Skip to main content

HandBrake, the ultimate video format converter, finally out of beta after 13 years

It’s common practice for apps to launch first in beta-test format for a few weeks or months, to allow early users to provide feedback before the official release. Video conversion utility HandBrake must, though, have set a new record: after 13 years in beta, the app has finally officially launched as version 1.0.0…

Originally created for ripping DVDs, HandBrake is the go-to tool for those who want to convert existing video footage into space-efficient formats for watching on iOS devices, with presets for everything from iPhone to Apple TV. It’s free, multi-platform – running on Mac, Windows and Linux – and open-source.

In version 1, the presets have been updated to support later devices, a whole bunch of third-party libraries have been updated and the Mac app has a number of improvements, many of them designed to make the app more convenient to use.

  • Updated all tooltips
  • Added undo/redo support to the graphical interface
  • Improved drag and drop support
  • Added Open Recent to the File menu
  • Added Add Titles to Queue… to the File menu (batch queueing)
  • Preview prompts to open in an external application when the internal player does not support the format
  • Preview now displays volume and audio/subtitles language selection during playback
  • Picture and Filters settings are now part of the main window
  • Settings are preserved when selecting a new title (instead of reloading the last selected preset)
  • Improved support for importing/exporting comma-separated (.csv) chapter markers
  • Queue is now automatically paused when available disk space is low
  • When Done action can now be changed directly from the Queue window
  • When Done notification is now interactive (reveals the encoded file in Finder)
  • Activity Log window is now searchable (press “?”+”f” to activate)
  • XQuartz is no longer required for subtitle burn-in
  • Updated Sparkle software update library
  • Enabled DSA signature checking for improved security
  • Usability improvements
  • Miscellaneous bug fixes

You should always download HandBrake directly from the source site.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Comments

Author

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!


Ben Lovejoy's favorite gear