Convert FBR to MKV

BB FlashBack records screen activity in FBR, a proprietary format that ordinary players and editors may not open. Exporting the recording and placing the result in an MKV container makes it easier to play, archive, edit, or share with software that supports Matroska.

What the FBR format is

FBR is the proprietary recording format used by Blueberry Software's BB FlashBack screen-recording software, including FlashBack Express and FlashBack Pro. Depending on the recording and version, it can contain screen video, microphone audio, webcam footage, cursor movement, annotations, and FlashBack-specific editing data.

FBR files commonly come from software demonstrations, training sessions, presentations, and technical support recordings. VLC, FFmpeg, HandBrake, and most general-purpose converters do not reliably decode FBR directly, so a compatible FlashBack installation is normally required for the first export.

What the MKV format is

MKV, or Matroska Video, is an open multimedia container. It can hold video, multiple audio tracks, subtitles, chapters, attachments, and metadata in one file.

MKV is supported by players and media software such as VLC, mpv, Kodi, Plex, FFmpeg, and HandBrake. It is a container rather than a codec: an MKV file may contain H.264, H.265, AV1, VP9, AAC, Opus, or other compatible streams. Its main advantages are flexible stream support and the ability to preserve several tracks without combining them into separate files.

Export FBR with FlashBack

1. Install the FlashBack Player or the FlashBack edition that created the recording, then open the .fbr file.
2. Use the program's video export command, commonly found under File → Export. Menu names and available formats vary by FlashBack version and license.
3. Choose MP4 if the installed version provides it. Otherwise choose AVI or WMV, which are available in some older FlashBack releases. The original article's FLV option may apply to older versions and should not be assumed to exist in current releases.
4. Retain the source resolution and frame rate. Adjust the export quality only when reducing file size is necessary.
5. Export the recording to a new file and check that its video and audio play correctly before creating MKV.

Some export functions require a paid FlashBack edition. FlashBack may render cursor effects, callouts, and annotations into the exported picture, while other FlashBack editing information is discarded. The exported file is therefore a rendered video, not an editable copy of the original FBR project.

Create MKV from the exported file

When the exported MP4 already uses codecs supported by the intended player, FFmpeg can change the container without re-encoding:

ffmpeg -i "recording.mp4" -map 0 -c copy "recording.mkv"

This operation is fast and avoids another generation of video or audio compression. If FFmpeg reports an unsupported stream, or if the source is AVI or WMV, encode a compatible MKV instead:

ffmpeg -i "recording.avi" -map 0:v:0 -map 0:a? -c:v libx264 -preset medium -crf 18 -c:a aac -b:a 192k "recording.mkv"

Replace the input filename with the exported WMV or MP4 when necessary. -crf 18 targets high visual quality; higher values create smaller files with more compression. Use a lower resolution, frame rate, or bitrate only when the smaller output justifies the quality loss.

For a graphical workflow, open the exported MP4, AVI, or WMV in HandBrake, select Format → Matroska, choose H.264 for broad playback compatibility, configure the audio track, and start the encode. FFmpeg is more suitable when exact stream selection or lossless remuxing matters.

Online conversion after export

Direct FBR uploads are uncommon because FBR is proprietary. After FlashBack has produced MP4, AVI, or another supported intermediate file, services such as CloudConvert or Zamzar may convert it to MKV if their current format list accepts that input. Upload limits, account requirements, processing time, and supported codecs can change.

Do not upload recordings containing passwords, customer information, private meetings, confidential screens, or restricted material. An online service receives and processes the source file, and the resulting MKV may have different codec, resolution, audio, or metadata settings.

Quality and compatibility limits

Exporting from FBR can remove separate cursor data, editable annotations, callouts, webcam objects, and other FlashBack-only features. It can also introduce quality loss if FlashBack encodes the export and the file is then transcoded again. Use stream copying with -c copy whenever the exported streams are already suitable for the target players.

Remuxing does not make an incompatible codec compatible. If a device accepts MKV but not the codecs inside it, transcode to H.264 video and AAC audio, or use the device's documented codec combination.

For recordings with multiple streams, -map 0 attempts to retain all streams during remuxing. The transcode example selects the first video stream and every available audio stream; subtitles and other data need explicit mapping if they are present. Verify the result with ffprobe "recording.mkv" or by opening it in the player or editor that will use the file.