Hi,
I recently did a fresh install of version 2.0.6 and I can’t get FFmpeg working. Audacity won’t detect it.
…and yes, I’m using the latest FFmpeg version (2.2.2)
I tried to locate it manually but it didn’t change anything, as it still says “FFmpeg Library not found”. Restarting the program or running in Admin mode didn’t do anything either.
Please double-check that you are following these instructions: How do I download and install the FFmpeg Import/Export Library? .
If the problem persists, please post the log from Help > Show Log… top right of the Audacity window.
Gale
Thanks for the reply!
I forgot to add that I’m running Windows 7 (64-bit)
This is the log for the manual way.
12:33:32: Trying to load FFmpeg libraries…
12:33:32: mLibAVFormatPath (‘R:Program Files (x86)ffmpeg-win-2.2.2avformat-55.dll’) is not empty. Loading from it.
12:33:32: Looking up PATH environment variable…
12:33:32: PATH = ‘C:Program Files (x86)NVIDIA CorporationPhysXCommon;C:Windowssystem32;C:Windows;C:WindowsSystem32Wbem;C:Program Filesdigieffectsbin;C:WindowsSystem32WindowsPowerShellv1.0;D:Program Files (x86)mkvtoolnix;C:Program Files (x86)ATIATI.ACECore-Static;C:WindowsSystem32WindowsPowerShellv1.0;D:Program Files (x86)QuickTimeQTSystem;C:Program Files (x86)Common FilesAutodesk Shared;C:Program FilesCommon FilesAutodesk Shared;R:Program Files (x86)QuickTimeQTSystem’
12:33:32: Checking that ‘R:Program Files (x86)ffmpeg-win-2.2.2’ is in PATH…
12:33:32: Warning: FFmpeg directory ‘R:Program Files (x86)ffmpeg-win-2.2.2’ is not in PATH.
12:33:32: Temporarily appending ‘;R:Program Files (x86)ffmpeg-win-2.2.2’ to PATH…
12:33:32: Checking for monolithic avformat from ‘R:Program Files (x86)ffmpeg-win-2.2.2avformat-55.dll’.
12:33:32: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘R:Program Files (x86)ffmpeg-win-2.2.2avformat-55.dll’ (error 21: the device is not ready.)
12:33:32: Loading avutil from ‘’.
12:33:32: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘.dll’ (error 21: the device is not ready.)
12:33:32: Loading avcodec from ‘’.
12:33:32: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘.dll’ (error 21: the device is not ready.)
12:33:32: Loading avformat from ‘R:Program Files (x86)ffmpeg-win-2.2.2avformat-55.dll’.
12:33:32: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘R:Program Files (x86)ffmpeg-win-2.2.2avformat-55.dll’ (error 21: the device is not ready.)
12:33:32: Returning PATH to previous setting…
12:33:32: Error: Failed to load FFmpeg libraries.
12:33:32: Trying to load FFmpeg libraries from system paths. File name is ‘avformat-55.dll’.
12:33:32: Looking up PATH environment variable…
12:33:32: PATH = ‘C:Program Files (x86)NVIDIA CorporationPhysXCommon;C:Windowssystem32;C:Windows;C:WindowsSystem32Wbem;C:Program Filesdigieffectsbin;C:WindowsSystem32WindowsPowerShellv1.0;D:Program Files (x86)mkvtoolnix;C:Program Files (x86)ATIATI.ACECore-Static;C:WindowsSystem32WindowsPowerShellv1.0;D:Program Files (x86)QuickTimeQTSystem;C:Program Files (x86)Common FilesAutodesk Shared;C:Program FilesCommon FilesAutodesk Shared;R:Program Files (x86)QuickTimeQTSystem’
12:33:32: Checking that ‘’ is in PATH…
12:33:32: FFmpeg directory is in PATH.
12:33:32: Checking for monolithic avformat from ‘avformat-55.dll’.
12:33:32: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘avformat-55.dll’ (error 21: the device is not ready.)
12:33:32: Loading avutil from ‘’.
12:33:32: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘.dll’ (error 21: the device is not ready.)
12:33:32: Loading avcodec from ‘’.
12:33:32: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘.dll’ (error 21: the device is not ready.)
12:33:32: Loading avformat from ‘avformat-55.dll’.
12:33:32: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘avformat-55.dll’ (error 21: the device is not ready.)
