Convert Video to DNxHR on Windows
No Avid. No command line. No upload.
Updated: June 2026 · 5 min read
To convert any video to DNxHR on Windows: install AppGrabbit, open the Converter tab, drop a local video file (MP4, MKV, AVI, MOV, WebM), select DNxHR HQ in the format picker, and click Convert. AppGrabbit runs FFmpeg locally — no Avid license, no command line, no upload. Pro
What is DNxHR and who uses it?
DNxHR (Digital Nonlinear Extensible High Resolution) is Avid's professional video codec for modern post-production. It is the successor to DNxHD and supports resolutions from 2K to 4K, 8K, and beyond. DNxHR is the standard intermediate codec in professional broadcast, film, and television workflows — used anywhere Avid Media Composer, Pro Tools, or Avid NEXIS are part of the pipeline.
If you receive MP4, MKV, or MOV footage and need to ingest it into an Avid system, or if your editor requests DNxHR files, AppGrabbit converts it on Windows in seconds — without installing Avid, without learning FFmpeg, and without uploading your footage to a third-party server.
When to convert to DNxHR
- Delivering to an Avid Media Composer editor — DNxHR is Avid's native editing codec. Sending DNxHR files ensures smooth ingest with no re-transcoding on the Avid side.
- Working in broadcast post-production — TV networks and post houses standardize on DNxHR for archive and delivery. Convert your camera footage before submission.
- YouTube or social media footage → Avid pipeline — download the video with AppGrabbit's Downloader tab first, then open it in the Converter tab and select DNxHR HQ. Both steps run locally on your PC.
- DaVinci Resolve or Premiere to Avid handoff — export DNxHR from AppGrabbit to share a sequence with an Avid editor without relying on XML or AAF round-trips.
How to convert video to DNxHR on Windows — step by step
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1Download AppGrabbit for Windows — free installer, 109 MB. Works on Windows 10 and 11. No account, no Avid license required.
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2Open your source video — in the Converter tab, drag a local file (MP4, MKV, MOV, AVI, WebM) into the drop zone, or click Browse files to pick a file from your PC. Conversion works on local files only.
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3In the format picker, select DNxHR HQ — Avid's high-quality variant, the right choice for most professional editing and broadcast delivery workflows.
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4Click Add to Queue. AppGrabbit converts locally on your PC. No uploading, no command-line flags, no 1 GB file size cap.
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5Your DNxHR HQ .mov file is saved to your chosen folder. Import it directly into Avid Media Composer, DaVinci Resolve, Adobe Premiere, or any DNxHR-compatible NLE.
AppGrabbit vs other DNxHR conversion options
| Tool | AppGrabbit | Online converters | Shutter Encoder | HandBrake 1.11 | FFmpeg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DNxHR HQ support | ✓ Yes | ✗ None exist | ✓ Yes | ~ Limited (v1.11+) | ✓ Yes (CLI only) |
| File size limit | ✓ None | ✗ N/A — no tool exists | ✓ None | ✓ None | ✓ None |
| Cloud upload required | ✓ No — 100% local | ✗ N/A | ✓ No | ✓ No | ✓ No |
| GUI / ease of use | ✓ Simple UI | ✗ Doesn't exist | ~ Moderate complexity | ~ Complex codec menus | ✗ Command line only |
| Cost | Pro — $8.99/month or a 7-day pass for $3.99 | ✗ N/A | ✓ Free | ✓ Free | ✓ Free |
Why AppGrabbit for DNxHR conversion on Windows
No online tool exists
As of 2026, no web-based converter properly supports DNxHR. If you search for one, you find FFmpeg tutorials and Avid forum threads. AppGrabbit fills that gap with a clean desktop UI.
Your footage stays on your PC
Professional footage is confidential. AppGrabbit converts locally — no upload to unknown servers, no account required, no data leaves your machine.
Any local video → DNxHR HQ
Drop any MP4, MKV, AVI, MOV, or WebM file into the Converter and select DNxHR HQ. AppGrabbit runs FFmpeg locally — no upload, no command line, no file size limit.
No FFmpeg required
The alternative to AppGrabbit is FFmpeg with complex codec flags. AppGrabbit exposes DNxHR HQ as a single format option — no terminal, no syntax to memorize.
DNxHR format explained
Avid DNxHR is a family of codecs. AppGrabbit outputs DNxHR HQ — Avid's high-quality variant for standard dynamic range content, providing an excellent balance of file size and image quality for professional workflows.
- DNxHR LB — low bandwidth, proxy / offline editing
- DNxHR SQ — standard quality, general editing
- DNxHR HQ — high quality, broadcast delivery and color grading ← AppGrabbit outputs this
- DNxHR HQX — 12-bit extended precision, HDR workflows
- DNxHR 444 — full chroma, high-end VFX and grading
For most broadcast and Avid delivery workflows, DNxHR HQ is the correct choice. It is natively supported by Avid Media Composer, DaVinci Resolve, Adobe Premiere, and Final Cut Pro on both Mac and Windows.
