diff --git a/internal/config/config.go b/internal/config/config.go
index cb53280..bb7498c 100644
--- a/internal/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/config/config.go
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ type LibraryConfig struct {
 	ScanPath     string `toml:"scan_path"`     // remembered from last scan
 	Workers      int    `toml:"workers"`       // concurrent ffprobe (default 8)
 	FFprobePath  string `toml:"ffprobe_path"`  // optional explicit path
+	FFmpegPath   string `toml:"ffmpeg_path"`   // optional explicit path (used by WebRTC streaming transcoder)
 	BackupDir    string `toml:"backup_dir"`    // for replaced files
 	AutoScan     bool   `toml:"auto_scan"`     // enable daily auto-scan in daemon (default true)
 	ScanInterval string `toml:"scan_interval"` // e.g. "24h", "12h", "6h" (default "24h")
diff --git a/internal/library/mediainfo/ffmpeg.go b/internal/library/mediainfo/ffmpeg.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..113e7c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/library/mediainfo/ffmpeg.go
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+package mediainfo
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"runtime"
+)
+
+// ResolveFFmpeg finds the ffmpeg binary. Search order mirrors ResolveFFprobe
+// so the same operator setup works for both:
+//  1. Explicit path (--ffmpeg flag / library.ffmpeg_path config)
+//  2. FFMPEG_PATH env var
+//  3. "ffmpeg" on PATH
+//  4. Adjacent to the current executable (release tarball bundles ffmpeg
+//     next to the unarr binary — this is the preferred install path)
+//  5. Previously downloaded in the unarr cache dir
+//  6. Auto-download static binary as last resort (~50MB, slow start)
+//
+// ffmpeg is required for the WebRTC streaming pipeline; ffprobe alone can't
+// transcode HEVC/MKV to browser-friendly H.264/MP4 fragments.
+func ResolveFFmpeg(explicit string) (string, error) {
+	if explicit != "" {
+		if _, err := os.Stat(explicit); err == nil {
+			return explicit, nil
+		}
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("ffmpeg not found at explicit path: %s", explicit)
+	}
+
+	if envPath := os.Getenv("FFMPEG_PATH"); envPath != "" {
+		if _, err := os.Stat(envPath); err == nil {
+			return envPath, nil
+		}
+	}
+
+	if p, err := exec.LookPath("ffmpeg"); err == nil {
+		return p, nil
+	}
+
+	if exePath, err := os.Executable(); err == nil {
+		name := "ffmpeg"
+		if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
+			name = "ffmpeg.exe"
+		}
+		adjacent := filepath.Join(filepath.Dir(exePath), name)
+		if _, err := os.Stat(adjacent); err == nil {
+			return adjacent, nil
+		}
+	}
+
+	if cached, err := FFmpegCachePath(); err == nil {
+		if _, err := os.Stat(cached); err == nil {
+			return cached, nil
+		}
+	}
+
+	if p, err := DownloadFFmpeg(); err == nil {
+		return p, nil
+	}
+
+	if isDocker() {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf(
+			"ffmpeg not found and auto-download failed (read-only filesystem?).\n" +
+				"Options:\n" +
+				"  • Use the official image: torrentclaw/unarr (includes ffmpeg)\n" +
+				"  • Set FFMPEG_PATH env var to point to a pre-installed ffmpeg binary\n" +
+				"  • Add to config.toml: [library]\\nffmpeg_path = \"/path/to/ffmpeg\"",
+		)
+	}
+	return "", fmt.Errorf(
+		"ffmpeg not found and auto-download failed.\n" +
+			"Options:\n" +
+			"  • Install ffmpeg: sudo apt install ffmpeg  (or brew install ffmpeg)\n" +
+			"  • Use the unarr release tarball — ffmpeg is bundled next to the binary\n" +
+			"  • Set FFMPEG_PATH env var to point to the ffmpeg binary\n" +
+			"  • Add to config.toml: [library]\\nffmpeg_path = \"/path/to/ffmpeg\"",
+	)
+}
diff --git a/internal/library/mediainfo/ffmpeg_download.go b/internal/library/mediainfo/ffmpeg_download.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6d4f81c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/library/mediainfo/ffmpeg_download.go
@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+package mediainfo
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"net/http"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"runtime"
+)
+
+const maxFFmpegZipSize = 200 * 1024 * 1024 // 200MB — ffmpeg static is ~70-100MB compressed
+
+// FFmpegCachePath returns the full path to the cached ffmpeg binary
+// (sibling of the cached ffprobe binary).
