This article was co-authored by João Homem and by wikiHow staff writer, Travis Boylls. João Homem is a Professional Colorist and Film & Media Industry Expert based in Vancouver, British Columbia. As the Co-Founder and Creative Director of Escuro Studios, a Canadian full-service production company, he oversees creative development and both pre- and post-production for diverse projects, including music videos, commercials, films, and TV series. He is also the CEO and founder of Cromatic Elements, an online asset store for filmmakers that supports emerging professionals by providing a platform to share high-quality tools, insights, and assets across multiple creative fields. Originally created to develop filmic assets for personal use, Cromatic has grown into a community-driven space where up-and-coming creatives can access resources designed by top industry professionals. João’s commitment to fostering a collaborative environment and offering accessible, authentic tools has positioned Cromatic as a valuable resource for filmmakers around the world.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
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The frame rate of a video is how many frames-per-second (FPS) a video has. The more FPS, the smoother the motion in the video. A video with a lower frame rate, especially below 20 FPS, will look choppy. You can adjust the frame rate in either direction to get the desired effect and file size you need. This article will teach you how to change the frame rate of a video using free software on your PC or Mac.
Changing a Video Frame Rate
You can use free video encoder programs like Handbrake or VLC to lower the video frame rate of a video. Increasing the video frame rate will generally not produce better quality video. However, programs like Flowframes and SVP Pro have the ability to interpolate video using AI and increase the frame rate.
Steps
Using Handbrake
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Download and install Handbrake. Handbrake is a free video encoder that has the ability to edit the frame rate of your video. Use the following steps to download and install Handbrake:
- Go to handbrake.fr/downloads.php in a web browser,
- Click Download below your computer operating system (i.e., Windows, Mac, Linux), as well as your proper CPU (i.e., Intel/AMD, or ARM64).
- Open the installer in your web browser or Downloads folder.
- Follow the installation instructions.
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Open Handbrake and drag and drop a video file into the box. When you first open Handbrake, it asks you to drag and drop a video file into the box on the right. Use File Explorer or Finder to navigate to the location of the video file you want to change the frame rate for. Drag and drop it into the box.
- Alternatively, you can click File on the panel on the left. Then navigate to the video file you want to open and click it to select it. Click Open.
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Click the Video tab. The tabs are below the drop-down menus at the top of Handbrake. Click the Video tab for options to change the video output.
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Use the "Framerate (FPS)" drop-down menu to select a new frame rate. A good average frame rate is between 24 and 30 frames per second. Anything lower than 20 frames per second will result in choppy video motion.[1]
- Increasing the frame rate beyond the original frame rate will not make the motion look any smoother. This will only result in duplicate frames and a larger file size. Handbrake can't add more frames to a video than what the original has. However, Flowframes for Windows and SVP Pro have the ability to interpolate video and add frames to increase the frame rate.
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Type a name for the video. Use the text box next to "Save as" to edit the file name of the video. This will allow you to keep a copy of the original video when you encode the new video.
- To change the location the video saves to, click Browse to the right of this bar.
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6Preview the video (optional). If you want to preview a small sample of the video before encoding it. Use the following steps to do so:
- Click Preview at the top of the page.
- Click Encode Preview.
- Click Play.
- Click Close.
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Click Start Encode. It has an icon that resembles a green "play" button. This starts encoding the video at the frame rate you selected.
Using VLC
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Download and install VLC. VLC is a free media player that has a built-in video converter, which can be used to change the frame rate of a video. Use the following steps to download and install VLC:
- Go to www.videolan.org/vlc/index.html in a web browser.
- Click Download VLC.
- Double-click the installer file in your web browser or Downloads folder.
- Follow the instructions in the installer to complete the installation.
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Open VLC and click the Media menu. It's in the menu bar at the top of VLC.
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Click Convert/Save. It's in the media menu. This opens the VLC converter.
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Click + Add. It's the button to the right of the box below "File Selection".
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Select a video and click Open. Use File Explorer or Finder to navigate to a video file you want to change the frame rate for. Click it to select it and click Open. This adds the video to the file selection.
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Click Convert / Save. It's the button at the bottom of the "Open Media" file.
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Click the icon that resembles a wrench. It's next to the drop-down menu across from "Profile". This opens the Profile Edition menu.
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Click the Video codec tab. It's the second tab at the top of the "Video Edition" menu.
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Type your desired frame rate next to "Frame Rate". A good frame rate is between 24 and 30 frames per second. Anything less than 20 frames-per-second will result in choppy motion in the video.
- Increasing the frame rate beyond the original frame rate will not produce smoother video quality. It will just result in duplicate frames and produce a larger video file. However, Flowframes for Windows and SVP Prohave the ability to interpolate video and add frames to a video.
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Click Browse. It's to the right of the box that says "Destination file". This allows you to select a file name for the converted video and a save location.
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Type a name for the video. Use the space next to "File name" to type a new file name for the converted video.
- You can also navigate to a location where you want to save the video.
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Click Save. It's at the bottom of the File Explorer or Finder menu.
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Click Start. This starts converting the video to a new file at the frame rate you selected.
Using Flowframes
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1Download and install Flowframes. Flowframes is an open-source project that uses AI models to interpolate video, which allows you to increase the frame rate beyond the original video quality. It is available for Windows. You can pay as much as you want for Flowframes (or not). Use the following steps to download and install Flowframes:[2]
- Go to the Flowframes official website.
