In today’s article, we look at how to convert an MKV file to an MP4 file. MKVs are future proof. However, most video editing programs and video hosting platforms will not recognise the file.
In this article, we show you how to convert an MKV file to an MP4 file using VLC Media Player. There are other methods that you can find here, but VLC offers a unique way of converting them, and their video players are open source. Perfect for first time filmmakers and startups looking to save money.
Let’s dive into the article and find out what an MPV file is, what an MP4 file is and finally, how you can convert them in the VLC Media Player.
What is an MKV file?
An MKV file isn’t a set file type; it’s a multimedia container. For example, an MKV file can contain a multitude of file types, both video and audio. These include MP4, MP3, H.264, WMV and plenty more multimedia files.
It was created by Steve Lhomme (Founder) and Lasse Kärkkäinen (Lead Developer) in 2002. They created the container file format MKV, named after the Russian Nesting Dolls – “Matryoshka”.
Unfortunately, video editing platforms do not accept the MKV file format, meaning you need to convert these file types to something they can read. I.e. MP4 files. But, a simple scroll below solves this for you!
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What is an MP4 file?
An MP4 file is a file created back in 2001. These were created by the ISO/IEC and Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG).
MP4, also known as MPEG-4, is based on the QuickTime File .MOV.
MP4 is a digital multimedia format, a compressed media file. As the files are heavily compressed, it allows you to store video footage at a much smaller file size than other file types. The MP4 file types don’t impact the quality of footage either, so it’s perfect for importing into video editing programs like Adobe Premiere Pro and Sony Vegas.
MP4 is a web-friendly file format due to its compact nature reserving high-quality footage.
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How to convert an MKV file to an MP4 file
Right, here you go! Here’s how you can convert an MPV file to an MP4 in a matter of minutes using the VLC Media player.
Firstly install VLC Media Player to your Mac or PC.
When you open up the VLC Media Player (PC will look a little different to this), you’ll see the screen below:
Now drop your MKV file into the window, or you can open it by going to File > Convert/Stream.
Now you can drag your file into the ‘Convert/Stream’ window. You can also choose your settings here to import into a video editor; we suggest using the following settings when converting your MKV file: “H.264 + MP3 (MP4)”.
Once you’ve decided on your selection, simply click “Save as file”.
There you have it; your file is now saved as an MP4 and is ready to use! By the way, on Apple, you may see the file type as “m4v”, don’t worry. This is Apple’s way of saving an MP4 file.
We hope this article on “How to convert an MKV file to an MP4 File” was helpful. Let us know your thoughts down below in the comments.
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