Free MP4 Converter
Convert any video to MP4 online, or convert MP4 to other formats. Supports MOV, MKV, AVI, WMV, WebM, FLV, GIF and 15+ more formats. Extract audio as MP3. No signup, no software to install.
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Supports M4A, WAV, FLAC, OGG, AAC, WMA, AIFF, OPUS • Max 100 MB
Convert to MP4
16 converters — video, animation, and legacy formats to MP4
Convert Apple QuickTime MOV videos to universally compatible MP4. Essential for sharing iPhone and Mac videos with non-Apple users.
VideoConvert Matroska MKV files to MP4 for universal playback. Preserves video quality with optional lossless remuxing.
LegacyConvert legacy AVI videos to modern MP4. Reduce file size by 50–80% while maintaining quality with H.264 encoding.
WindowsConvert Windows Media Video to MP4 for cross-platform compatibility. Play on Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, and web browsers.
WebConvert Google WebM videos to MP4 for broader device support. WebM works in browsers but MP4 plays everywhere.
AnimationConvert animated GIFs to MP4 video. Reduce file size by 90%+ with better quality and smoother playback.
Convert from MP4
Convert MP4 files to other video and audio formats
Video Formats
Convert MP4 to Apple QuickTime MOV for Final Cut Pro, iMovie, and other Apple video editing workflows.
WebConvert to open-source WebM format for royalty-free web video. VP9 offers 30–50% smaller files than H.264.
AnimationCreate animated GIFs from video clips. Perfect for memes, reactions, tutorials, and social media posts.
Audio Extraction
Extract audio from video as MP3. Save music, podcasts, lectures, and interviews as portable audio files.
LosslessExtract uncompressed audio from video for editing, sampling, or audio production workflows.
OpenExtract audio as OGG Vorbis format. Open-source and royalty-free, great for game audio and Linux apps.
Which Converter Do I Need?
Not sure which tool fits your use case? Here is a quick guide based on what you are starting with:
| I have… | Use | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone / Mac videos | MOV to MP4 | Apple devices record in MOV format. Convert to MP4 for sharing on Windows, Android, and web platforms. |
| Downloaded movies / TV | MKV to MP4 | MKV files from media servers or rips. MP4 plays on smart TVs, Chromecast, and mobile devices without extra software. |
| Old AVI files | AVI to MP4 | Legacy AVI recordings from older cameras and software. MP4 is 50–80% smaller with modern H.264 compression. |
| Windows Media files | WMV to MP4 | WMV files from Windows Movie Maker or screen recorders. Convert for Mac, mobile, and cross-platform use. |
| Animated GIFs | GIF to MP4 | Large animated GIFs slowing down your site. MP4 is 90% smaller with smoother playback and autoplay support. |
| Web videos (WebM) | WebM to MP4 | WebM videos downloaded from web pages. Convert to MP4 for editing, sharing, or playback on all devices. |
| DVD / Camcorder files | VOB to MP4 | VOB files from DVD rips or MTS from camcorders. Modernize legacy footage for easy playback and storage. |
| Video → audio only | MP4 to MP3 | Extract music, podcasts, lectures, or interviews from video. Keep the audio, discard the video track. |
MP4 Encoding Guide
MP4 is a container format that holds video encoded with different codecs. The codec you choose determines the trade-off between quality, file size, compatibility, and encoding speed:
H.264 vs H.265 vs AV1
| Codec | File Size | Quality | Speed | Support | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H.264 | Baseline | Excellent | Fast | Universal | Maximum compatibility. Plays on every device, browser, and platform worldwide. |
| H.265 / HEVC | 30–50% smaller | Excellent | Slower | Good | Smaller files. Supported by iPhones, modern Android, VLC. Limited browser support. |
| AV1 | 40–50% smaller | Best | Very slow | Growing | Future-proof. Royalty-free. Chrome, Firefox, YouTube support. Still slow to encode. |
| VP9 | 30–50% smaller | Excellent | Slow | Web-focused | WebM container. YouTube default. Good browser support but limited on hardware decoders. |
Recommendation: Use H.264 when you need files to play everywhere. Use H.265 when file size matters and you control the playback environment (local storage, iOS, VLC). For web developers, consider VP9 (WebM) or AV1 for future-proofing.