12:33:32: Error: Failed to load FFmpeg libraries.
12:33:32: Error: Failed to find compatible FFmpeg libraries.
12:33:32: Looking for FFmpeg libraries…
12:33:32: mLibAVFormatPath (‘R:Program Files (x86)ffmpeg-win-2.2.2avformat-55.dll’) is not empty.
12:33:34: User-specified path = ‘R:Program Files (x86)ffmpeg-win-2.2.2avformat-55.dll’
12:33:34: User-specified FFmpeg file exists. Success.
12:33:34: Trying to load FFmpeg libraries…
12:33:34: mLibAVFormatPath (‘R:Program Files (x86)ffmpeg-win-2.2.2avformat-55.dll’) is not empty. Loading from it.
12:33:34: Looking up PATH environment variable…
12:33:34: PATH = ‘C:Program Files (x86)NVIDIA CorporationPhysXCommon;C:Windowssystem32;C:Windows;C:WindowsSystem32Wbem;C:Program Filesdigieffectsbin;C:WindowsSystem32WindowsPowerShellv1.0;D:Program Files (x86)mkvtoolnix;C:Program Files (x86)ATIATI.ACECore-Static;C:WindowsSystem32WindowsPowerShellv1.0;D:Program Files (x86)QuickTimeQTSystem;C:Program Files (x86)Common FilesAutodesk Shared;C:Program FilesCommon FilesAutodesk Shared;R:Program Files (x86)QuickTimeQTSystem’
12:33:34: Checking that ‘R:Program Files (x86)ffmpeg-win-2.2.2’ is in PATH…
12:33:34: Warning: FFmpeg directory ‘R:Program Files (x86)ffmpeg-win-2.2.2’ is not in PATH.
12:33:34: Temporarily appending ‘;R:Program Files (x86)ffmpeg-win-2.2.2’ to PATH…
12:33:34: Checking for monolithic avformat from ‘R:Program Files (x86)ffmpeg-win-2.2.2avformat-55.dll’.
12:33:34: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘R:Program Files (x86)ffmpeg-win-2.2.2avformat-55.dll’ (error 21: the device is not ready.)
12:33:34: Loading avutil from ‘’.
12:33:34: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘.dll’ (error 21: the device is not ready.)
12:33:34: Loading avcodec from ‘’.
12:33:34: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘.dll’ (error 21: the device is not ready.)
12:33:34: Loading avformat from ‘R:Program Files (x86)ffmpeg-win-2.2.2avformat-55.dll’.
12:33:34: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘R:Program Files (x86)ffmpeg-win-2.2.2avformat-55.dll’ (error 21: the device is not ready.)
12:33:34: Returning PATH to previous setting…
12:33:34: Error: Failed to load FFmpeg libraries.
12:33:34: Trying to load FFmpeg libraries from system paths. File name is ‘avformat-55.dll’.
12:33:34: Looking up PATH environment variable…
12:33:34: PATH = ‘C:Program Files (x86)NVIDIA CorporationPhysXCommon;C:Windowssystem32;C:Windows;C:WindowsSystem32Wbem;C:Program Filesdigieffectsbin;C:WindowsSystem32WindowsPowerShellv1.0;D:Program Files (x86)mkvtoolnix;C:Program Files (x86)ATIATI.ACECore-Static;C:WindowsSystem32WindowsPowerShellv1.0;D:Program Files (x86)QuickTimeQTSystem;C:Program Files (x86)Common FilesAutodesk Shared;C:Program FilesCommon FilesAutodesk Shared;R:Program Files (x86)QuickTimeQTSystem’
12:33:34: Checking that ‘’ is in PATH…
12:33:34: FFmpeg directory is in PATH.
12:33:34: Checking for monolithic avformat from ‘avformat-55.dll’.
12:33:34: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘avformat-55.dll’ (error 21: the device is not ready.)
12:33:34: Loading avutil from ‘’.
12:33:34: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘.dll’ (error 21: the device is not ready.)
12:33:34: Loading avcodec from ‘’.
12:33:34: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘.dll’ (error 21: the device is not ready.)
12:33:34: Loading avformat from ‘avformat-55.dll’.
12:33:34: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘avformat-55.dll’ (error 21: the device is not ready.)
12:33:34: Error: Failed to load FFmpeg libraries.
12:33:34: Error: Failed to find compatible FFmpeg libraries.
