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StippieDot/VideoCull · source
Snapshot 0 · 2026-11-04T12:47:28Z · TypeScript · AGPL-3.0
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Free open-source Windows app for reviewing, organizing, and de-duplicating large local video collections. Multi-frame thumbnails, keyboard-first Keep/Delete/Skip, and a duplicate video finder for exact and visually similar copies.
README at capture
# VideoCull
[](https://github.com/StippieDot/VideoCull/releases)
[](LICENSE)
[](https://github.com/StippieDot/VideoCull/releases)
[](https://docs.videocull.app)
<a href="https://alternativeto.net/software/videocull/about/?utm_source=badge&utm_medium=referral"><img src="https://alternativeto.net/static/badges/badge-compact-color.svg" alt="VideoCull | AlternativeTo" height="28" /></a>
> See what is inside a video folder before deciding what stays.
**[Website](https://videocull.app/) · [Documentation](https://docs.videocull.app/) · [Download](#download)**
VideoCull is a free, open-source app for Windows, macOS and Linux for local video collections that are too large or messy to review file by file: downloaded videos, old archives and backups, external drives, screen recordings, and camera footage. It samples several frames from every video and lays them out in a grid, so you can identify clips without opening each one.
Make Keep, Delete, and Skip decisions from the grid or work through a focused keyboard queue. Play and scrub uncertain clips inside the app, add ratings or favorites, and find exact copies and visually similar videos as separate comparison groups.
The workflow stays local. Marking Delete only changes the review state. Files move to the Recycle Bin (Trash on macOS and Linux) when possible after you inspect and confirm the complete batch.
---
## See VideoCull
| Review uncertain clips | Compare likely duplicates |
| --- | --- |
|  |  |
Demo footage shown in these screenshots includes [Blender Open Movies](https://studio.blender.org/films/), used under their applicable Creative Commons Attribution licenses.
---
## Download
<a href="https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9NG9Z0CL73PC?referrer=appbadge&cid=videocull_github&mode=full" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">
<picture>
<source media="(prefers-color-scheme: dark)" srcset="https://get.microsoft.com/images/en-us%20light.svg" />
<img src="https://get.microsoft.com/images/en-us%20dark.svg" alt="Get VideoCull from Microsoft" width="200" />
</picture>
</a>
VideoCull requires 64-bit Windows 10 version 22H2 (build 19045) or Windows 11. The Microsoft Store edition is installed and updated by Microsoft Store.
For a direct installation, download `VideoCull.Setup.<version>.exe` from [GitHub Releases](https://github.com/StippieDot/VideoCull/releases). It installs for the current user without administrator rights and lets you choose the install location and shortcuts. Because the direct installer is not code-signed yet, Windows may show a SmartScreen prompt on first launch; click **More info**, then **Run anyway** if you downloaded it from the official repository.
### macOS and Linux (beta)
Download `VideoCull-<version>-arm64.dmg` (Apple silicon), `VideoCull-<version>-x64.dmg` (Intel Mac), `VideoCull-<version>-amd64.deb` (Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint and other Debian-based Linux), `VideoCull-<version>-x86_64.rpm` (Fedora and other RPM-based Linux) or `VideoCull-<version>-x86_64.AppImage` (any Linux) from [GitHub Releases](https://github.com/StippieDot/VideoCull/releases). These builds are new and tested by the community; please [report problems](https://github.com/StippieDot/VideoCull/issues).
- FFmpeg comes with VideoCull, as on Windows. Linux needs glibc 2.31 or newer (Ubuntu 20.04, Debian 11, Fedora and later).
- The macOS app is not notarized yet. After moving it to Applications, run `xattr -cr /Applications/VideoCull.app` once, or allow it under **System Settings > Privacy & Security**. It does not update itself; download new versions from GitHub Releases.
