Free Video Converter support: find the next useful check

The program will not start

Confirm that you are using Windows 10 version 2004 or later, or Windows 11, x64. The application needs Microsoft .NET Desktop Runtime 8 x64. Setup can offer the official Microsoft runtime download when it is missing.

Keep the program folder and bundled tools together. If you copied a portable folder, copy the complete folder rather than only the main EXE. Use the current signed download and compare its published identity if you suspect an incomplete or altered download.

A file will not open or its preview is slow

Check that the source is complete, readable and available locally. A filename extension does not prove that the media is valid. An optimized editing preview may be generated for codecs that Windows does not preview reliably; final conversion still uses the original.

Pending online items have a different state: the queue holds metadata and a thumbnail, but editing and output-sample preview need the downloaded local source. Media downloads when you start Convert.

An online video failed to download

Use the failure window’s update action, or open Help and check for a newer yt-dlp download module. Apply the update if available, then retry the job. Startup update checking can be switched on or off with the saved checkable menu item.

Read formats again if the source’s available streams have changed. Check the URL and network. Private, login-only, subscription or DRM-protected media is not supported, and the app does not read browser cookies or saved logins. Site changes can affect availability even with an updated module.

A conversion failed

Open the job’s log from its available actions. Check writable output paths and enough free disk space for the output and temporary work. Try one representative input with a simple MP4 · H.264 setup to isolate a profile-specific issue.

If an explicit hardware profile is unavailable, choose a general software-capable profile. Do not rebuild a large queue while diagnosing one failing item; correct its cause and use Retry. A previous successful download cache can be reused where verified.

The result is too large or looks wrong

Constant quality does not produce a guaranteed size. Use target-size mode for a budget, review selected soundtracks and allow headroom under a hard external limit. Lowering resolution or choosing a suitable codec can help, with source-dependent quality tradeoffs.

For unexpected color, check HDR handling. For sideways video, inspect the actual preview before adding rotation. Compare an encoded sample rather than repeating full-length conversions with several changed settings at once.

Audio or subtitles are missing

Check the source metadata and open Tracks. Select the stream you need and review whether the output container supports it. A source with no audio cannot produce an original soundtrack.

Selectable captions, sidecar subtitles and burned-in captions behave differently. Use Subtitle Studio for text/timing corrections and a global offset for a consistent subtitle delay; this is not an audio-delay tool. Play the result in the intended player as well as the preview.

Record enough information to reproduce the problem

Keep a concise record before retrying a complicated workflow.

• App version and Windows version
• Source container, video/audio codecs, dimensions and duration
• Chosen preset, edits, HDR policy and selected tracks
• Job log and exact error message
• Whether one file fails or the whole queue; avoid sharing private media or sensitive paths unnecessarily

Understand the separate installer offer

RelevantKnowledge is an optional research application with its own terms and privacy information. Review the official visible choice. Declining it continues installation of Free Video Converter; it is not required for video conversion.