Bitrate by Resolution
The table below shows recommended bitrates for H.264 and H.265 at common video resolutions. Higher bitrates mean better quality but larger files:
| Resolution | Pixels | H.264 Bitrate | H.265 Bitrate | 1 min File Size | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 480p | 854×480 | 1–2.5 Mbps | 0.5–1.5 Mbps | 8–19 MB | Mobile data, low bandwidth, small screens |
| 720p | 1280×720 | 2.5–5 Mbps | 1.5–3 Mbps | 19–38 MB | General web, social media, presentations |
| 1080p | 1920×1080 | 5–10 Mbps | 3–6 Mbps | 38–75 MB | Standard HD. Most common for sharing and streaming. |
| 1440p / 2K | 2560×1440 | 10–20 Mbps | 6–12 Mbps | 75–150 MB | Gaming, high-end screencasts, YouTube |
| 4K / UHD | 3840×2160 | 20–40 Mbps | 12–24 Mbps | 150–300 MB | Professional, archival, large-screen playback |
File Size Explorer
MP4 vs Other Video Formats
How does MP4 compare to other popular video formats? Here is a side-by-side comparison:
| Format | Container | Typical Codecs | Streaming | Subtitles | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MP4 | MPEG-4 Part 14 | H.264, H.265, AAC | Yes | Limited | Universal playback, streaming, social media. Plays on every device and browser. |
| MKV | Matroska | Any codec | Limited | Multiple | Media archival, multiple audio/subtitle tracks. Best for movies with multi-language support. |
| MOV | QuickTime | H.264, H.265, ProRes | Yes | Limited | Apple ecosystem. Default for iPhone, Final Cut Pro, iMovie. ProRes for professional editing. |
| AVI | AVI | DivX, Xvid, MJPEG | No | No | Legacy format. Large files, poor streaming support. Mostly obsolete. |
| WMV | ASF | WMV7/8/9, VC-1 | Yes | No | Legacy Windows format. Windows Media Player only. Not supported on Mac/Linux natively. |
| FLV | Flash Video | Sorenson, VP6, H.264 | Yes | No | Dead format. Was used for web video before HTML5. Flash Player discontinued in 2020. |
| WebM | WebM (Matroska) | VP8, VP9, AV1 | Yes | Limited | Web-optimized, royalty-free. Used by YouTube. Good browser support, limited on hardware players. |
| GIF | GIF87a/89a | LZW (256 colors) | N/A | No | Simple animations, memes, reactions. Limited to 256 colors. MP4 is 90%+ smaller for the same content. |
Bottom line: MP4 is the universal video format. Every device, browser, platform, and social media site supports it. Use MKV for archiving with multiple audio/subtitle tracks. Use WebM for royalty-free web video. Use MOV only when editing on Apple software.
What Is MP4?
MP4 (MPEG-4 Part 14) is the most widely used video container format in the world. Developed by the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) and ratified as an ISO standard, MP4 is used across smartphones, cameras, streaming platforms, social media, and the web.
As a container format, MP4 does not define the compression method — it holds video, audio, subtitles, and metadata encoded with various codecs. The container manages synchronization, chapter markers, and streaming metadata (moov atom).
Key technical facts:
- Standard: ISO/IEC 14496-14 (MPEG-4 Part 14)
- File extensions:
.mp4,.m4v(video),.m4a(audio-only) - Video codecs: H.264 (AVC), H.265 (HEVC), AV1, MPEG-4 ASP
- Audio codecs: AAC, MP3, AC-3, FLAC, Opus
- Subtitles: Timed text (MPEG-4 Part 17), limited compared to MKV
- Streaming: Supports progressive download and adaptive streaming (DASH, HLS)
- Metadata: Title, artist, album, cover art, chapter markers, GPS data
- Based on: Apple QuickTime container format (ISO Base Media File Format)
MP4 with H.264 video and AAC audio is the de facto standard for digital video distribution. It is the default output format of virtually every smartphone camera, supported by every web browser, and accepted by every social media and streaming platform in existence.
How It Works
Converting videos to or from MP4 with Convertio takes three simple steps:
- Upload your video — drag and drop or click to browse. We accept video files (MOV, MKV, AVI, WMV, WebM, FLV, GIF, MPG, 3GP, M4V, TS, MTS, VOB, SWF, HEVC) up to 100 MB.