- On Debian-based Linux, install the .deb with `sudo apt install ./VideoCull-<version>-amd64.deb`; on Fedora, install the .rpm with `sudo dnf install ./VideoCull-<version>-x86_64.rpm`. VideoCull then appears in the app menu, and updates install after asking for your password. If you turn on hardware acceleration (Settings > Processing) on Fedora, install the graphics drivers from RPM Fusion: Fedora's standard drivers leave out H.264 and HEVC, so VideoCull decodes those videos in software. On other Linux, make the AppImage executable (`chmod +x`) and run it. AppImages need FUSE 2, which Ubuntu 22.04 and newer do not install by default: `sudo apt install libfuse2t64`. All Linux packages check GitHub Releases for updates.
The Windows direct-download edition checks GitHub Releases for updates. Both editions share `%APPDATA%\VideoCull`, including settings, review decisions, databases, and the default thumbnail cache. Run only one edition at a time and keep both updated before switching. After confirming the Store edition works, you can uninstall the direct edition without deleting the shared profile or cache.
---
## Features
### Grid View
Every video gets a strip of thumbnails pulled from different points in the file. You know what you're looking at without opening anything.
- Adjustable card size (`Ctrl++` / `Ctrl+-`)
- Search by filename or path (`Ctrl+F` by default, customizable)
- Group by subfolder with per-folder counts and sizes
- Filter by exact status, minimum rating, favorites, compatibility, duplicates, file size, and duration
- Sort by name, size, duration, date, rating, resolution, or FPS
- Codec, resolution, FPS, favorite, rating, and compatibility badges
- `Shift`-click batch selection with range selection, Keep, Delete, Skip, Reset, Clear, and Regenerate Thumbnails and Metadata actions
- Right-click quick actions for videos and folders, including reveal/copy-path, status changes, and thumbnail regeneration
- Per-folder Review button to scope review mode to one folder
- Drag and drop folder opening, multi-directory sessions
- Recent sessions with timestamps: every loaded folder plus the **Include subfolders** choice, and a session whose drive is unplugged stays listed as unavailable
- Optionally reopen the last session at startup
- Optionally follow symbolic links (and junctions on Windows) while scanning (experimental)
- Privacy screen toggle (`Shift+Esc`)
### Review Mode
Fullscreen, one at a time, keyboard first.
- Thumbnail strip with dynamic aspect ratio
- In-app player with scrubbing, playback speed, bookmarks, and global mute
- Ratings and favorites directly on the current video
- Review summary with pending counts and delete totals
- Next-undecided navigation for skipping videos you've already handled
- Direct card opening that starts on the chosen video while preserving the filtered navigation scope
- External player handoff for files the built-in player should not play
- Preview and playback layouts adapt to normal, maximized, and high-resolution displays
- Undo any decision before you commit the final delete
### Duplicate Review
Find likely duplicates across all loaded videos or just the current filtered view, then work through them with suggested keepers instead of starting from scratch.
- Exact-copy detection with full-file SHA-256 hashing, whatever the filenames say
- Two visual comparison methods: pHash (strict, few false positives) and visual similarity (catches more alternate encodes and resized copies, with more false positives)
- Adjustable similarity threshold and sample count; results below roughly 95% deserve careful review
- Optional mirrored-copy comparison
- Suggested keeper priority based on resolution, bitrate, duration, FPS, file size, and codec
- Protection rules for videos already marked Keep or Skip
- Manual keeper overrides and "Not a match" ignored-pair handling that survives reruns
- Right-click actions for duplicate rows and groups, including keeper selection, exclusion, and group dismissal
- Optional "run after scan" mode for duplicate detection
- Never deletes automatically: selected copies are marked Delete and wait for the normal confirmed delete action
Frames are compared at matching points in each file, so trimmed versions and clips cut from a longer video are not detected.
