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HandBrake CLI Video transcoder

Version 1.11.2 · source

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Start here

HandBrakeCLI -i <in> -o <out.mp4>
Encode with defaults
HandBrakeCLI -i <in> -o <out.mp4> -Z "Fast 1080p30"
Use a preset
HandBrakeCLI -z
List presets
HandBrakeCLI -i <in> -t 0
Scan titles and tracks
HandBrakeCLI -i <in> -o <out.mkv> -e x265 -q 22
Pick encoder and quality
HandBrakeCLI -i <in> -o <out.mp4> -a 1,2 -E av_aac
Choose audio tracks
HandBrakeCLI -i <in> -o <out.mp4> -s 1 --subtitle-burned
Burn in subtitles
HandBrakeCLI -i <disc> --main-feature -o <out.mkv>
Rip the main title

Concepts

  1. Source -i file or disc
  2. Title chapters, tracks
  3. Picture crop, scale, deinterlace
  4. Encode video, audio, subs
  5. Output mp4 / mkv / webm

Basics

HandBrakeCLI -i <in> -o <out>
Encode a file
The container follows the output extension unless -f is given.
-Z <preset>
Use a preset by name
Names are case-sensitive; quote names with spaces.
-z
List all presets
--preset-import-file <file.json>
Import a preset file
-f <format>
Set container (av_mp4, av_mkv, av_webm)
-O
Optimize MP4 for web streaming
--json
Print machine-readable progress
-v <level>
Set log verbosity

Source and titles

-t 0
Scan all titles, then exit
--scan
Scan only the chosen title
-t <n>
Encode title number n
--main-feature
Auto-select the main title
-c <a-b>
Encode only chapters a to b
--min-duration <s>
Ignore titles shorter than s seconds
--previews <n:save>
Set preview count and saving
--start-at <unit:n> --stop-at <unit:n>
Encode a time range
Units are duration, frames or pts, e.g. --stop-at duration:60.

Video

-e <encoder>
Choose video encoder
Common: x264, x265, svt_av1, VP9; hardware ones need matching GPU support.
-q <rf>
Constant quality value
-b <kbps>
Average video bitrate
--multi-pass
Use two-pass encoding with -b
--encoder-preset <name>
Set speed/efficiency preset
--encoder-tune <name>
Tune for content type
--encoder-profile <name>
Force encoder profile
--encoder-level <lvl>
Force encoder level
--encoder-preset-list <encoder>
List presets of an encoder
-r <fps> --cfr
Constant frame rate
--vfr
Variable frame rate
--pfr -r <fps>
Cap frame rate (peak)
-x <opt=val:opt=val>
Pass raw encoder options
--enable-hw-decoding <type>
Use hardware decode (nvdec, qsv)
--hdr-dynamic-metadata <type>
Keep HDR10+ or Dolby Vision data

Picture

-w <px> -l <px>
Set width and height
-X <px> -Y <px>
Limit maximum width and height
--crop-mode <mode>
Crop: auto, conservative, none, custom
--crop <t:b:l:r>
Crop by pixel amounts
--rotate <angle>
Rotate 90, 180 or 270 degrees
Use --rotate=angle=90:hflip=1 to also flip.
--keep-display-aspect
Preserve display aspect ratio
--non-anamorphic
Use square pixels
--modulus <n>
Round dimensions to a multiple
--pad <spec>
Add padding around the picture
--color-range <range>
Set color range (auto, limited, full)

Filters

--deinterlace
Deinterlace with yadif
--decomb
Deinterlace only combed frames
--comb-detect
Detect combing before filtering
--detelecine
Undo 3:2 pulldown
--hqdn3d <preset>
Denoise (ultralight to strong)
--nlmeans <preset>
High-quality slow denoise
--lapsharp
Sharpen with Laplacian filter
--unsharp
Sharpen with unsharp mask
--deblock <preset>
Remove blocking artifacts
--deband
Reduce color banding
--grayscale
Convert to grayscale

Audio

-a <list>
Select audio tracks (1,2 or none)
-E <encoder>
Audio encoder (av_aac, opus, ac3, copy)
Use copy:ac3 or similar to pass a track through untouched.
-B <kbps>
Audio bitrate per track
-6 <mixdown>
Mixdown: mono, stereo, 5point1
--all-audio
Take all tracks in the language list
--audio-lang-list <codes>
Filter audio by language code
--first-audio
First track per listed language
-R <khz>
Audio sample rate
-D <value>
Dynamic range compression
--gain <dB>
Adjust volume in decibels
--audio-fallback <encoder>
Encoder when passthrough fails
-A <names>
Name audio tracks

Subtitles and chapters

-s <list>
Select subtitle tracks (1,2 or none)
--subtitle-burned[=n]
Burn a subtitle track into the video
--subtitle-default[=n]
Mark a track as default
-F[=n]
Show forced subtitles only
-s scan
Find foreign-audio subtitles
--subtitle-lang-list <codes>
Filter subtitles by language
--all-subtitles
Take all subtitles in language list
--srt-file <file>
Add an external SRT file
--srt-lang <code>
Language of the SRT file
--srt-offset <ms>
Shift SRT timing
--srt-burn[=n]
Burn in the SRT file
-m
Add chapter markers
--no-markers
Drop chapter markers

Recipes

Small MKV, HEVC
HandBrakeCLI -i movie.mkv -o small.mkv \ -e x265 -q 24 --encoder-preset slow \ -a 1 -E opus -B 128
Batch a folder
for f in *.mkv; doHandBrakeCLI -i "$f" -o "${f%.mkv}.mp4" \  -Z "Fast 1080p30" </dev/nulldone
DVD to MKV with subtitles
HandBrakeCLI -i /dev/sr0 --main-feature \  -o movie.mkv -e x264 -q 20 \  --audio-lang-list eng --all-audio \  --subtitle-lang-list eng --all-subtitles
Upload-ready 720p MP4
HandBrakeCLI -i in.mov -o out.mp4 -e x264 -q 23 \  -X 1280 -Y 720 -O -a 1 -E av_aac -B 160