M4V to MP4
Change M4V to MP4 in seconds, with compatible video untouched. Free, no sign-up, no watermark and no cap on how many files you convert.
- Free & unlimited
- No sign-up
- Files never uploaded
- No watermark
- Up to 2 GB per file
How to convert M4V to MP4
Nothing to install. An unprotected M4V usually needs only Fast Copy, the default mode.
- 1
Choose the .m4v file
Drag it onto the page or click to browse. Before anything runs, you see the file's size, duration and resolution.
- 2
Leave Fast Copy selected
M4V files almost always hold H.264 or HEVC video with AAC sound, which MP4 carries unchanged when the format is compatible. Pick Re-encode only if you need H.264 from an HEVC file or a smaller copy.
- 3
Download your MP4
It keeps the original name with .mp4 on the end. The result screen shows the before and after sizes and, after Fast Copy, how many audio tracks (AC3, for example) had to become AAC.
Why this M4V to MP4 converter takes only seconds
M4V is Apple's flavor of MP4, so the streams inside rarely need touching.
A rewrap, not a re-encode
Fast Copy moves the existing video and audio into a new MP4. Our 4-second test M4V came out 65 KB to 65 KB with identical streams, in about a second.
An MP4 inside as well as in name
Renaming changes only the name. Some Apple exports carry an M4V brand in the file header, while HandBrake's .m4v files are already plain MP4 inside. Either way, converting writes a fresh header with a standard MP4 brand.
Still plays on iPhone and Mac
HEVC video gets the hvc1 tag that QuickTime, iPhone and iPad look for, so moving to MP4 doesn't cost you playback on Apple devices.
Chapters and extra tracks survive
Chapter markers stay, every audio track stays and text subtitles remain switchable. An AC3 surround track becomes AAC 192 kbps so non-Apple players can decode it.
Renaming vs converting M4V, and the other tools
What each route really does to an M4V file. This converter can't open iTunes Store purchases or rentals.
| This converter | Renaming to .mp4 | HandBrake | Upload sites | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What happens to the video | Copied as is when compatible | Nothing, only the name changes | Re-encoded | Depends on the site |
| File header | New, standard MP4 brand | Unchanged, whatever it says | New MP4 | New MP4 |
| AC3 audio track | Turned into AAC | Left as AC3 | Your choice in settings | Depends on the site |
| Typical wait | Seconds | Instant | Minutes, set by your CPU | Upload, queue, download |
| Your file leaves the device | No | No | No | Yes |
| Install | None, runs in a tab | None | Desktop app | None |
| DRM-protected iTunes video | Not supported | Still protected | Not supported | Not supported |
| Cost | Free, no account | Free | Free, open source | Depends on the service |
Where M4V files come from, and where MP4 works better
Most M4V files people convert are their own encodes and exports, not store downloads.
HandBrake encodes
HandBrake's automatic file extension setting names an encode .m4v when it has chapter markers, AC3 audio or subtitles. Inside it is already MP4, so Fast Copy is all it needs.
iMovie and older Apple exports
Home movies shared from older iMovie versions or synced through iTunes often end in .m4v. Converting gives family members a file most players recognize.
Windows PCs
A common complaint on Microsoft's own forum: Windows tools that won't take .m4v as input. The same video converted to MP4 usually opens like any other clip.
Android phones and tablets
Players on Android don't always recognize the .m4v extension, while .mp4 is the format phones expect. Copy the converted file over and it sits with your other videos; if an older phone can't decode HEVC, choose Re-encode (H.264).
Upload forms that ask for .mp4
School portals, client file drops and course platforms often accept only .mp4. A converted file passes the check without a re-encode.
Is M4V the same as MP4? And what is an mv4 file?
Almost. M4V is a file format Apple derived from MP4: the same container, the same H.264 or HEVC video and the same AAC audio. What can differ is a brand label in the header (some Apple exports say M4V, while HandBrake's .m4v files are plain MP4 inside), and the extras Apple software likes to add, such as an AC3 surround track, chapters and subtitle tracks. Store purchases and rentals also carry FairPlay DRM, covered below.
Because the structure is shared, quality is identical: neither format is better, the encode inside decides. That is also why renaming .m4v to .mp4 often works for unprotected files.
There is no mv4 format. "mv4" is a common typo for m4v, so an mv4 to MP4 conversion is the same job, with the same file.
iTunes purchases and rentals with DRM can't be converted
Movies and TV episodes bought or rented from Apple, in the iTunes Store or the Apple TV app, are encrypted with Apple FairPlay. This converter can't read them, and the conversion fails. We don't offer workarounds.
To watch a purchase on another screen, use Apple's own apps: the Apple TV app runs on Windows and on many smart TVs and streaming boxes, and AirPlay sends it from an iPhone or Mac to a compatible TV.
Your own videos are not protected. HandBrake encodes, iMovie exports, camera clips and screen recordings convert normally, even when they ended up in your iTunes or Apple TV library.
Before you convert M4V to MP4
- Check where the file came from: an Apple purchase or rental is protected and won't convert, while your own encodes and exports will.
- Look at the size; files up to about 2 GB fit in browser memory.
- Keep Fast Copy for H.264 or HEVC video, which is nearly every M4V.
- Switch to Re-encode only when the target needs H.264 or a smaller file, and expect 1080p to take about as long as the video runs.
- Use a desktop browser such as Chrome; we haven't tested phone browsers.
- Leave the tab open until the MP4 has downloaded.
M4V to MP4 mistakes worth avoiding
Mistake: Loading a movie bought or rented on iTunes.
Do this instead: It is DRM-protected, and this converter can't read it. Watch it in the Apple TV app instead.
Mistake: Re-encoding an M4V that only needs a new wrapper.
Do this instead: With a compatible codec, Fast Copy keeps the picture exactly and takes seconds. Re-encode is slower and always loses a little detail.
Mistake: Renaming the file for a strict upload form or an older TV.
Do this instead: Renaming leaves the file as it was, including any M4V brand in the header and any AC3 track. Convert it so the MP4 is written fresh and AC3 becomes AAC in one pass.
Mistake: Feeding a long HandBrake encode above 2 GB to the browser.
Do this instead: The tab runs out of memory past about 2 GB. Use desktop FFmpeg for that file, or a lower quality setting in HandBrake to keep the next encode smaller.
Privacy, price and the limits we tested
Files stay on your computer
Your file is converted on your own device and is never uploaded to our servers. Only the converter program comes from the web; your M4V is read from disk by the browser tab.
Free, with unlimited conversions
No account, no watermark, no daily limit. You convert one file at a time rather than a queue.
About 2 GB per file
That is the memory ceiling for WebAssembly in a browser. A 1.6 GB test file converted; a 2.1 GB one stopped with an out-of-memory error.
Plain FFmpeg, loaded once
The engine is unmodified FFmpeg 5.1.4 compiled to WebAssembly, about 32 MB from jsDelivr on the first visit and cached after that.