MP4 MKV

Convert Your MP4 to MKV documents smoothly

Select your files

or drag and drop your files here

Free plan: 1 Conversions/hour · Go Unlimited →

Convert up to 1 GB files free, Pro users can convert up to 100 GB files; Sign up now

Uploading

0%

How to convert MP4 to MKV

Step 1: Transfer your MP4 files using the button above or by slide and deposit.

Step 2: Click the 'Convert' button to start the conversion.

Step 3: Retrieve your converted MKV files.


MP4 to MKV Conversion FAQ

How do I re-encode MP4 to MKV without losing video quality?
+
Upload your MP4 file and the converter runs a CRF-based re-encode targeting visually-lossless MKV output (CRF 18 by default, lower values = larger file / higher quality). The codec is chosen to match the MKV container — H.264 for broad-compat MP4, H.265 for size-efficient MKV, VP9 for WebM, AV1 for newer pipelines. Almost every MP4 in the wild is H.264 video with AAC audio; the container also legally holds HEVC, AV1 and VP9. MKV is codec-agnostic: H.264, HEVC, VP9 and AV1 video sit happily beside AAC, FLAC, Opus, DTS or Dolby audio in the same file.
Yes, and it is a real upgrade over MP4. MKV treats every audio stream as a first-class track, so an original-language mix, a dub and a director commentary can live in one file with the player switching between them on demand. MKV is the archival container of choice because it stores unlimited audio tracks, soft subtitles, chapter markers and cover art in one file.
It does. MKV stores chapters as container metadata, so a long recording can be navigated by section instead of by scrubbing a progress bar. MP4 has nowhere to put that information, so if the source shipped with a chapter list it was in a sidecar file — hand that to the converter and it gets written into the MKV.
Not directly. MP4 plays inline in every browser; MKV does not, so a page embedding it falls back to a download link or an empty player frame. If the file is destined for a website, keep the MP4 for the web and treat the MKV as the archive or editing copy. MKV has almost no native hardware support — phones, browsers and TVs usually need VLC or a remux before they will play it.
It may not. MP4 is decoded by dedicated silicon on phones, tablets and TVs, which is why it plays without flattening the battery. MKV typically falls back to software decoding on the same hardware — higher CPU load, a warmer device, and dropped frames on 4K material. For a device target, MP4 is the safer container to stay in.
Keep whichever matches where the file is going, because neither is better in the abstract. One of these two is built for playback compatibility and the other for holding everything a file might contain, and they trade against each other exactly along that line. The pragmatic answer for most libraries is to archive in the feature-rich container and export to the compatible one on demand. MP4 is the safest possible delivery target — every phone, browser, console, editor and Smart TV built in the last decade plays it without extra software.
It depends on the MKV container. MP4 defaults to H.264 for the broadest playback support across phones, browsers, and Smart TVs. MKV defaults to H.265 / HEVC for roughly half the file size at equivalent quality. WebM defaults to VP9. The advanced options expose explicit codec choice if you need to override. MKV is Matroska, an open container designed in 2002 with no licensing restrictions and no ceiling on what it can hold.
Yes. When MP4 and MKV share an audio codec (e.g. both carry AAC), audio is re-muxed with no re-encode — bit-identical. When the codecs differ, audio is transcoded to AAC / Opus / Vorbis depending on what the MKV container supports. Multi-track audio (commentary, alternate languages) is preserved.
By default yes — a 24fps MP4 stays 24fps in MKV; a 60fps MP4 stays 60fps. If you need to change rate (e.g. interlaced 29.97 → progressive 30, or 60 → 30 for upload limits), the framerate option handles 3:2 pulldown, deinterlacing, and frame-blending in the same encode pass.
Same-codec re-mux (MP4 H.264 → MKV H.264 just changing container): nearly identical size. Codec change can swing dramatically: H.264 → H.265 typically halves the file at the same visual quality; VP9 is roughly comparable; AV1 cuts another 20-30% but is slower to encode.
MP4 / H.264 plays natively on every modern device. MOV / H.264 plays on Apple devices and most TVs but not always on older Android. MKV needs VLC on iOS. WebM is browser-first. The advanced options include a "device compatibility" preset that picks the safest MKV codec / container for your target.
Same-codec re-mux is near-instant — 30 to 60 seconds for a 1-hour file. A full codec re-encode runs at roughly 0.3-0.7x source duration on our GPU pipeline, so a 1-hour MP4 → MKV finishes in 18-40 minutes depending on resolution and target codec.

MP4

MP4 container extension can hold video, audio, subtitles, and images in a single file with excellent compression.

MKV

MKV (Matroska) can hold unlimited video, audio, and subtitle tracks in a single file, ideal for movies.


Rate this feature
4.3/5 - 33 votes
Or deposit your files here