XCF to FLV

How to Convert XCF to FLV Online

1. Upload Your XCF Files: Drag and drop or click "+ Add Files" to select one or more GIMP project (.xcf) files. GIMP saves layers, channels, paths, and selections inside XCF — XConvert flattens each file to its composite image before encoding the video. Batch upload is supported.
2. Pick the Merge Strategy and Image Duration: Under "Merge strategy," choose Merge images to stitch every XCF into one FLV slideshow, or Video per image to output one FLV per upload. Set Image Duration (1/60-second up to 10 seconds per image) to control how long each frame holds on screen.
3. Set Resolution and Background Color (Optional): Under "Video resolution," keep the original XCF dimensions, pick a fixed preset (640×480, 720×480, 854×480 — typical Flash-era frame sizes), scale by percentage, or enter exact width × height. Pick a Background Color to fill any padding when the XCF aspect ratio doesn't match the video frame.
4. Tune Compression and Convert: Under "File Compression," choose Quality Preset (Highest → Lowest), Target file size (%), Specific file size, Constant Bitrate, Variable Bitrate, Constant Quality (CRF), or Constraint Quality. Click Convert and download. Files are uploaded over an encrypted connection, processed on our servers, and deleted automatically after a few hours — no sign-up, no watermark, never shared.

Why Convert XCF to FLV?

XCF is GIMP's native format — it preserves every layer, mask, channel, path, guide, and the active selection from your editing session. FLV (Flash Video) is the container Adobe shipped with Flash Player 7 in September 2003 and is now a legacy format: Adobe ended Flash Player support on December 31, 2020, and major browsers stripped Flash playback in January 2021. So XCF → FLV is almost always a niche, archival, or compatibility-driven conversion. Common reasons:

• Authoring tool still expects FLV — Some legacy e-learning suites (older Articulate Studio, Adobe Captivate prior to 2017, Lectora older versions) imported FLV directly as a video asset. Re-mastering an SCORM package without rebuilding the project sometimes means matching the original asset format.
• Digital archives and museum exhibits — When preserving a Flash-era CD-ROM, kiosk, or website snapshot, archivists keep the source format faithful and pair the FLV with a modern MP4 derivative for access copies.
• CMS or LMS that hasn't been migrated — A handful of older Moodle plugins, Joomla extensions, and intranet portals still reference .flv URLs. Converting your GIMP slideshow to FLV slots into those existing players without touching the database.
• Cross-platform playback through VLC, MPlayer, or PotPlayer — These players open FLV natively on Windows, macOS, and Linux even after browser support disappeared. FLV is also accepted by flv.js (the open-source player Bilibili built and many Chinese video platforms still use).
• Producing video assets for a homage / retro demo — Game jams, retro web exhibits, and creative-coding projects intentionally target FLV for stylistic or technical reasons.

For mainstream playback on phones, browsers, and smart TVs, use XCF to MP4 instead. For animated previews use XCF to GIF or XCF to WebM.

FLV vs MP4 — Why FLV Is a Compatibility-Only Choice

If you don't have a specific reason to ship FLV, ship MP4. The web has moved on.

Codec and Quality Quick Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I really be using FLV in 2026?

Almost certainly not. Adobe Flash Player reached end-of-life on December 31, 2020, and Chrome 88, Firefox 85, and Safari 14 removed Flash playback in January 2021. Pick FLV only when you have a fixed downstream consumer (legacy LMS, archival package, vintage demo) that requires it. For everything else, XCF to MP4 is the right answer.

Are GIMP layers preserved in the FLV?

No. FLV is a video container — it stores frames, not layers. XConvert renders each XCF to its flattened composite (the same image you see in GIMP's main canvas with all visible layers merged). Hidden layers are not exported. If you need to retain layers for further editing, keep the source XCF or export to a layered format like PSD via GIMP first.

Does the FLV include audio?

The FLV container can carry MP3, AAC, ADPCM, or Nellymoser audio, but XCF is a still-image format with no audio track. The slideshow XConvert generates from XCF input is silent. To add a soundtrack, convert to MP4 with audio in a video editor afterward.

What resolution should I pick for legacy Flash players?

Flash-era video typically targeted 320×240, 480×360, 640×480, or 720×480. If your downstream player has a fixed embed size, match it exactly to avoid scaling. Higher resolutions (1080p) work technically — H.264 inside FLV supports them — but few legacy Flash CMSes ever expected them.

How long can each XCF show on screen?

XConvert's "Image Duration" supports values from 1/60 of a second up to 10 seconds per image. For a normal slideshow, 3-5 seconds reads comfortably. For a stop-motion effect from layered exports, try 1/12 or 1/24 second per frame. Each image holds for the same duration unless you split the project into multiple jobs.

Why is my FLV file so much larger than I expected?

FLV with Sorenson Spark (the original Flash codec) compresses worse than modern H.264 in MP4 — sometimes 2-3× larger for the same visual quality. If your output is enormous, lower the Quality Preset, set a Target file size (%), or switch to Constant Quality with CRF 23-28. If size still matters, compress FLV after conversion or output MP4 instead.

Can I open the FLV after Flash Player was discontinued?

Yes — VLC media player, MPlayer, Media Player Classic, and PotPlayer all decode FLV natively on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Browsers no longer play FLV inline, but you can wrap the file in flv.js for in-browser playback if you control the page. For wide compatibility, convert with FLV to MP4.

Will the conversion strip the EXIF / GIMP metadata embedded in the XCF?

XCF doesn't use EXIF — GIMP stores metadata as parasites and image properties inside the XCF container. None of that copies into FLV; FLV only retains video-stream metadata (duration, codec, resolution). If you need to preserve authoring metadata, archive the original .xcf alongside the .flv.

Can I convert multiple XCF files into one FLV slideshow?

Yes. Upload all the XCFs you want, set "Merge strategy" to Merge images, pick a single Image Duration, and XConvert outputs one FLV with each XCF appearing in upload order. To produce a separate FLV per XCF instead, choose Video per image.