You have a video that will not play where you need it. Maybe it is a MOV from a phone, an MKV from a download or an old AVI from a hard drive. This MP4 converter turns it into an MP4, the format almost every device and upload form accepts, or into WebM, MOV or MKV when you need one of those instead.
Only need the sound? This tool makes video files, not MP3s. Use MP4 to MP3 for an MP3, or Extract audio to save the sound as WAV or AAC.
It is a free video format converter that runs inside your browser, so the clip never leaves your computer.
How to convert a video to MP4
The MP4 converter above has one job: take the video you give it and write a new file in the format you choose. You do not need an account, and the result has no watermark.
- Drop a video or audio file onto the tool, or several files at once.
- Under "Convert to", MP4 is already chosen. Pick WebM, MOV or MKV instead if you need one of those.
- Choose the Quality: Smaller, Balanced or Best. Each one shows an estimated size.
- Leave "Keep the sound" switched on, or switch it off for a silent video. If all you want is to remove audio from video, Mute video does just that.
- Press Convert. Save each result, or download them all together as a zip.
The result is named after your original file with the new extension. If you convert to the format the file already has, the tool adds "_converted" to the name so it does not clash with the original.
Why some files take longer
Common files such as MP4, MOV and WebM convert quickly, with no size limit. Some files, such as MPG files and some AVI or WMV, take longer and can be up to 2 GB.
You do not have to choose anything. A note beside the button tells you which applies before you start: "Fast, on this device. Nothing uploaded" or "Slower for this file, on this device".
Which format should you convert to?
A video file is a container (the box) holding a picture track and a sound track. Changing the format means choosing a different box, and sometimes a different way of squeezing the picture. The four choices in the tool suit different jobs.
| Format | What the tool says | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| MP4 | H.264. Plays everywhere | Sharing, uploading, phones, TVs and most editors |
| WebM | VP9. Smaller, for the web | Websites and browsers, where small files matter |
| MOV | QuickTime, for Apple apps | Mac and iPhone workflows and Apple editing apps |
| MKV | Matroska, keeps every track | Archiving, and files with several sound or subtitle tracks |
If you are unsure, pick MP4. Turning a video to MP4 gives you a file that plays on almost any device, and it is what most upload forms ask for. The sound is saved as AAC.
Pick WebM when the file is going on a web page and you want it light. The picture is encoded as VP9 where your browser can do that, and as VP8 where it cannot, with Opus sound. Convert video to MOV for Apple apps, and pick MKV when you want to keep every track from the source.
Need one specific pair?
These pages open the tool with the target format already chosen, and each explains the quirks of its own pair: MOV to MP4, MKV to MP4, WebM to MP4, AVI to MP4, WMV to MP4, MP4 to WebM, MP4 to MOV and MP4 to MKV.
Quality, file size and speed
The Quality control has three settings. Smaller makes the lightest file, Balanced is the sensible middle, and Best keeps the most detail at the cost of size. Under each name the tool shows an estimate such as "≈ 12 MB", so you can see the trade before you press the button.
| Setting | What it means | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Smaller | Lightest file, some detail given up | Email, chat and quick sharing |
| Balanced | Close to the original to the eye | Most conversions |
| Best | Most detail kept, larger file | Footage you will edit again or keep |
Sometimes the quality setting does nothing, and that is good news. When the video inside can simply be rewrapped in the new container, the tool copies it as it is. You will see the message "This video is copied as it is into the new format, so the quality does not change it." Nothing is re-encoded, so there is no quality loss and the job is quick.
Converting to WebM is different. It always re-encodes the picture, so the quality setting always matters there. If the result is still too big, try the Compress video tool, which is built to hit a smaller size.
Privacy, limits and browser support
Your video is never uploaded. The server does no video work at all: the conversion happens on your own computer, using your own processor. That makes it a good fit for private footage, work files and anything you would rather not hand to a third party. You can read more on the privacy page.
- You can convert video online free, with no account and no watermark.
- Video tools are not part of the free daily limit, which covers document conversions only.
- Most videos have no size limit. Files that take longer can be up to 2 GB.
- Works in current Chrome, Edge and Firefox.
Conversion uses your computer's processor, so a long clip takes longer than a short one, and a file that is handled more slowly, such as an MPG, takes longer again. Keep the tab open while it runs.
MPG, M4V, TS and FLV files, and other snags
The file picker also takes .mpg, .m4v, .ts and .flv files, and 3GP. We converted a short test clip of each kind to MP4 in Chrome in October 2026, and every result played with its picture and sound.
- MPG to MP4 takes longer and accepts files up to 2 GB. The picture is re-encoded, so Quality sets the size.
- M4V to MP4 is the quickest. An M4V is an MP4 file with Apple's extension, so the video is copied as it is.
- TS to MP4 copies the video as it is when the TS file holds H.264. A TS whose picture is MPEG-2, as many TV recordings are, is not read at the moment.
- FLV to MP4 is slower for older Flash Video files. A newer FLV with H.264 inside is copied as it is.
Other snags have quick fixes:
- The file will not open in the tool: formats your browser cannot read are handled more slowly, and those take files up to 2 GB.
- The conversion is slow: check the note beside the button. If it says "Slower for this file", that is expected for the file type.
- The result has no sound: make sure "Keep the sound" is switched on before you press Convert.
- The file is too large: choose Smaller, or shrink it with the Discord video compressor for chat, or compress video for email to attach it.
- The clip is too long: cut it first with the trim video tool, then convert only the part you need.
Convert your video now
To use the MP4 converter, drop the file into the tool above, keep MP4 or pick WebM, MOV or MKV, choose a Quality and press Convert. It is free, private and works in current Chrome, Edge and Firefox.
You can change video format as often as you like: each conversion writes a new file and leaves your original as it was. If you need a smaller file, a shorter clip or a GIF instead, the video tools page has a tool for each.