Also need ProRes? Convert video to ProRes HQ →
DNxHR vs ProRes — which should you deliver?
These two codecs do the same job from different vendors, and at the HQ tier they sit at the same quality level. The choice is almost never about quality — it is about who receives the file and what platform you are on.
| DNxHR HQ | ProRes 422 HQ | |
|---|---|---|
| Created by | Avid | Apple |
| Compression | Intra-frame | Intra-frame |
| Colour sampling | 10-bit 4:2:2 | 10-bit 4:2:2 |
| Encoding on Windows | ✓ Unrestricted | ✗ Restricted by Apple's licence |
| Exports from Resolve on Windows | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Read by Premiere, Avid, Final Cut | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Preferred by | Avid and Windows workflows | Final Cut and broadcast specs |
Choose DNxHR when you work in Avid, when you are finishing on Windows, or when nobody has specified a format — it encodes anywhere without licensing friction. Choose ProRes when a client or broadcaster asks for it by name, or when the file is heading into a Final Cut Pro workflow. AppGrabbit outputs both, so the decision costs you nothing either way. See converting to ProRes if that is what you need.
DNxHR vs DNxHD — what changed
DNxHD came first and was built around fixed HD raster sizes: 1080p and 720p at specific bitrates. DNxHR ("HR" for resolution-independent) replaced it in 2014 and scales to any resolution, including 2K, 4K and 8K. Both are intra-frame Avid codecs and both live in .mov or .mxf containers.
Unless you are working with an older Avid project that specifically requires DNxHD, use DNxHR. It is the current standard, handles modern resolutions, and every recent version of Media Composer, Premiere and Resolve reads it.
Which DNxHR variant should you use?
DNxHR comes in four main tiers. Data rates below are approximate for 1080p at 25 fps and scale up with resolution.
| Variant | ~Data rate | Colour | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| DNxHR LB | 36 Mbps | 8-bit 4:2:2 | Offline editing and proxies |
| DNxHR SQ | 75 Mbps | 8-bit 4:2:2 | Standard quality delivery |
| DNxHR HQ | 115 Mbps | 8-bit 4:2:2 | High-quality mastering — what AppGrabbit outputs |
| DNxHR HQX | 175 Mbps | 12-bit 4:2:2 | HDR and deep colour grading |
| DNxHR 444 | 350 Mbps | 12-bit 4:4:4 | VFX work needing full chroma |
AppGrabbit writes DNxHR HQ, the tier most post houses treat as the default for mastering and client delivery. HQX only earns its extra file size if you are grading HDR or working in a 12-bit pipeline.
Finishing in DaVinci Resolve on Windows?
Then DNxHR is likely your best delivery format regardless of preference: Resolve on Windows cannot export ProRes at all, because Apple licenses that encoder for macOS only. DNxHR is right there in the render list and encodes without any restriction.
If a client insists on ProRes specifically, export DNxHR HQ from Resolve and convert that master afterwards — we cover the exact settings in exporting ProRes from DaVinci Resolve on Windows.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. AppGrabbit converts any video to DNxHR HQ on Windows without needing any Avid software or license. The output .mov file is fully compatible with Avid Media Composer, DaVinci Resolve, and Adobe Premiere for import.
No true online DNxHR converter exists as of 2026. Tools that claim it either only support DNxHD (the older, lower-resolution format) or produce files that aren't recognized by Avid. AppGrabbit is a free Windows desktop app that correctly outputs DNxHR HQ without cloud uploads or file size limits.
DNxHD is Avid's original codec, limited to HD resolutions (up to 1080p at specific data rates). DNxHR is the successor, designed for resolutions from 2K to 4K and 8K — the format used in modern professional post-production. AppGrabbit outputs DNxHR HQ, the current standard.
Yes, in two steps within AppGrabbit: use the Downloader tab to save the YouTube video to your PC first, then open the Converter tab, drop the file, select DNxHR HQ and convert. Both operations run completely locally — no upload at any point.
AppGrabbit exports DNxHR HQ in a .mov (QuickTime Movie) container, which is widely supported by Avid Media Composer, DaVinci Resolve, Adobe Premiere, and other professional NLEs on both Mac and Windows.
AppGrabbit is free to download and includes a permanent free plan for video downloads. The Converter (DNxHR HQ, ProRes HQ, and all format conversions) is paid: a 7-day pass for $3.99 (doesn't renew) or Pro for $8.99 a month. Download the app free, buy the pass and activate the code that lands in your inbox.
Related guides
Convert video to DNxHR HQ with AppGrabbit
Windows 10/11 · No Avid required · No file size limit · 100% local
Just need it today? The 7-day pass is $3.99, doesn't renew and unlocks the full Converter: install the app free, buy the pass and activate the code that lands in your inbox.
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