Step 1: Provide your MKV files using the button above or by toss and let go.
Step 2: Click the 'Convert' button to start the conversion.
Step 3: Fetch your converted M4V files.
MKV to M4V Conversion FAQ
How do I convert MKV to M4V without re-encoding the video stream?
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There is no stream-copy switch on this page. A few pairs copy a compatible video stream into the M4V container without re-encoding it, MKV to MP4 among them, which is quick and loses no quality. Most pairs re-encode the video. 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. Structurally an M4V is an MP4 — H.264 or HEVC with AAC — with optional Apple FairPlay DRM and iTunes chapter metadata.
Both MKV and M4V are modern containers — which should I actually keep?
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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. MKV is the archival container of choice because it stores unlimited audio tracks, soft subtitles, chapter markers and cover art in one file. M4V keeps chapter markers, artwork and subtitle tracks in the shape the Apple TV app expects, which plain MP4 often loses.
Will multi-track audio survive MKV to M4V conversion?
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Usually not. Most conversions keep one audio track, the one with the most channels (normally the main mix), re-encoded for the M4V container, so commentary and alternate-language tracks are dropped. AVI, WMV, MPEG, FLV, VOB and M4V to MKV keep every track, and so does MP4 to MOV. To keep a different track, remux the MKV with that track first (VLC or ffmpeg can do this), then convert it. M4V is Apple’s variant of MP4, used by iTunes and the Apple TV app for films and TV episodes.
Are subtitle tracks preserved when converting MKV to M4V?
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On some pairs. MP4 to MOV keeps every text subtitle track. AVI, WMV, MPEG, FLV, VOB and M4V to MKV keep every subtitle track: text subtitles are copied or converted to SRT, and picture-based subtitles such as DVD or Blu-ray ones are copied as they are. MP4, MOV and WebM to MKV keep only the first subtitle track (as ASS), and MP4 to WebM keeps the first one as WebVTT. Other pairs, including MKV to MP4 or MOV and WebM to MP4, drop subtitle tracks, and the converter does not burn them into the picture. Subtitles that are already burned in stay, because they are part of the video frames.
What about MKV attachments (fonts, cover art) when going MKV to M4V?
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MKV is the only mainstream container that stores arbitrary attached files (TTF fonts for ASS subs, JPG cover art, fan-translated PDF inserts). Going from MKV to M4V drops these attachments when M4V is not MKV — the elementary streams convert, but the attached payload stays in the source. Keep MKV as a backup if you depend on attached fonts.
Which codec does the M4V output use by default?
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It depends on the M4V container. MP4, MOV and MKV output use H.264, which plays on practically every phone, browser and TV. WebM output uses VP9. AVI, WMV and MPEG output use the older codecs those formats were designed for. DRM-protected M4V purchases cannot be converted by anything; only unprotected M4V files are convertible, and non-Apple players often need the extension renamed.
How does HDR (HDR10, Dolby Vision) survive MKV to M4V?
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There is no HDR processing or tone mapping. When the video stream is copied (MKV to MP4 or MOV with the default settings), HDR10 passes through as it is. When the video is re-encoded, the HDR10 mastering metadata is dropped and Dolby Vision or HDR10+ data is not kept, and with a Quality, Resolution or Frame Rate setting some pairs also reduce the video to 8-bit colour, so an HDR MKV can look washed out in the M4V.
Why is my M4V file smaller / larger than the MKV after conversion?
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It depends on what happens to the video. MKV to MP4 or MOV with the default settings copies the video stream unchanged, so the size stays close to the source. Most other pairs re-encode it: a high-bitrate MKV usually comes out smaller, while an already heavily compressed one can grow. Smaller File under Quality gives the smallest output, and H.265 in the Codec setting (MP4, MOV and MKV) is usually smaller than H.264 at similar quality but plays on fewer devices.
Does the MKV to M4V converter handle 4K / 8K / 60fps content?
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The converter has no resolution cap of its own; the limit is the upload size allowed on your plan, and 4K, 8K and 60 fps files keep their resolution and frame rate unless you change them. MKV to MP4 or MOV with the default settings copies the video stream, which is quick at any resolution. Other pairs re-encode on CPU and the time grows with the pixel count, so a long 4K or 8K file takes much longer than the same length in 1080p.
Is my MKV file private during M4V conversion?
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Yes. Uploaded MKV files are processed on our own conversion servers, no person reviews them, and they are never shared. The upload and the converted M4V are both deleted automatically about 24 hours after the conversion, which leaves time to download the result. See /privacy/ for the full policy.
