How to Export Video From Blender

Updated 9 November 2026 · Standard formula, shown below

Exporting video from Blender turns your timeline or rendered animation into a playable file, such as an MP4. Before starting, make sure your scene is ready, the frame range is set, and you have enough free disk space; rendering can take time and produce large files.

What You’ll Need

A Blender project with a scene or animation ready to render.
A writable destination folder with enough storage for the finished video.
For a sequence of still images, a video editor or other tool that can combine the images into a movie. Blender can also assemble image sequences in its Video Sequencer.

Step-by-Step

Choose what you are exporting. If you want a video of a 3D scene, open the scene you want to render. If you are editing clips in Blender’s Video Sequencer, make sure the intended strips are on the timeline and that their timing and sound are correct. In either case, check the timeline’s start and end frames so the export covers the right section.
Set the output dimensions and frame rate. Open Output Properties, shown with a printer-style icon in the Properties editor. Under Format, choose a resolution preset or enter the width and height, and set the percentage scale. Set the frame rate to match your project or delivery requirements. A different frame rate can make motion play faster, slower, or less smoothly than expected.
Set the frame range. In Output Properties, confirm the Frame Start and End values. These control the frames rendered for an animation. For example, a range from 1 to 120 at 24 frames per second is five seconds long. Check the timeline as well: an incorrect end frame can create a very short clip or an unexpectedly long render.
Choose the destination folder. In Output Properties, find the Output field and click the folder control to select a location and filename. Pick a folder you can find again, and avoid removable drives that might disconnect during rendering. Blender uses this output path for the render.
Select a video container and encoding. In the Output Properties Format settings, change the file format from an image format to FFmpeg Video. Expand the encoding options. For a broadly compatible video, choose MPEG-4 as the container and H.264 as the video codec when those options are available. Set the audio codec as needed if your scene or edit includes sound. Keep the project’s frame rate and dimensions consistent with the intended output.
Save your Blender project. Use File > Save before rendering. This preserves the output settings and scene changes if Blender closes or the render is interrupted. If the project depends on external images, fonts, or other files, make sure they are available to Blender too.
Render a short test. If possible, temporarily set the frame range to a few representative frames and use Render > Render Animation to check the result. Confirm the image, framing, timing, and audio before committing to a long render. Restore the full frame range afterward.
Render the animation. Choose Render > Render Animation from the top menu, or use the animation render shortcut shown in Blender’s menus for your version. Rendering an animation processes the frames and writes them to the configured output. A still-image render is not the same thing: Render Image only renders the current frame.
Wait for completion, then inspect the file. Don’t close Blender or interrupt the render while it is writing. When rendering finishes, open the destination folder and play the video in a media player. Check the beginning, middle, and end, and verify that sound is present and synchronized if you expected audio.

Common Mistakes

Rendering a still instead of an animation: Use Render Animation, not Render Image, when you need the whole timeline.
Leaving the output as PNG or another image format: Blender may create separate frames instead of a single video. Set the format to FFmpeg Video and check the container and codec.
Using the wrong output folder: The video may be saved somewhere unexpected, or the path may point to a drive that is unavailable. Confirm the Output field before rendering.
Exporting the wrong frame range: Check Start and End, especially after making a test render or working with a short section.
Choosing a mismatched frame rate or resolution: These settings affect playback speed, motion, image size, and render time. Decide on them before rendering.
Assuming a successful render guarantees a good video: Inspect the actual file. Missing sound, blank frames, visual glitches, and an incorrect ending can be easy to miss from the render progress alone.

Tips

Render a few frames first to check lighting, camera framing, materials, and motion. A short test can reveal problems before a full render takes hours.
Use a familiar, supported container and codec for general playback. MPEG-4 with H.264 is a common choice, but follow the requirements of the platform or editor that will receive the file.
Keep an image-sequence workflow in mind for long or demanding renders. Individual frames are easier to resume if rendering stops, though they must later be assembled into a video.
Leave free space on the destination drive and use a clear filename. High-resolution, long, or high-quality exports can be large.
For audio, check that the sound is included in the scene or sequencer and that an audio codec is selected in the encoding settings. Test playback with sound enabled.

Troubleshooting

No video appears: Check the Output path and search that folder for the filename. Confirm that the format is FFmpeg Video rather than an image format, and verify that the animation render completed.
The video contains only one frame: The wrong render command may have been used, or the frame range may contain only one frame. Set a valid Start and End range, then render the animation.
The file will not play: Try a common container and codec combination such as MPEG-4 and H.264. If a player still cannot open it, check whether the file is unusually small or incomplete, then render again to a local folder with adequate free space.
The render stops or Blender becomes unresponsive: Large scenes can take substantial memory and processing time. Try a lower resolution percentage, simpler render settings, or rendering a shorter frame range. For a long project, render an image sequence so you can resume from completed frames.
The video has no sound: Confirm the audio strips or scene audio are present and within the rendered frame range, then choose an audio codec in the FFmpeg encoding settings. Re-render and test the file in a player with sound enabled.
The video looks cropped, soft, or oddly paced: Recheck resolution, percentage scale, camera framing, and frame rate in Output Properties. Render a short test after correcting the settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I export an MP4 from Blender?
Set the output format to FFmpeg Video, choose MPEG-4 as the container and H.264 as the video codec when available, then select Render Animation.

Where does Blender save the rendered video?
It saves to the location shown in the Output field in Output Properties. Set that path before rendering and check the folder when the render finishes.

Why did Blender export separate images instead of a video?
The output format is likely set to an image format. Change it to FFmpeg Video and configure the video encoding options before rendering again.

What is the difference between Render Image and Render Animation?
Render Image creates a render of the current frame. Render Animation renders the frame range and writes the animation output.

Can I export only part of my animation?
Yes. Set the desired Frame Start and End values in Output Properties, then render the animation.

Can I export a video with sound?
Yes, if the project contains audio. Check the audio in the scene or sequencer and select a suitable audio codec in the FFmpeg encoding settings.

Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.