- Choose output settings — select your target format. For conversion to MP4, the default H.264 codec with auto-detected settings works great for most use cases. Optionally adjust resolution and quality.
- Download your file — conversion takes seconds to minutes depending on file size and complexity. Your file is ready to download immediately. Files are auto-deleted from our servers within 2 hours.
Common Use Cases
Social Media
Convert videos to MP4 for Instagram, TikTok, Twitter/X, and YouTube. MP4 H.264 is the accepted format for all major platforms.
Device Compatibility
Make videos play on any device. Convert MKV, MOV, or WMV to MP4 for TVs, phones, tablets, and game consoles.
Video Editing
Convert to MP4 H.264 for timeline-friendly editing in Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, and other editors.
Streaming & Web
Prepare videos for web embedding and streaming. MP4 with moov atom at start enables instant playback.
Audio Extraction
Extract audio tracks from video files as MP3, WAV, or OGG. Save music, lectures, and podcasts without the video.
File Size Reduction
Shrink large video files with modern codecs. H.265 saves 30–50% vs H.264. Perfect for email, cloud storage, and archiving.
Platform Compatibility
MP4 (with H.264 video) is the most universally supported video format:
| Platform | Support | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Native | Built-in support since Windows 7. Movies & TV, Windows Media Player, and all video apps. |
| macOS | Native | Full support in QuickTime, Preview, and all Mac applications. H.265 supported on macOS High Sierra+. |
| Linux | Native | Supported via FFmpeg, VLC, MPV. Most desktop environments include MP4 playback out of the box. |
| iOS / iPhone | Native | Camera records MP4 (H.264/H.265). All apps accept MP4. Hardware decode for instant playback. |
| Android | Native | Default camera format. Hardware-accelerated H.264 decode since Android 3.0. H.265 since Android 5.0. |
| Web browsers | Native | Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge all play MP4 H.264 via <video> element. No plugins needed. |
| Social media | Universal | Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter/X, Facebook — all accept and recommend MP4 H.264 uploads. |
| Smart TVs | Universal | Every smart TV, Chromecast, Roku, Apple TV, and Fire TV supports MP4 H.264 playback. |
MP4 Conversion Guides
In-depth articles on MP4 conversion, codecs, quality settings, and video processing
MOV to MP4 — 12 guides
Step-by-step MOV to MP4 conversion for every platform: online, Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android. Free methods explained.
MOV vs MP4 compared: compatibility, quality, file size, editing, and when to convert. Both are MPEG-4 containers.
Why iPhone MOV files don't play everywhere and when you need MP4. Remuxing vs re-encoding explained.
MOV not playing on Windows? Install VLC, add HEVC codec, or convert to MP4. Fix the iPhone video problem.
MKV to MP4 — 10 guides
MKV vs MP4 compared: codec support, subtitle tracks, device compatibility, and when to use each container format.
H.264 vs H.265 codec comparison: quality, file size, encoding speed, hardware support, and compatibility.
Convert MKV to MP4 losslessly via remuxing or with minimal quality loss. CRF settings and codec compatibility explained.
Understand the difference between video containers (MKV, MP4, AVI) and codecs (H.264, H.265, VP9). Essential knowledge for video conversion.
AVI to MP4 — 2 guides
MP4 to GIF — 11 guides
Convert MP4, MOV, WebM to GIF online free. Five methods: online converter, FFmpeg, Photoshop, mobile apps, screen recording.
GIF vs MP4 compared: file size, quality, browser support, email, Core Web Vitals. When to use each format.
Master GIF settings: FPS, resolution, color palette, dithering. Create high-quality GIFs with optimal file sizes.
Shrink GIF files by 50-90%. Resolution, FPS, colors, dithering, and when to switch to MP4 or WebP.
MP4 to WebM — 5 guides
WebM format explained: VP8, VP9, AV1 codecs, Opus audio, browser support, advantages, and limitations.
WebM vs MP4 compared: VP9 vs H.264, file size, quality, browser support, licensing. When to use each format.
VP9 vs H.264 codec comparison: 30-50% smaller files, encoding speed, CRF equivalence, and hardware support.
WebM delivers 30-50% smaller video for websites. HTML5 fallback pattern, Core Web Vitals impact, VP9 settings.