diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index ace6996..785e119 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -11,3 +11,7 @@ S3_FORCE_PATH_STYLE=true
 
 # Application Title
 APP_TITLE=S3 Media Transcoder
+
+# Optional: override bundled ffmpeg / ffprobe binaries
+# FFMPEG_PATH=
+# FFPROBE_PATH=
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6eb973c..2acacf0 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -2,9 +2,10 @@
 
 To properly test and run this project, you will need to prepare your environment:
 
-1. **Install Node.js & FFmpeg**:
+1. **Install Node.js**:
    - Ensure Node.js (v18+) is installed.
-   - Install **FFmpeg** on your system and make sure it is available in your PATH environment variable. The Node.js library `fluent-ffmpeg` requires it.
+   - The project uses npm-provided `ffmpeg-static` and `ffprobe-static` binaries by default, so you do not need to install FFmpeg globally.
+   - If you want to override the bundled binaries, set `FFMPEG_PATH` and `FFPROBE_PATH` in your environment.
 
 2. **AWS S3 / MinIO Configuration**:
    - Modify the `.env` file (copy from `.env.example`).
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 9cd8f23..4607bca 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
     "@aws-sdk/s3-request-presigner": "^3.540.0",
     "cors": "^2.8.5",
     "dotenv": "^16.4.5",
+    "ffprobe-static": "^3.1.0",
     "express": "^4.19.2",
     "ffmpeg-static": "^5.2.0",
     "fluent-ffmpeg": "^2.1.3",
diff --git a/server.js b/server.js
index 939f24c..a5608ff 100644
--- a/server.js
+++ b/server.js
@@ -7,12 +7,20 @@ const http = require('http');
 const WebSocket = require('ws');
 const ffmpeg = require('fluent-ffmpeg');
 const ffmpegStatic = require('ffmpeg-static');
+const ffprobeStatic = require('ffprobe-static');
 const { S3Client, ListBucketsCommand, ListObjectsV2Command, GetObjectCommand } = require('@aws-sdk/client-s3');
 
 dotenv.config();
 
-if (ffmpegStatic) {
-    ffmpeg.setFfmpegPath(ffmpegStatic);
+const configuredFfmpegPath = process.env.FFMPEG_PATH || ffmpegStatic;
+const configuredFfprobePath = process.env.FFPROBE_PATH || ffprobeStatic.path;
+
+if (configuredFfmpegPath) {
+    ffmpeg.setFfmpegPath(configuredFfmpegPath);
+}
+
+if (configuredFfprobePath) {
+    ffmpeg.setFfprobePath(configuredFfprobePath);
 }
 
 const app = express();