Donaldson R F Extract Frames from Video
Turn moments of a video into still images. Save a frame at exact times, one every few seconds, or a set number spread evenly across the video — as PNG or JPG, in your browser.
How it works
A video is a fast sequence of pictures. This tool finds the picture that is on screen at the times you choose and saves it as an image file. For several frames you get a grid of thumbnails, each with its own download link, and one ZIP file with all of them. Rotated phone videos come out the right way up.
The work is done by ffmpeg compiled to WebAssembly. That engine is about 31 MB. It is downloaded only when you press Extract frames, checked against a known fingerprint, and stored in your browser, so the next time it starts at once. It runs in the background, so the page stays responsive, and you can press Cancel at any time.
Which option should I choose?
Spread evenly is the quickest way to get an overview or pick a thumbnail: each frame is taken from the middle of an equal slice of the video, so you do not get black fade-in and fade-out frames. Every N seconds suits a slideshow, a time-lapse or a contact sheet. Exact times is for a particular moment; play the video, pause on the frame and press Add the player’s current time. The frame you get is the one shown at that time, to within one frame.
Choose PNG when you need the picture exactly as it is in the video, for example to edit it, and JPG when a smaller file is enough. There is a limit of 200 images per run and a limit on the total size, so lower the number, the size or the JPG quality if the tool says the result would be too large.
Frequently asked questions
Is my video uploaded?
No. The only download is the conversion engine itself. Your video is opened directly from your disk and never sent anywhere.
Why is it slow on some files?
Most files are fast, because the tool jumps straight to each time. MPEG transport streams (.ts, .mts, .m2ts, common from camcorders) cannot be jumped into reliably, so the file is read from the start up to the last frame you asked for; a long file can then take a while, and you can cancel at any time.
Will it work with protected videos?
No. Videos protected by copy protection (DRM), such as many downloaded films or streaming-service files, cannot be read. Only use videos you have the right to use.
Related tools: Trim & Cut Video, Mute Video, Extract Audio from Video.