### Thumbnail Generation
- **Configurable frame count**: 1, 2, 4, 6, or 9 thumbnails per video (default: 6)
- **Intro skip**: first frame offset by a configurable delay to avoid black fades (default: 3s)
- **Parallel processing**: RAM and CPU-aware auto-detect, or set manually up to 32 processes
- **Cached**: already-processed videos are skipped on rescan when their thumbnail set is complete
- **Hardware acceleration**: optional GPU decoding (beta)
- **Unattended runs**: the PC stays awake while VideoCull processes, and **Actions › When Processing Finishes** can put it to sleep or shut it down once a long run is done
- **Rebuild warning**: changing thumbnails per video warns when existing thumbnail sets may need to be rebuilt
### Cache
Progress lives in SQLite databases under the configured cache location.
- Three location modes: Centralised (default), Per-drive, Distributed (`.videocull` next to your files)
- Old flat-root DBs and legacy `.video-cull-cache.json` files are migrated automatically on first scan
- Status, ratings, favorites, bookmarks, metadata, and thumbnails survive rescans
- Cache location changes can migrate existing cache data instead of forcing a fresh start
- Cache and thumbnail files for deleted videos are cleaned up with the delete action
- Stale-cache cleanup and empty-folder cleanup are opt-in maintenance actions
### Export
Generate an HTML report from Settings or the app menu, scoped to all loaded videos or just the current filtered results, grouped by folder with separate Keep/Delete/Pending/Skipped sections.
---
## Keyboard Shortcuts
### Grid and General
| Shortcut | Action |
|----------|--------|
| `Ctrl + O` | Open folder |
| `Ctrl + F` | Search loaded videos (customizable) |
| `F5` | Rescan |
| `Ctrl + Z` | Undo |
| `Ctrl + Backspace` | Send marked videos to Recycle Bin |
| `Ctrl + E` | Reveal in Explorer |
| `Ctrl + +` / `Ctrl + -` | Larger or smaller cards |
| `Ctrl + K` | Find a command, folder or video |
| `F11` | Toggle fullscreen |
| `?` | Keyboard shortcuts reference |
| `Shift + Esc` | Toggle privacy screen |
### Review Mode
| Shortcut | Action |
|----------|--------|
| `K` | Keep |
| `D` | Mark for deletion |
| `S` | Skip |
| `Z` | Undo |
| `Space` | Play / pause |
| `Left` / `Right` | Previous / next video, or scrub 5s while playing |
| `Tab` | Next undecided video |
| `Enter` | Play in-app, or go back to the thumbnails while playing |
| `Ctrl + Enter` | Open in external player |
| `B` | Drop bookmark |
| `[` / `]` | Playback speed down / up |
| `Esc` | Stop / exit review |
Review shortcuts are customizable in Settings.
---
## Settings
| Setting | Options | Default |
|---------|---------|---------|
| Cache location | Centralised / Per-drive / Distributed | Centralised |
| Thumbnails per video | 1, 2, 4, 6, 9 | 6 |
| Default card scale | 0.5x - 2.0x | 1.0x |
| Default sort | Name / Size / Date / Duration / Rating / Resolution / FPS | Name |
| Group by folder | On / Off | On |
| Keep Review playback controls visible | On / Off | Off |
| Reopen the last session at startup | On / Off | Off |
| Follow symbolic links (experimental) | On / Off | Off |
| Parallel FFmpeg processes | Auto (RAM + CPU aware) / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 6 / 8 / 12 / 16 / 24 / 32 | Auto |
| Limit each FFmpeg process to 1 CPU thread | On / Off | On |
| Intro skip delay | 0 - 60 seconds | 3s |
| Hardware acceleration | On / Off | Off |
| Keep the PC awake while processing | On / Off | On |
| Auto-clean stale cache after scan | On / Off | Off |
| Remove empty folders after deleting videos | On / Off | Off |
| Auto updates | On / Off | On |
| Feature toggles | Ratings, favorites | On |
| Keyboard shortcuts | Any key or combination | K / D / S / Z / Space |
Duplicate detection also has its own settings tab with options for comparison method, similarity threshold, sample count, scope, keeper priority, ignored matches, sampling windows, and retry behavior.
