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freemkvfreemkv

Install

There are two programs: freemkv, for ripping and converting discs, and freemkv-library (a hands-off web server, Docker image).

freemkv comes in two builds of the same program. Install one or the other, not both; each replaces the other:

  • freemkv (the app): the desktop window plus every CLI command. freemkv disc:// mkv://Movie.mkv works in a terminal; a bare freemkv opens the window.
  • freemkv CLI: the command line only, with no desktop dependencies. For servers, scripts and SSH sessions. A bare freemkv prints usage.

Either way the command is freemkv and the CLI behaves identically.

For per-OS setup (where files live, how to reach the optical drive, and platform quirks), see your platform page (macOS, Windows, Linux).

Prebuilt downloads

Section titled “Prebuilt downloads”

Go to the Download page; it detects your OS and highlights the right build.

OS freemkv (app) freemkv CLI
Windows scoop install freemkv (Scoop), the freemkv-x86_64-windows-setup.exe installer (adds freemkv to PATH) or portable freemkv-x86_64-windows.zip; ARM64: freemkv-aarch64-windows-setup.exe / .zip scoop install freemkv-cli, freemkv-cli-x86_64-windows.exe, or freemkv-cli-aarch64-windows.exe for ARM64
macOS brew install --cask freemkv/tap/freemkv for Apple Silicon; freemkv-x86_64-macos.zip for Intel brew install freemkv/tap/freemkv-cli for Apple Silicon; freemkv-cli-x86_64-macos for Intel
Linux sudo apt install freemkv from the APT repository (Ubuntu 24.04+, Mint 22+, Debian 13+), sudo dnf install freemkv from the RPM repository, sudo pacman -S freemkv from the Arch repository, snap install freemkv (Snap Store), the Flatpak from FlatPark, or freemkv-amd64.deb / freemkv-arm64.deb, freemkv-x86_64-linux.AppImage / freemkv-aarch64-linux.AppImage, freemkv-x86_64-linux.flatpak freemkv-cli from the same APT, RPM or Arch repository, freemkv-cli-{amd64,arm64,armhf}.deb, or a static binary for x86_64, aarch64 or ARMv7 (32-bit Raspberry Pi OS)

Every asset has a matching .sha256 checksum on its releases page: freemkv.

freemkv-library

Section titled “freemkv-library”

freemkv-library replaces autorip. It is a web server: insert a disc and it rips automatically to MKV, with progress, settings, history, and a Library tab in the browser. It ships as a Docker image.

Terminal window
docker run --privileged -v /dev:/dev -p 8080:8080 \
  ghcr.io/freemkv/freemkv-library:latest    # then open http://localhost:8080

For a full docker-compose.yml, drive permissions, and every setting, see freemkv-library → Deploy. Blu-ray and 4K UHD also need decryption keys; DVDs work out of the box.

Build from source

Section titled “Build from source”

Pure Rust: clone and build with Cargo. freemkv-library is the same repo built with the server feature (it runs as freemkv server); the Docker image is built from docker/Dockerfile:

Terminal window
# freemkv
git clone https://github.com/freemkv/freemkv
cd freemkv
cargo build --release                  # CLI
cargo build --release --features gui   # app (Linux needs GTK4 4.10+ and libadwaita 1.4+)
cargo build --release --features server   # freemkv-library server
# binary at target/release/freemkv

Next steps

Section titled “Next steps”