+func FFmpegCachePath() (string, error) {
+	dir, err := FFprobeCacheDir()
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	name := "ffmpeg"
+	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
+		name = "ffmpeg.exe"
+	}
+	return filepath.Join(dir, name), nil
+}
+
+// DownloadFFmpeg downloads a static ffmpeg binary for the current platform
+// and caches it locally. Returns the path to the binary. Reuses
+// resolveFFprobeURL's ffbinaries.com discovery endpoint — that index ships
+// both ffprobe and ffmpeg per platform.
+func DownloadFFmpeg() (string, error) {
+	dest, err := FFmpegCachePath()
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("cannot determine cache path: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	if _, err := os.Stat(dest); err == nil {
+		return dest, nil
+	}
+
+	platform, err := ffprobePlatformKey()
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	url, err := resolveFFmpegURL(platform)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "ffmpeg not found — downloading for %s (~70MB)...\n", platform)
+
+	resp, err := ffprobeDLClient.Get(url)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("download failed: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("download failed: HTTP %d", resp.StatusCode)
+	}
+
+	zipData, err := io.ReadAll(io.LimitReader(resp.Body, maxFFmpegZipSize))
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("download read failed: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	name := "ffmpeg"
+	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
+		name = "ffmpeg.exe"
+	}
+
+	binary, err := extractFromZip(zipData, name)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(dest), 0o755); err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("cannot create cache directory: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	if err := os.WriteFile(dest, binary, 0o755); err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("cannot write ffmpeg binary: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "ffmpeg installed to %s\n", dest)
+	return dest, nil
+}
+
+// resolveFFmpegURL fetches the ffbinaries index and returns the ffmpeg
+// download URL for the requested platform key (e.g. "linux-64").
+func resolveFFmpegURL(platform string) (string, error) {
+	resp, err := ffprobeAPIClient.Get(ffbinariesAPI)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("cannot reach ffbinaries.com: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+
+	var data ffbinariesResponse
+	if err := json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(&data); err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("cannot parse ffbinaries response: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	bins, ok := data.Bin[platform]
+	if !ok {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("no ffmpeg binary available for platform %q", platform)
+	}
+
+	url, ok := bins["ffmpeg"]
+	if !ok {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("no ffmpeg download URL for platform %q", platform)
+	}
+
+	return url, nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/library/mediainfo/ffmpeg_test.go b/internal/library/mediainfo/ffmpeg_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f2dd9af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/library/mediainfo/ffmpeg_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+package mediainfo
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"runtime"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// TestResolveFFmpeg_ExplicitOK verifies the explicit-path branch returns
+// the requested binary if it exists on disk.
+func TestResolveFFmpeg_ExplicitOK(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	fake := filepath.Join(dir, "ffmpeg")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(fake, []byte("#!/bin/sh\n"), 0o755); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write fake: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	got, err := ResolveFFmpeg(fake)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ResolveFFmpeg(explicit): %v", err)
+	}
+	if got != fake {
+		t.Fatalf("got %q want %q", got, fake)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestResolveFFmpeg_ExplicitMissing returns a clear error when the path
+// the operator supplied doesn't exist — we do NOT silently fall back.
+func TestResolveFFmpeg_ExplicitMissing(t *testing.T) {
+	_, err := ResolveFFmpeg("/nonexistent/path/ffmpeg-XXXXXX")
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected error for missing explicit path")
+	}
+}
+
+// TestResolveFFmpeg_EnvVar honours FFMPEG_PATH when no explicit path is given.
+func TestResolveFFmpeg_EnvVar(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	fake := filepath.Join(dir, "ffmpeg")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(fake, []byte("#!/bin/sh\n"), 0o755); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write fake: %v", err)
+	}
+	t.Setenv("FFMPEG_PATH", fake)
+	// Hide the real ffmpeg from PATH so the env var is the next branch hit.
+	t.Setenv("PATH", "/nonexistent")
+
+	got, err := ResolveFFmpeg("")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ResolveFFmpeg(env): %v", err)
+	}
+	if got != fake {
+		t.Fatalf("got %q want %q (env-var branch)", got, fake)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestFFmpegCachePath returns a sibling path to the ffprobe cache,
+// consistent with the install layout the tarball produces.
+func TestFFmpegCachePath(t *testing.T) {
+	got, err := FFmpegCachePath()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("FFmpegCachePath: %v", err)
+	}
+	want := "ffmpeg"
+	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
+		want = "ffmpeg.exe"
+	}
+	if filepath.Base(got) != want {
+		t.Fatalf("cache path basename = %q want %q", filepath.Base(got), want)
+	}
+	probeCache, err := FFprobeCachePath()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("FFprobeCachePath: %v", err)
+	}
+	if filepath.Dir(got) != filepath.Dir(probeCache) {
+		t.Fatalf("ffmpeg cache (%s) and ffprobe cache (%s) should share a directory", got, probeCache)
+	}
+}