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Support

Vidly support

Vidly is a free, open-source desktop tool that converts between MP4 and MOV (and MKV/WebM) losslessly by remuxing — it repackages the streams into a new container without re-encoding.

1. System requirements

Platform	Requirement
Windows	Windows 10 (1809) or later, 64-bit
macOS	macOS 11 (Big Sur) or later (Apple Silicon or Intel)
Linux	64-bit distribution (Ubuntu 22.04 / Debian or similar)

Vidly uses FFmpeg as its conversion engine. Depending on the build, FFmpeg is either bundled with the installer or detected on your system. You do not need to install FFmpeg yourself if the package includes it.

2. Download and install

All builds are published on GitHub Releases: github.com/indmak/vidly/releases.

A Microsoft Store listing is coming soon. Until it is live, please use the GitHub Releases above.

Windows

1. Download Vidly-Setup-<version>.exe.
2. Run it. If Windows SmartScreen shows a warning (the build may not yet be code-signed), click More info → Run anyway.
3. The installer installs to your user folder (no admin prompt). If you don't already have FFmpeg, it also installs the bundled copy and skips it if you do.
4. Launch Vidly from the Start menu.

macOS

1. Download Vidly-<version>.dmg.
2. Open the DMG and drag Vidly onto the Applications shortcut.
3. The app is signed and notarized. If you get a Gatekeeper prompt, right-click the app → Open → Open.
4. FFmpeg is bundled inside the app.

Linux (Debian / Ubuntu)

sudo apt install ./vidly_<version>_amd64.deb
vidly

FFmpeg is bundled at /usr/lib/vidly. To remove:

sudo apt remove vidly

3. First run

• The header shows an FFmpeg status badge. If it reads FFmpeg ready, you're good to go.
• If it shows FFmpeg not found, either install FFmpeg, or place ffmpeg and ffprobe next to the Vidly executable and restart. Vidly looks for FFmpeg next to its own executable first, then in your system PATH.

4. Using Vidly

1. Add files with the Add files button (Ctrl+O), or drag files (or whole folders) onto the window. Folders are expanded automatically.
2. Each item has its own target container dropdown (Auto / MP4 / MOV / MKV / WebM). Defaults: MP4 → MOV, MOV → MP4, MKV/WebM → MP4. Change it per file.
3. Choose an output folder, or leave it to write next to the source file.
4. Set the overwrite policy (auto-rename / overwrite / skip) and concurrency (how many files convert at once).
5. Optional: MP4 faststart, Only first audio track, Keep subtitles.
6. Press Convert all (Ctrl+Enter). Use Cancel to stop an item, or Open to reveal a finished file.

Other shortcuts: Ctrl+O add files, Ctrl+Enter convert all, Esc close the About/History panel. The History button lists recent conversions; the Logs button opens the log folder (see section 6).

5. Troubleshooting

"FFmpeg not found"

• Install FFmpeg, or copy ffmpeg / ffprobe next to the Vidly executable, then restart the app.
• On Windows, the installer bundles FFmpeg unless you already have it on PATH.

A conversion fails

Remuxing copies streams as-is, so the streams must be valid for the target container. Common cases:

• H.264/HEVC into WebM fails — WebM only allows VP8/VP9/AV1. Choose MP4/MOV for such sources.
• Keeping subtitles into MP4 may fail — subtitles need conversion (mov_text), not a copy. Leave Keep subtitles off, or output MKV.
• A corrupted or unusual source can make FFmpeg exit with an error; the item shows the message.

The converted file won't play in QuickTime

Some codecs (for example AV1 or VP9) can be stored in a MOV container but are not played by Apple's QuickTime Player. The conversion is correct — it's a player limitation, not a broken file.

Where is the output?

Next to the source file by default, or in the folder you selected. Use the Open button on a finished item to reveal it in your file manager.

Windows shows a SmartScreen warning

Early builds may not be code-signed yet. Click More info → Run anyway. Signed builds remove this prompt over time.

macOS won't open the app

Right-click the app → Open → Open (the standard Gatekeeper flow for the first launch).

Linux: the file dialog or app won't start

Ensure xdg-desktop-portal is installed (Vidly uses it for native file dialogs). On Ubuntu/Debian: sudo apt install xdg-desktop-portal.

The app is slow or seems stuck

Remuxing is fast (seconds even for large files). If a very large batch is queued, lower the concurrency in the settings row. Vidly keeps the interface responsive; heavy work runs in the background.

Language or theme

Both are in the settings row. The language follows your system by default (8 languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese); the theme can be Dark, Light, or follow the system.

6. Logs and diagnostics

If you need to report a problem, the log files help a lot. Open them with the Logs button, or navigate to:

Platform	Log folder
Windows	%APPDATA%\vidly\logs
macOS	~/Library/Application Support/vidly/logs
Linux	~/.config/vidly/logs

Logs are rotated daily and kept for about a week. They may contain local file paths — review before sharing.

7. Reporting a bug or requesting help

Please open an issue at github.com/indmak/vidly/issues (or use the contact page: indmak.com/contact). Include:

• Your OS and version (e.g., Windows 11 23H2, macOS 14.5, Ubuntu 22.04).
• The Vidly version (see the About screen).
• What you did, what you expected, and what happened.
• The input file's container/codec if a conversion failed (e.g., "MP4, H.264 + AAC").
• The relevant log file from section 6, if possible.

8. Feature requests and contributing

Vidly is open source under the MIT license. Feature requests, bug reports and pull requests are welcome on GitHub: github.com/indmak/vidly.

9. Contact

• Support & contact: indmak.com/contact
• GitHub Issues: github.com/indmak/vidly/issues
• Downloads: github.com/indmak/vidly/releases