tor-frames:vis not zero.
The command says the output pattern is invalid
Use a numbered pattern containing a conversion specifier, such as frame_%04d.jpg. Do not use a literal filename when you expect multiple images. The image extension selects the format, so keep .jpg for JPEG or change it to .png for PNG.
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Inspect the input’s timestamps and consider whether the FLV has variable, discontinuous or damaged timing. Try the command without a seek first, then compare an input-side and output-side -ss. For a known section, use -t and inspect several neighboring frames. The fps filter follows timestamps presented by the decoder; it cannot reconstruct missing or incorrect timing metadata.
Output is too large
Switch from PNG to JPEG, raise the JPEG quality number modestly, add a scale filter, or limit the extraction with -t or -frames:v. Keep the original FLV separately if you may need full-resolution stills later.
Output quality is poor
Use PNG for lossless output or a lower JPEG quality number. If the source video itself is low resolution or heavily compressed, FFmpeg cannot restore detail that is not present.
Existing files are overwritten
Choose a new output directory or filename prefix for each run. If you need FFmpeg to refuse overwriting an existing file, add -n; if you deliberately want replacement, add -y. Review the command before using either option in an automated job.
Automate the extraction safely
For repeatable jobs, keep inputs and outputs separate and include the source name in the output directory. A shell example is:
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set -e
input="input.flv"
out="screenshots/$(basename "$input" .flv)"
mkdir -p "$out"
ffmpeg -i "$input" -vf "fps=1/60" -q:v 2 "$out/frame_%04d.jpg"On Windows, use PowerShell variables and quote paths that contain spaces:
$input = "C:videosinput.flv"
$out = "C:videosscreenshots"
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force $out | Out-Null
ffmpeg -i $input -vf "fps=1/60" -q:v 2 "$outframe_%04d.jpg"For unattended processing, capture FFmpeg’s exit status and log output. A nonzero exit status indicates a failure that should be surfaced to the calling job rather than treated as a successful empty extraction.
Or skip the browser setup:
ScreenshotNeo is a website screenshot API, so it does not replace FFmpeg for a local FLV file. It is useful when the thing you need is a webpage image or PDF rather than video frames. One GET request returns a PNG, JPEG, WebP or PDF:
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpSee the ScreenshotNeo documentation for the complete request options. Before capture, it accepts cookie or consent banners and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups and chat widgets; each cleanup step can be disabled. Bot checks, CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads and cache hits are not billed, and the response identifies the page verdict and billing result in X-Page-Verdict and X-Billed headers. Its MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info and capture_pdf tools for Claude, Cursor and other MCP clients. The Free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots. Create a free ScreenshotNeo account to try the web capture service.
Python and Node.js equivalents for web screenshots
These examples call ScreenshotNeo’s API for a webpage; use FFmpeg commands above for FLV frame extraction.
Python
import requests
r = requests.get("https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot", params={"access_key": "YOUR_API_KEY", "url": "https://stripe.com"}, timeout=90)
r.raise_for_status()
open("shot.webp", "wb").write(r.content)Node.js
const q = new URLSearchParams({ access_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY', url: 'https://stripe.com' });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot?${q}`);
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`HTTP ${res.status}`);
const fs = await import('node:fs/promises');
await fs.writeFile('shot.webp', Buffer.from(await res.arrayBuffer()));Frequently Asked Questions
Does this command capture exactly at 00:01:00, 00:02:00 and so on?
It requests one output frame per 60 seconds according to the decoded timestamps. Variable or damaged timestamps can shift the actual content represented by each image.
Can I extract frames every 30 seconds instead?
Yes. Change the filter to fps=1/30; the filename pattern and image options can remain the same.
Will FFmpeg change my FLV file?
No. FFmpeg reads the input and writes separate image files; the source FLV is not modified.
The Bottom Line
For one screenshot per minute, use -vf "fps=1/60" with a numbered image pattern. Add -ss, -t or -frames:v when you need a specific segment or image count, and choose JPEG or PNG according to your quality and storage requirements.
Quick Recap
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