How do I fix: 🚀 How to Resolve This Issue Update ffmpeg to a newer version?

Step 1: Open a terminal and update your Ubuntu repository list using the following command: `sudo apt update`.Step 2: Upgrade ffmpeg to the latest version available using the following command: `sudo apt install ffmpeg` or `sudo apt-get install ffmpeg`.Step 3: Verify that the updated ffmpeg package

How do I fix: Use a different preset for libx264?

Step 1: Modify the ffmpeg command to use a different preset for libx264, such as 'libx264 -crf 23' instead of 'libx264 -crf 23 -preset veryfast'.Step 2: Adjust the preset according to your system's specifications and video requirements.Step 3: Test the modified command using `ffmpeg -i input1.mp4 -i

Software⏱️ 3 min read📅 2026-06-11

How to Fix: ffmpeg: Unrecognized option 'crf'. Error splitting the argument list: Option not found

FFmpeg error: Unrecognized option 'crf'. Error splitting the argument list: Option not found. Fix for merging two videos side by side.

Quick Answer: Use the -c:v libx264 preset instead of veryfast, and remove the -crf option.

📋 Table of Contents

💡 Why You Are Getting This Error
🚀 How to Resolve This Issue
💡 Conclusion

The error 'Unrecognized option ''crf''.' is encountered when trying to merge two videos using ffmpeg. This issue affects users who have installed ffmpeg from Ubuntu 17.10 repos and are using a recent version.

This error can be frustrating as it prevents the user from successfully merging their videos, resulting in an incomplete or corrupted output. In this guide, we will walk you through the primary fix method to resolve this issue.

💡 Why You Are Getting This Error

The 'crf' option is not recognized by ffmpeg versions prior to N-90232-g0645698ecc from Ubuntu 17.10 repos. The reason for this lies in the version-specific configuration of the installed ffmpeg package.
Alternatively, if you have manually modified or appended additional options to the ffmpeg command, it may also lead to unrecognized options being encountered.

🚀 How to Resolve This Issue

Update ffmpeg to a newer version

Step 1: Open a terminal and update your Ubuntu repository list using the following command: `sudo apt update`.
Step 2: Upgrade ffmpeg to the latest version available using the following command: `sudo apt install ffmpeg` or `sudo apt-get install ffmpeg`.
Step 3: Verify that the updated ffmpeg package has been successfully installed by checking the package version using `ffmpeg -version`.

Use a different preset for libx264

Step 1: Modify the ffmpeg command to use a different preset for libx264, such as 'libx264 -crf 23' instead of 'libx264 -crf 23 -preset veryfast'.
Step 2: Adjust the preset according to your system's specifications and video requirements.
Step 3: Test the modified command using `ffmpeg -i input1.mp4 -i input2.mp4 -filter_complex '[0:v]pad=iw*2:ih[int];[int][1:v]overlay=W/2:0[vid]' -map [vid] -c:v libx264 -crf 23 output.mp4`.

💡 Conclusion

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the 'Unrecognized option ''crf''.' error and successfully merge your videos using ffmpeg. Remember to always check for updates and use the latest version of ffmpeg to avoid encountering this issue in the future.

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