Credits & Codec Licensing
TeraConvert is local-first. Every conversion runs on your own machine. We do not ship codec implementations with our software, and we are not in the chain of distribution for any patented format. This page sets out how the work actually happens and the patent considerations you should be aware of.
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The free Web App at teraconvert.com runs conversions inside your browser tab using a small set of open-source engines that ship with the page: Mediabunny (WebCodecs), ffmpeg.wasm (audio fade only), pdf-lib, PDF.js, mammoth, jSquash, gifenc, and PaddleOCR. These libraries do the actual encoding and decoding work; we ship them to your browser but the file bytes never reach our servers.
The paid Desktop App is a thin shell that invokes standard open-source command-line tools (FFmpeg, ImageMagick, Pandoc, Ghostscript, Tesseract, LibreOffice, Calibre, qpdf) and, on macOS, Apple-provided utilities (sips, textutil, qlmanage) as separate processes. You install these tools yourself through your operating system's package manager (Homebrew on macOS). We do not redistribute them. Your relationship with each tool is governed by that tool's own licence and by your OS distribution. The Desktop App's About screen lists every bundled licence notice; if you believe an attribution required by an open-source licence has been missed, write to [email protected] and we will fix it.
Some of the formats TeraConvert can read and write are covered by third-party patent pools. This is a property of the format itself, not of TeraConvert.
H.264 / AVC, H.265 / HEVC, H.266 / VVC, AAC, MPEG-2, and MPEG-4 visual are covered by patent pools administered by Via Licensing Alliance (which absorbed MPEG-LA in 2023). Distribution, broadcast, or large-scale streaming of content encoded with these codecs may require a separate licence from the pool administrator in some jurisdictions.
Where the source allows it, target AV1, VP9, or WebM for video, Opus, FLAC, or WAV for audio, and AVIF or WebP for images. These formats are designed to be royalty-free. We recommend them whenever they fit your use case.
You are responsible for ensuring that your particular use of any patented codec (especially commercial use, broadcast, or large-scale distribution) complies with the licence terms of the relevant pool in your jurisdiction. TeraConvert does not pay a downstream patent royalty on your behalf.
Useful references: Via LA AVC / H.264, Via LA AAC, FFmpeg legal, Alliance for Open Media (AV1 / AVIF), Opus.
LGPL source availability
The TeraConvert Web App bundles ffmpeg.wasm, which is built from the FFmpeg project and inherits its LGPL v2.1 (and any GPL component) terms. The complete and corresponding source code is available upstream at:
We do not modify FFmpeg. We do not rename its libraries or obfuscate the FFmpeg name. The Desktop App invokes the FFmpeg binary that you install through your operating system's package manager and does not statically link or redistribute it.
If you would like a written copy of the LGPL or believe an attribution required by it has been missed, write to [email protected].
The fonts used on this site are open-source under the SIL Open Font License.
| Font | Role | License |
|---|---|---|
| Geist Variable | Primary UI typeface across the website and apps. By Vercel. | SIL Open Font License 1.1 |
| Caveat | Hand-drawn accent typeface used for marketing annotations. | SIL Open Font License 1.1 |
FFmpeg is a trademark of Fabrice Bellard. ImageMagick is a trademark of ImageMagick Studio LLC. Pandoc is a trademark of John MacFarlane. Ghostscript is a trademark of Artifex Software, Inc. LibreOffice is a registered trademark of The Document Foundation. Calibre is a trademark of Kovid Goyal. macOS, sips, textutil, and QuickLook are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. All other product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners. Use of these names does not imply endorsement.
Disclaimer. This page is provided for informational and attribution purposes. It is not legal advice. Patent licensing requirements vary by jurisdiction, intended use, and specific codec implementation. If you have concerns about open-source compliance or codec licensing, particularly for commercial use, please consult a qualified legal professional. TeraConvert makes no warranty as to the patent-free status of any codec, container, or conversion method, and accepts no liability for third-party tools that you install on your own machine.
See our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy for the rest of the agreement between you and TeraConvert.
