Shotcut export fails or freezes? Quick Fix: disable Use hardware encoder

Issue: Shotcut export freezes, fails during processing, or Export button becomes unresponsive

Root Causes: Encoder configuration errors, temp folder permission issues, GPU acceleration conflicts, file path recognition failures

Solution: Reset export settings → Clear temp folders → Simplify file paths → Verify permissions → Retry export

Quick Fix (5 Steps)

1. Completely close Shotcut and restart
2. Open the Export panel (File → Export Video… or View → Export). Choose Default preset; for YouTube, pick YouTube.
3. Save to a simple local folder you own (e.g., Videos). If Desktop fails, check Windows “Controlled folder access”.
4. Clear cache folder at %LOCALAPPDATA%\Meltytech\Shotcut\
5. Uncheck Use hardware encoder and retry export

Problem Overview

After finishing video editing in Shotcut, many users encounter issues where the export process freezes at 0% progress or fails without displaying any error message. Additionally, clicking Export File may result in no response during the save dialog, or the output file simply doesn't get created. These problems are typically related to temp file access permissions, encoding configuration conflicts, or file path recognition errors.

Table of Contents

• Common Causes
• Error Type Comparison
• Step-by-Step Solutions
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Final Checklist
• Additional FAQ

Common Causes

• Insufficient temp folder permissions: Restricted Windows account permissions prevent Shotcut from creating temporary files.
• GPU acceleration conflicts: Hardware encoder usage can cause encoding failures due to driver conflicts or lack of support.
• Special characters in output path: Characters like & or other symbols can prevent the encoder from properly recognizing the location.
• Corrupted settings file: Leftover settings from previous Shotcut sessions can interfere with export operations.

Error Type Comparison

Shotcut export error types with symptoms and recommended solutions

Error Type	Symptoms	Recommended Solution
Export Failure	Progress stuck at 0% or freezes mid-process	Reset encoder settings, disable GPU acceleration
Button Disabled	Export menu unresponsive or grayed out	Reopen project file, clear temp folders
Path Error	Error messages like "Cannot write file"	Avoid special characters; use ASCII-only path if needed; run as administrator

Step-by-Step Solutions

1) Reset Export Settings

First Try: Select Default in the Export panel and test immediately. (If you're targeting YouTube, use the YouTube preset.)

Open the Export panel (File → Export Video… or View → Export) and select the H.264 Main Profile preset.

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2) Clear Temp Folder and Cache

Shotcut generates numerous temporary files during export. If the folder becomes full or permissions are restricted, encoding can halt unexpectedly.

• Open %LOCALAPPDATA%\Meltytech\Shotcut\ in Windows Explorer and clear cache/DB files
• If needed, also clean %LOCALAPPDATA%\Temp
• Restart Shotcut and retry exporting the same project
• Reboot Windows after completion to release any locked cache files

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3) Verify Save Path and Filename

If you see write or path errors, avoid special characters (e.g., &) in the output folder or filename. If issues persist, try an ASCII-only path as a troubleshooting step.

• Example: Use C:\Users\user\Videos\output.mp4 (letters and numbers only)
• Avoid removable storage (USB drives, external HDDs) due to potential permission restrictions — save to C drive instead
• After clicking Export File, specify a clean path and filename in the save dialog

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4) Check GPU Acceleration and Drivers

Shotcut supports hardware encoding options (NVENC, QSV, AMF, etc.), but if the driver or FFmpeg encoder cannot detect the GPU, an "Export failed" error may occur.

• In the Export panel (top area), uncheck Use hardware encoder and try again
• Update graphics drivers to the latest version (via NVIDIA GeForce Experience or manufacturer website)
• On laptops with dual GPU setups, try running with "Integrated GPU" instead of "High-performance GPU"

Shotcut Export panel — location of Use hardware encoder (top of panel; older builds: Advanced → Codec).

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5) Resave Project and Reinstall Shotcut

If the project file (.mlt) is corrupted, the export button itself may become disabled.

• Save the current project with "Save As" and reopen it
• Completely uninstall Shotcut and reinstall the latest version
• Use either the official website build or the Microsoft Store build; they’re functionally equivalent (Store adds auto-updates)

Exceptions and Warnings

Warning: If other programs (especially antivirus or cloud sync services) lock the output file during export, errors will persist. Temporarily pause OneDrive, Google Drive sync while exporting. Also note that Windows Security’s Controlled folder access can block writes to protected folders (Desktop/Documents). Allow Shotcut/melt.exe or export to a permitted folder.

Administrator Permission Issues

In some environments, Shotcut lacks write permissions to the C drive. Right-click the Shotcut icon → select "Run as administrator" to resolve most cases.

Special Characters in Windows Account

If your Windows account name contains non-ASCII characters, the encoder may fail to recognize %AppData% paths. Create a new account or set the temp path to Desktop.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does export freeze at 0%?

This usually happens when temporary files are locked or the GPU encoder encounters a conflict. Clear the cache at %LOCALAPPDATA%\Meltytech\Shotcut\, disable GPU acceleration, and try again.

MP4 export has audio but no video

This is caused by incorrect video codec settings. Re-select H.264 Main Profile in the export preset to fix this.

Shotcut export button is grayed out and disabled

This occurs when the timeline has no clips or the MLT file is corrupted. Create a new project, copy and paste your clips, then save.

Where can I see the exact export error?

Open the Jobs panel, right-click the failed job → View Log to inspect the FFmpeg error and the last successful step.

Final Checklist

• Avoid special characters in the path or filename (e.g., &)
• Clear cache at %LOCALAPPDATA%\Meltytech\Shotcut\
• Disable GPU acceleration and retry export
• Test with Default or H.264 Main Profile preset
• Update Shotcut to the latest version

Additional FAQ

Export completes but no file is created?

This is a temporary write permission issue causing Shotcut to abort silently. Try saving to a different drive or run with administrator privileges.

Export is extremely slow even with GPU encoding disabled

CPU-only encoding can reduce speed by more than half. However, stability improves significantly. After completing your work, test GPU encoder compatibility individually.

Where are Shotcut export settings stored?

Windows: Settings are stored in registry at HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Meltytech\Shotcut\. Logs, cache, and presets are located at %LOCALAPPDATA%\Meltytech\Shotcut\. If you've set an App Data Directory in Settings, shotcut.ini may be created in that folder. You can also open it via Settings → App Data Directory → Show…

References

• Shotcut Official FAQ — General error code explanations for export issues
• Shotcut Forum Help & How-to Board — Multiple GPU encoding issue case studies