Extract a Single Frame from a Video
Find the one moment you want in a video and save it as a still. Step frame by frame, then save a PNG or JPG at the video's own size.
How to extract a frame from a video
- Choose the video file. The line above the picture shows its size in pixels and its length.
- Drag the timeline close to the moment. The time under the picture shows the exact frame you are on.
- Press the 1 frame buttons until the picture is the one you want. The page counts frames, so each press moves exactly one.
- Leave Save as on PNG for the cleanest still, or choose JPG for a smaller file, and press Save this frame.
Why I step instead of dragging
When I want one still from a clip, the right frame is rarely where the slider stops. A jump of one pixel on the slider can skip several frames, and in a fast scene the next frame is a different picture. So I drag to get near, then step.
To trust the stepping I used my test clip of 50 flat-colour frames. Moving the timeline to 3.5 s and pressing Save this frame gave a 640 × 360 px PNG in the colour of frame 36. Pressing 1 frame forward and saving again gave frame 37 in a different colour, and the file name showed 3.600s instead of 3.500s.
How long one frame lasts
| Frame rate | One frame lasts | Frames in 10 s |
|---|---|---|
| 24 frames per second (film) | 41.7 ms | 240 |
| 30 frames per second (phones, web) | 33.3 ms | 300 |
| 60 frames per second (smooth phone video) | 16.7 ms | 600 |
My test clip runs at 10 frames per second, so one step moved the time by 0.1 s. The page shows the time of the frame, to the millisecond, above the timeline.
Finding the exact frame
The timeline has one position per frame, so the whole video is on one bar and every position is a real frame. For a long video the bar is coarse: on a phone's width, a ten-minute clip moves many frames per finger width. Use the timeline to land near, then use the ±10 and ±1 frame buttons to finish.
If the step feels wrong, look at the Frame rate box. The page finds the rate by playing the video silently for a moment, and when that is not possible it assumes 30. Typing the real rate there, 24 or 60 for example, fixes the stepping and keeps your marks on the same moments.
PNG or JPG for a single still
PNG stores the frame exactly as the player decoded it, so it is the choice for editing, for a thumbnail you will resize later and for text on screen. JPG is saved at quality 92 and gives a smaller file, which suits a message or an upload form with a size limit. Neither file carries the video's sound or any data from the clip.
The picture has the video's own width and height. A vertical phone video of 1080 × 1920 px gives a vertical still of 1080 × 1920 px.
Why a still can look soft
A video frame is a compressed picture, and the player rebuilds it from the frames before it. A still taken on a frame between key frames can show more compression noise than one on a key frame. Motion also blurs: a camera that shoots at 1/60 s shows anything fast as a smear. If the frame you chose is blurred, step one or two frames to the side and compare.
Tips for extracting one frame
- Pause on the moment first, then step; one press moves one frame and never skips.
- Take the frame after a cut, not the one at the cut, where two shots can blend.
- For a still you will print, save PNG and open the file at 100% to check the focus.
- If the player in your browser shows the first frame black, step one frame forward.
Privacy
Your video never leaves your device. The browser plays it from your own disk and the page draws frames from that player, so nothing is uploaded.
Frequently asked questions
How do I extract a frame from a video on an iPhone?
Open this page in Safari, choose the video from your photos or files and step to the frame. Safari plays the HEVC video the iPhone records. Then press Save this frame and keep the PNG or JPG.
How do I extract a frame from a video on Android?
Open the page in Chrome, pick the video and step to the frame. Most Android videos are H.264 or HEVC and Chrome plays them, though an old phone may not play HEVC. Then press Save this frame.
How do I extract a frame from a video on Windows?
Open the page in Edge or Chrome and drop the file on the box. MP4 with H.264 and WebM play. A phone's HEVC file may need the HEVC extension from Microsoft, or a conversion to H.264 first.
Can I extract a frame from a video online without uploading it?
Yes. The video is played by your own browser and the frame is drawn on your device, so the file is never uploaded. That is also why a very large video opens quickly and the still comes out at full size.
How do I know I am on the right frame?
The time of the frame is shown to the millisecond above the timeline, and each file name carries it. On my 10 frames per second test clip, one step moved the time from 3.500s to 3.600s.
Related tools and guides
- Video Frame Extractor: Save Any Frame as PNG or JPG: Save frames from a video as PNG or JPG, one by one or as a ZIP.
- Turn a Video into Images, One Every N Seconds: Turn a video into a set of pictures. Take one frame every few seconds or mark the ones you want, and get them in one numbered ZIP.
- Image Resizer: Resize images by pixels, percentage or longest side.
- Image Cropper: Crop images to exact ratios or popular preset sizes.
- Put your photos together in one image: Join photos side by side, stacked or in a grid, with adjustable gaps and borders.
- Add text to your photo and keep it readable: Put captions on a photo with a gradient, tint or box behind them and a live contrast check.
- How I Edit Photos in GIMP: A Practical Workflow for GIMP 3.2: What I do with a still once it is saved: crop, retouch and export.