And the automatic installation:
12:37:47: Audacity 2.0.6
12:37:47: Trying to load FFmpeg libraries…
12:37:47: mLibAVFormatPath (‘C:Program Files (x86)FFmpeg for Audacityavformat-55.dll’) is not empty. Loading from it.
12:37:47: Looking up PATH environment variable…
12:37:47: PATH = ‘C:Program Files (x86)NVIDIA CorporationPhysXCommon;C:Windowssystem32;C:Windows;C:WindowsSystem32Wbem;C:Program Filesdigieffectsbin;C:WindowsSystem32WindowsPowerShellv1.0;D:Program Files (x86)mkvtoolnix;C:Program Files (x86)ATIATI.ACECore-Static;C:WindowsSystem32WindowsPowerShellv1.0;D:Program Files (x86)QuickTimeQTSystem;C:Program Files (x86)Common FilesAutodesk Shared;C:Program FilesCommon FilesAutodesk Shared;R:Program Files (x86)QuickTimeQTSystem’
12:37:47: Checking that ‘C:Program Files (x86)FFmpeg for Audacity’ is in PATH…
12:37:47: Warning: FFmpeg directory ‘C:Program Files (x86)FFmpeg for Audacity’ is not in PATH.
12:37:47: Temporarily appending ‘;C:Program Files (x86)FFmpeg for Audacity’ to PATH…
12:37:47: Checking for monolithic avformat from ‘C:Program Files (x86)FFmpeg for Audacityavformat-55.dll’.
12:37:47: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘C:Program Files (x86)FFmpeg for Audacityavformat-55.dll’ (error 21: the device is not ready.)
12:37:47: Loading avutil from ‘’.
12:37:47: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘.dll’ (error 21: the device is not ready.)
12:37:47: Loading avcodec from ‘’.
12:37:47: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘.dll’ (error 21: the device is not ready.)
12:37:47: Loading avformat from ‘C:Program Files (x86)FFmpeg for Audacityavformat-55.dll’.
12:37:47: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘C:Program Files (x86)FFmpeg for Audacityavformat-55.dll’ (error 21: the device is not ready.)
12:37:47: Returning PATH to previous setting…
12:37:47: Error: Failed to load FFmpeg libraries.
12:37:47: Trying to load FFmpeg libraries from default path, ‘C:Program Files (x86)FFmpeg for Audacityavformat-55.dll’.
12:37:47: Looking up PATH environment variable…
12:37:47: PATH = ‘C:Program Files (x86)NVIDIA CorporationPhysXCommon;C:Windowssystem32;C:Windows;C:WindowsSystem32Wbem;C:Program Filesdigieffectsbin;C:WindowsSystem32WindowsPowerShellv1.0;D:Program Files (x86)mkvtoolnix;C:Program Files (x86)ATIATI.ACECore-Static;C:WindowsSystem32WindowsPowerShellv1.0;D:Program Files (x86)QuickTimeQTSystem;C:Program Files (x86)Common FilesAutodesk Shared;C:Program FilesCommon FilesAutodesk Shared;R:Program Files (x86)QuickTimeQTSystem’
12:37:47: Checking that ‘C:Program Files (x86)FFmpeg for Audacity’ is in PATH…
12:37:47: Warning: FFmpeg directory ‘C:Program Files (x86)FFmpeg for Audacity’ is not in PATH.
12:37:47: Temporarily appending ‘;C:Program Files (x86)FFmpeg for Audacity’ to PATH…
12:37:47: Checking for monolithic avformat from ‘C:Program Files (x86)FFmpeg for Audacityavformat-55.dll’.
12:37:47: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘C:Program Files (x86)FFmpeg for Audacityavformat-55.dll’ (error 21: the device is not ready.)
12:37:47: Loading avutil from ‘’.
12:37:47: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘.dll’ (error 21: the device is not ready.)
12:37:47: Loading avcodec from ‘’.
12:37:47: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘.dll’ (error 21: the device is not ready.)
12:37:47: Loading avformat from ‘C:Program Files (x86)FFmpeg for Audacityavformat-55.dll’.
12:37:47: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘C:Program Files (x86)FFmpeg for Audacityavformat-55.dll’ (error 21: the device is not ready.)
12:37:47: Returning PATH to previous setting…
12:37:47: Error: Failed to load FFmpeg libraries.
