Step 1: Transfer your M4V 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 MP4 files.
M4V to MP4 Conversion FAQ
How do I re-encode M4V to MP4 without losing video quality?
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Upload your M4V file and set Quality to High Quality in the conversion options. That re-encodes the video at the highest quality setting (CRF 18 for H.264 and VP9 output), which keeps the most detail at the cost of a larger file. The default, Balanced, uses the standard setting. The MP4 output gets a codec its container supports: H.264 for MP4, MOV and MKV, VP9 for WebM. Structurally an M4V is an MP4 — H.264 or HEVC with AAC — with optional Apple FairPlay DRM and iTunes chapter metadata. Almost every MP4 in the wild is H.264 video with AAC audio; the container also legally holds HEVC, AV1 and VP9.
Can M4V be converted to MP4 without re-encoding the video?
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No, not on this page. M4V and MP4 share the same underlying structure, but the converter re-encodes the video for this pair rather than copying the stream, so it takes longer than a container change and the picture is compressed again. Choose High Quality under Quality to keep the most detail. M4V is Apple’s variant of MP4, used by iTunes and the Apple TV app for films and TV episodes. MP4 is ISO/IEC 14496-14, standardised in 2001 and derived from the same QuickTime box layout MOV uses.
My M4V has several audio tracks — do they all survive into the MP4?
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No. The converter keeps one audio track, the one with the most channels (normally the main mix), and drops the rest; there is no setting to pick a different one. To keep another track, remux the M4V with that track first (VLC or ffmpeg can do this), then convert it. M4V keeps chapter markers, artwork and subtitle tracks in the shape the Apple TV app expects, which plain MP4 often loses. MP4 only supports one widely-honoured subtitle format (mov_text), and multi-track audio is unreliable outside desktop players.
Why does my M4V file fail to convert to MP4?
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Almost always DRM. Some M4V files are encrypted at the bitstream level by the store or software that issued them, and an encrypted stream cannot be decoded by us or by anything else without the licence key. Files you recorded, exported or downloaded unprotected convert normally; a licensed purchase will not, and no converter can honestly promise otherwise. DRM-protected M4V purchases cannot be converted by anything; only unprotected M4V files are convertible, and non-Apple players often need the extension renamed.
Will the MP4 play in a browser when the M4V would not?
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Yes, and that is usually the whole reason for the conversion. An M4V embedded in a web page either shows a broken player or forces a download, because browsers ship no decoder for it. MP4 plays inline through the native HTML5 video element with no plugin and no external application. 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.
Which video codec does the MP4 output use?
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It depends on the MP4 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.
Will my audio track survive M4V to MP4 conversion?
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Yes, the main audio track comes through, re-encoded to a codec the MP4 container plays, for example AAC in MP4 and MOV or Opus in WebM. Most conversions keep only that one track (the one with the most channels), so alternate languages and commentary are dropped. MP4 to MOV, and AVI, WMV, MPEG, FLV, VOB or M4V to MKV, keep every audio track.
Can I keep the original framerate when converting M4V to MP4?
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Yes. The frame rate is kept unless you change it: a 24 fps M4V stays 24 fps in the MP4. The Frame Rate setting can also convert to 60, 30 or 24 fps. It changes the rate only; it does not deinterlace the video or remove 3:2 pulldown.
How much will the file size change going from M4V to MP4?
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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 M4V 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.
Will the MP4 file play on iPhone, Android, and Smart TVs?
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MP4 with H.264 plays on practically every phone, browser and TV. MOV with H.264 plays on Apple devices and most TVs but not on every older Android phone. MKV needs an app such as VLC on iOS, and WebM is at home in browsers. There is no device preset on this page, so choose the target format your device supports.
How long does converting a 1-hour M4V video to MP4 take?
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There is no fixed time: it depends on the length, the resolution and the target format. Conversions run on our servers' CPUs with software encoders; there is no GPU acceleration. MKV to MP4 or MOV with the default settings copies the video stream and is the quickest. A re-encode to H.264 takes longer, and WebM (VP9) is the slowest target, several times slower than H.264 in our tests.
What is the maximum resolution supported for M4V to MP4?
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The converter has no resolution cap of its own; the limit is the upload size allowed on your plan, and the resolution stays as it is unless you choose 1080p, 720p or 480p. 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 untouched. A re-encode drops the HDR10 mastering metadata, and with a Quality, Resolution or Frame Rate setting some pairs also reduce the video to 8-bit colour, so an HDR M4V can look washed out.
