Tutorial: Create a Video from images using FFmpeg

In this tutorial, we will learn how to merge up to 10 images from a single folder to create a video using FFmpeg on a Linux Debian machine. We will start with simple iterations and gradually add more complex features to our video.

With this tutorial, you will be able to create a video from images of different resolutions and formats, add background music, and create videos in different resolutions.

Table of Contents

Prerequisites to Create a Video from Images using FFmpeg

A Linux Debian machine with FFmpeg installed. You can install FFmpeg by running the command: $ sudo apt-get install ffmpeg.
A folder containing the images you want to merge into a video. All images should be in the same format (e.g., .jpg) and have the same resolution.

Iteration 1: Merging Images into a Video

Let’s start by merging our images into a video with the following specifications:

The first image becomes the thumbnail of the video with a duration of 4 seconds.
Each subsequent image slides in with a duration of 4 seconds.
The last image remains for 3 seconds.

Here’s the command to achieve this:

$ ffmpeg -framerate 1/4 -i %03d.jpg -vf scale=1280:720 -c:v libx264 -crf 18 output.mp4

Let’s break down the command:

ffmpeg: The command to execute FFmpeg.
-framerate 1/4: Sets the frame rate to 1 frame every 4 seconds.
-i %03d.jpg: Specifies the input files. %03d is a placeholder for the file number, and .jpg is the extension. The %03d format means that the file numbers will be padded with zeros to a minimum width of 3 digits (e.g., 001.jpg, 002.jpg, etc.).
-vf scale=1280:720: Scales the video to a resolution of 1280×720.
-c:v libx264: Specifies the video codec as H.264.
-crf 18: Sets the Constant Rate Factor for quality (lower values mean better quality).
output.mp4: The output file name and format.

Iteration 2: Adding Text to the Images

Now, let’s add text to our images:

The first image: “Namaskar” at the top middle.
Each subsequent image: “Sample Text” at the bottom middle.
The last image: “Dhanyawaad” at the top middle.

We’ll use FFmpeg’s drawtext filter to achieve this:

$ ffmpeg -framerate 1/4 -i %03d.jpg -vf "drawtext=text='Namaskar':x=w/2:y=24:fontsize=24:fontcolor=white,drawtext=text='Sample Text':x=w/2:y=h-24:fontsize=24:fontcolor=white[1-8],drawtext=text='Dhanyawaad':x=w/2:y=24:fontsize=24:fontcolor=white[9]" -vf scale=1280:720 -c:v libx264 -crf 18 output.mp4

Here’s what’s changed:

We added three drawtext filters:
- The first filter adds “Namaskar” to the first image.
- The second filter adds “Sample Text” to images 2-8.
- The third filter adds “Dhanyawaad” to the last image.

Iteration 3: Adding Background Music

Let’s add some background music to our video:

$ ffmpeg -framerate 1/4 -i %03d.jpg -vf "drawtext=text='Namaskar':x=w/2:y=24:fontsize=24:fontcolor=white,drawtext=text='Sample Text':x=w/2:y=h-24:fontsize=24:fontcolor=white[1-8],drawtext=text='Dhanyawaad':x=w/2:y=24:fontsize=24:fontcolor=white[9]" -vf scale=1280:720 -c:v libx264 -crf 18 -i background_music.mp3 -c:a aac -b:a 128k output.mp4

Here’s what’s changed:

We added the background_music.mp3 file as an input.
We specified the audio codec as AAC and the bitrate as 128 kbps.

Iteration 4: Handling Different Image Resolutions and Formats

Let’s modify our command to handle images of different resolutions and formats (e.g., .jpg, .png, .webp):

$ ffmpeg -framerate 1/4 -i %03d.* -vf scale=1280:720 -c:v libx264 -crf 18 output.mp4

Here’s what’s changed:

We replaced .jpg with .*, which allows FFmpeg to input files with any extension.

Creating a 1080p Video

To create a 1080p video, simply modify the scale filter:

$ ffmpeg -framerate 1/4 -i %03d.* -vf scale=1920:1080 -c:v libx264 -crf 18 output_1080p.mp4

Creating a 4K Video

To create a 4K video, modify the scale filter:

Creating a 4K Video

$ ffmpeg -framerate 1/4 -i %03d.* -vf scale=3840:2160 -c:v libx264 -crf 18 output_4k.mp4

That’s it! You should now be able to successfully create a video from images, add text to the images, and create videos in different resolutions using FFmpeg on a Linux Debian machine.

This post was originally published on my blog at amarvyas.in and has been updated and archived in May 2025