12:37:47: Trying to load FFmpeg libraries from system paths. File name is ‘avformat-55.dll’.
12:37:47: Looking up PATH environment variable…
12:37:47: PATH = ‘C:Program Files (x86)NVIDIA CorporationPhysXCommon;C:Windowssystem32;C:Windows;C:WindowsSystem32Wbem;C:Program Filesdigieffectsbin;C:WindowsSystem32WindowsPowerShellv1.0;D:Program Files (x86)mkvtoolnix;C:Program Files (x86)ATIATI.ACECore-Static;C:WindowsSystem32WindowsPowerShellv1.0;D:Program Files (x86)QuickTimeQTSystem;C:Program Files (x86)Common FilesAutodesk Shared;C:Program FilesCommon FilesAutodesk Shared;R:Program Files (x86)QuickTimeQTSystem’
12:37:47: Checking that ‘’ is in PATH…
12:37:47: FFmpeg directory is in PATH.
12:37:47: Checking for monolithic avformat from ‘avformat-55.dll’.
12:37:47: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘avformat-55.dll’ (error 21: the device is not ready.)
12:37:47: Loading avutil from ‘’.
12:37:47: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘.dll’ (error 21: the device is not ready.)
12:37:47: Loading avcodec from ‘’.
12:37:47: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘.dll’ (error 21: the device is not ready.)
12:37:47: Loading avformat from ‘avformat-55.dll’.
12:37:47: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘avformat-55.dll’ (error 21: the device is not ready.)
12:37:47: Error: Failed to load FFmpeg libraries.
12:37:47: Error: Failed to find compatible FFmpeg libraries.
You seem to have a very strange system. I would not have %PROGRAM FILES% from multiple drives in the PATH on any given operating system instance.
If it’s a conflict between different version of FFmpeg you could try removing the one you have on “R:Program Files (x86)ffmpeg-win-2.2.2” and all others except the one at “C:Program Files (x86)FFmpeg for Audacity”. You may need also to search for libav* to find all possible FFmpeg libraries that may be conflicting.
However the error 21 frankly looks like an infrastructure problem. Are you accessing all these drives over a network? Are C:, D: and R: local partitions on the same machine? Can you access any content on C: or R:?
Gale
I’m not sure to what you’re referring to, but surely you are aware that you’ve two Program Files (Program Files (x86) and Program Files) on a Windows 64-bit machine. Or are you talking about having the “Program Files” folder on different drives, like in my case it’s C:Program Files and R:Program Files… but that’s not nothing unique either… I don’t know.
And maybe I wasn’t being clear on this point but they weren’t installed at the same time. I tried the automatic install of FFmpeg (which installs it on C:) and Audacity failed to detect it, then I tried to locate it manually and that didn’t yield anything either. Then, I removed that installation and tried the manual install (.zip). Same result.
Also, I searched for libav* files and the only ones I found were from VLC Media Player’s installation so I can pretty much exclude that being a problem.
And R: is a local drive. It has nothing in common with C:.
But anyway, I recently downgraded to 2.0.5 and used the older version of FFmpeg. Everything works great… again.
Yes, %PROGRAM FILES% is generic for the appropriate x86 or not.
I am talking about having Program Files for different drives in the PATH of one installation of Windows.
If you have different installations of Windows on different partitions or different physical drives, of course that’s normal enough. I have three different versions of Windows on different partitions. The PATH on each version of Windows never points to any of the other installations of Windows. Or is this a mirrored RAID system with only the one Windows 7 x64 system installed?
Did you search all your drives? You can’t necessarily exclude it being a problem. Impossible to say without knowing what version of VLC you have.
I’m really disappointed to hear that. The last thing we want is for you to be compelled to use 2.0.5 because we have some exciting changes in store in the next few Audacity releases to come. 
There are probably other things you could have tried, like setting the path to FFmpeg in the
audacity.cfg settings file. It could be that audacity.cfg is corrupted, perhaps with multiple paths to FFmpeg. It certainly should not happen because the FFmpeg 2.2.2 installer was tested installing over FFmpeg 0.6.2.
Also if you are only interested in exporting using FFmpeg you can use Audacity 2.0.6 and point Audacity to FFmpeg 2.2.2 (or any version of it you like) using Audacity’s command-line exporter .
Let me know if you want to give 2.0.6 a go with those other ideas and you need any help.
Gale