---
## Supported Formats
VideoCull generates thumbnails and metadata with FFmpeg, so it can inspect many common video formats.
The built-in player is intended for compatible web-playable media such as `.mp4`, `.webm`, `.mov`, `.mkv`, `.m4v`, and `.ogv` when the underlying codecs are supported. Legacy or unsupported formats such as `.avi`, `.wmv`, `.asf`, `.flv`, `.ts`, `.mts`, and `.mpeg` open in your default system player instead.
---
## Known Issues and Feedback
- Initial scanning can be very slow on some cloud-mounted drives, confirmed on mounted Google Drive setups. See [issue #2](https://github.com/StippieDot/VideoCull/issues/2).
- Duplicate review does not detect clips cut from a longer video or trimmed versions of the same file.
- macOS and Linux builds are in beta.
Found a bug or something that is not obvious in the workflow? [Open an issue](https://github.com/StippieDot/VideoCull/issues). Reports from large, messy collections are especially useful.
---
## Building from Source
Requires Node.js 24 LTS and npm 11.19.0 or newer. `npm ci` also downloads the pinned FFmpeg and FFprobe build for your platform into `vendor/ffmpeg/<platform>-<arch>` and checks its SHA-256.
If `npm --version` is below 11.19.0, run `npm install --global npm@11.19.0` before `npm ci`.
```bash
git clone https://github.com/StippieDot/VideoCull.git
cd VideoCull
npm ci
npm run dev
```
| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `npm run dev` | Vite + Electron with hot reload |
| `npm run test:ci` | IPC contract check, test TS compile, and full coverage run |
| `npm run test:e2e` | Build the renderer and run the Electron Playwright regression flows |
| `npm run package` | Full build + Windows installer (NSIS) |
| `npm run package:mac` | Full build + macOS disk images (run on a Mac) |
| `npm run package:linux` | Full build + Linux AppImage, .deb and .rpm (run on Linux) |
Development documentation: [Roadmap](engineering/roadmap.md), [architecture](engineering/architecture/README.md), and [backlog](engineering/backlog.md).
Development sessions use a separate `VideoCull-dev` profile (`%APPDATA%` on Windows, `~/.config` on Linux, `~/Library/Application Support` on macOS), so local settings and cache do not mix with the packaged app. See [Building from source](https://docs.videocull.app/reference/building-from-source) for Store packaging, native-module rebuilds, and the full command list.
---
## Stack
[Electron](https://www.electronjs.org/) - [React](https://react.dev/) - [Video.js](https://videojs.com/) - [FFmpeg](https://ffmpeg.org/) - [better-sqlite3](https://github.com/WiseLibs/better-sqlite3) - [Zustand](https://github.com/pmndrs/zustand) - [TypeScript](https://www.typescriptlang.org/) - [Vite](https://vitejs.dev/)
---
## Star History
<a href="https://www.star-history.com/?repos=StippieDot%2FVideoCull&type=date&legend=top-left">
<picture>
<source media="(prefers-color-scheme: dark)" srcset="https://api.star-history.com/chart?repos=StippieDot/VideoCull&type=date&theme=dark&legend=top-left" />
<source media="(prefers-color-scheme: light)" srcset="https://api.star-history.com/chart?repos=StippieDot/VideoCull&type=date&legend=top-left" />
<img alt="Star History Chart" src="https://api.star-history.com/chart?repos=StippieDot/VideoCull&type=date&legend=top-left" />
</picture>
</a>
---
## License
[GNU Affero General Public License v3.0](LICENSE), with an [additional permission for extensions](EXTENSION-PERMISSION.md) that lets separate extension modules use other license terms.
VideoCull bundles FFmpeg and FFprobe, licensed under the GNU GPL version 3 or later. They are built from source in [VideoCull-FFmpeg](https://github.com/StippieDot/VideoCull-FFmpeg), whose releases include the complete corresponding source. **Settings › About › Third-party notices** lists every bundled component and its license.