- Click Download now.
- Enter the price you want to pay and select a payment option (or just click No thanks, take me to the download).
- Click Download.
- Open the installation file in your Downloads folder.
- Follow the prompts to complete the installation.
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2Open Flowframes and click Interpolation. It’s the second tab at the top of the page. This is the control panel where you can open and interpolate a video.
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3Click Browse (Video). It’s next to “Input Video.” This option allows you to upload a single video.
- Alternatively, you can select Browse (folder) and select an entire folder of videos.
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4Select the desired frame rate. You’ll see the video’s default frame rate listed next to “Output FPS and Speed.” By default, Flowframes will double the frame rate. You can use the drop-down menu that says “2x” by default to increase the frame rate even further.
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5Select the speed (optional). If you want, you can use the drop-down menu that says “Normal speed” by default to reduce the video speed to slow motion.
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6Click Interpolate. It’s the button in the lower-right corner. This will begin the process of interpolating your video clip(s) and increasing the frame rate.
Using SVP Pro
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1Download and install SVP Pro. SVP Pro is another program that uses AI to interpolate video and increase the frame rate. It costs $24.99 to purchase, but there's a 30-day free trial. It is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Use the following steps to download and install SVP Pro:
- Go to the SVP download page in a web browser.
- Click Download for your computer’s operating system.
- Open the installation file in your Downloads folder.
- Follow the prompts to complete the installation.
- During the installation process, you will be asked if you want to install various extensions. It is recommended that you install the RIFE neural network, which is a great AI interpolation engine.
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2Open SVP Pro and assess your system’s performance. The first time you run SVP Pro, it will do an analysis of your computer to detect the best video profile settings. If you have the option to enable NVIDIA optical flow or similar, you can select that option. Then, click Start to begin the analysis. The program will close when it is done. At that point, go ahead and reopen it.[3]
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3Select your desired frame rate. Use the drop-down menu on the right below “Do frame rate conversion” to select your desired frame rate.
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4Select how you want to optimize the output. You can select Film or Animation below “Optimized for.”
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5Select the conversion quality. You can use the slider bar in the middle to select the video quality. Setting it to higher quality will take longer to convert, but produce a better result. Setting it to “Performance” will process quicker, but have a lower quality result.
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6Click the Transcoding tab. It’s the tab that has an icon that resembles a filmstrip with a pencil. It’s at the top of the page.
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7Select a video to interpolate. To do so, click Browse for a video file to transcode at the top. Select a video file and click Open.
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8Click Start. It’s right next to the bar with the video you selected. This will start interpolating the video.
Expert Q&A
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QuestionWhat's the difference between 30fps and 60fps?
João HomemJoão Homem is a Professional Colorist and Film & Media Industry Expert based in Vancouver, British Columbia. As the Co-Founder and Creative Director of Escuro Studios, a Canadian full-service production company, he oversees creative development and both pre- and post-production for diverse projects, including music videos, commercials, films, and TV series. He is also the CEO and founder of Cromatic Elements, an online asset store for filmmakers that supports emerging professionals by providing a platform to share high-quality tools, insights, and assets across multiple creative fields. Originally created to develop filmic assets for personal use, Cromatic has grown into a community-driven space where up-and-coming creatives can access resources designed by top industry professionals. João’s commitment to fostering a collaborative environment and offering accessible, authentic tools has positioned Cromatic as a valuable resource for filmmakers around the world.
Film & Media Industry Expert
30 fps is the standard visual experience—it’s what you typically see with regular TV shows and movies. While 60 fps takes things up a bit by creating smoother and more fluid motion. This stands out in fast-paced content, like action games or sports. With 60 fps, the frame transitions are smoother, making everything look more lifelike and “live.” This higher frame rate makes actions and camera movements feel crisper and more responsive, which is why gamers and video enthusiasts love it for a more immersive experience. With that being said, whether 60 fps is worth it depends on what you're watching. For regular videos or casual viewing, 30 fps is perfectly fine and doesn’t feel choppy. But if you’re into gaming, sports, or anything with lots of fast movement, 60 fps can make a big difference and feel easier on your eyes. -
QuestionHow do you change a frame rate in general?
Akash LothraCommunity AnswerTo change the frame rate in any video editor: Look for "Settings" or "Project Properties." Choose the desired frame rate (e.g., 24fps, 30fps, 60fps). Save settings and adjust the timeline if needed. Be sure the frame rate matches your preference when exporting. -
QuestionWhen a program like a video editor changes the frame rate, how does it do it? If we had an infinite frame rate, you could just choose the frames for the desired frame rate. No characters left.
Akash LothraCommunity AnswerVideo editors change frame rates by dropping frames (e.g., 60fps to 30fps skips every other frame) or by adding frames via duplication or interpolation (estimating motion to create new frames). This adjusts playback speed without needing infinite frames.
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Tips
References
About This Article
1. Download and install Handbrake from https://handbrake.fr/downloads.php>
2. Open Handbrake.
3. Drag and drop a video file into the box on the right.
4. Click the Video tab.
5. Use the drop-down menu next to Framerate (FPS) to select your desired frame rate.
6. Type a name for the file next to "Save as" at the bottom.
7. Click Start Encode at the top.



















