Extract a Single Frame from a Video
Grab one frame at any timestamp as an image with one ffmpeg command.
Run `ffmpeg -ss 00:01:23 -i video.mp4 -frames:v 1 poster.jpg` to save the frame at 1:23 as poster.jpg.
01Command
Command
$ ffmpeg -ss 00:01:23 -i video.mp4 -frames:v 1 poster.jpg02What it does
Putting -ss before -i makes ffmpeg seek straight to the timestamp, so the frame is captured in about a second even from a long video. This is the quickest way to make thumbnails or save a scene as a still; -frames:v 1 tells it to stop after exactly one frame. Use a .png output for a lossless still or add `-q:v 2` for a higher-quality JPG.
03Risk
!Warning: Only ffmpeg (not ffprobe) is needed here; the timestamp must match the video's own clock, which starts at 0:00.
04Undo
✓No undo needed — this command does not change persistent state.
05Sources
- ffmpeg DocumentationEvidence: Documents -ss seeking to a timestamp, -i input, and -frames:v 1 limiting output to a single video frame.
Last verified: 2026-09-18 · Category: Media