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GUI Quick Start Guide

Get started with Video Converter's graphical interface in minutes.

Installation

brew install --cask video-converter
  1. Visit the GitHub Releases page
  2. Download the latest .dmg file
  3. Open the DMG and drag Video Converter to Applications
pip install video-converter
video-converter-gui

First Launch

1. Open the Application

Launch Video Converter from your Applications folder or Spotlight (Cmd+Space, then type "Video Converter").

2. Grant Permissions

On first launch, you may be prompted for permissions:

Photos Library Access

If you plan to convert videos from your Photos library, grant access when prompted:

  1. Click OK on the permission dialog
  2. Or manually enable in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Photos

3. The Main Window

The application opens with a tab-based interface:

Tab Description
Home Drag & drop zone, recent conversions, statistics
Convert Single file conversion with detailed settings
Photos Browse and select videos from Photos library
Queue View and manage conversion queue
Settings Configure encoder, paths, and preferences

Your First Conversion

Option 1: Drag and Drop (Fastest)

  1. Open Video Converter from Applications
  2. Drag a video file onto the drop zone in the Home tab
  3. The file is automatically added to the queue and conversion starts
  4. Monitor progress in the Queue tab

Multiple Files

Drop multiple files at once to add them all to the conversion queue.

Option 2: Using the Convert Tab

  1. Click the Convert tab (or press Ctrl+2)
  2. Click Browse to select an input file
  3. Choose an output location (or use default)
  4. Adjust settings if needed:
    • Encoder: Hardware (faster) or Software (smaller files)
    • Quality: Lower values = higher quality, larger files
  5. Click Start Conversion

Option 3: From Photos Library

  1. Click the Photos tab (or press Ctrl+3)
  2. Grant Photos access if prompted
  3. Browse your albums and select videos
  4. Click Convert Selected
  5. Videos are added to the queue automatically

Quick Settings

Access settings with Ctrl+, or the Settings tab:

Setting Recommendation
Encoder Hardware for speed, Software for size
Quality 45 (balanced) - lower is better quality
Output Directory Your choice, defaults to same as input
Preserve Original Enable to keep source files

Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcut Action
Ctrl+1 Home tab
Ctrl+2 Convert tab
Ctrl+3 Photos tab
Ctrl+4 Queue tab
Ctrl+5 Settings tab
Ctrl+O Open video file
Ctrl+, Open preferences
Ctrl+W Close window

What's Next?

You're Ready!

You now know the basics of Video Converter GUI. For advanced features like batch processing, automation, and menubar integration, see the detailed usage guide.