MTS to MP4
Convert MTS to MP4 from Sony, Panasonic or Canon camcorders. The H.264 picture is usually kept as is and AC3 sound becomes AAC. Free, no sign-up, no upload.
- Free & unlimited
- No sign-up
- Files never uploaded
- No watermark
- Up to 2 GB per file
How to convert MTS to MP4 in three steps
The converter runs in this tab, so step one is picking a file, not waiting for an upload.
- 1
Pick the MTS file
Choose a .mts, .m2ts, .m2t or .ts clip. Its size, duration and resolution appear right away, so you can see it is the clip you meant.
- 2
Choose Fast Copy or Re-encode
Fast Copy, the default, rewraps the camcorder video into MP4. Re-encode makes new H.264 at High, Medium or Small file quality and can scale down to 1080p, 720p or 480p.
- 3
Convert and save the MP4
The file keeps its name with .mp4 at the end. The result screen shows the original and converted size, and says if the video had to be re-encoded and how many audio tracks were converted.
Why this MTS to MP4 converter suits camcorder footage
The H.264 picture stays untouched
AVCHD camcorders already record 8-bit H.264, a codec MP4 carries. When the stream is compatible, Fast Copy moves those video frames into the new file as they are, so there is no quality loss and it takes seconds.
AC3 sound becomes AAC on its own
Camcorders usually record Dolby Digital (AC3), which web browsers and many apps can't play. Even in Fast Copy it is converted to AAC at 192 kbps, and every audio track is kept.
Deinterlacing when you want it
Re-encode removes the comb lines of 1080i footage automatically. In our test an 8-second 1080i clip with AC3 audio was deinterlaced in about 5 seconds.
An MP4 that is ready for the web
The index sits at the start of the file (faststart), so a browser or video site can begin playing before the whole file has loaded.
Fast Copy, re-encoding, renaming or uploading?
Four ways people try to turn a camcorder clip into an MP4, and what each one does to the file.
| Fast Copy here | Re-encode here | Renaming .mts to .mp4 | Upload converter sites | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H.264 picture | Untouched when compatible | New H.264, CRF 18, 23 or 28 | Untouched | Depends on the site's settings |
| AC3 audio | Becomes AAC 192 kbps | Becomes AAC 192 kbps | Stays AC3 | Depends on the site's settings |
| 1080i interlacing | Kept, the player deinterlaces | Removed | Kept | Rarely stated |
| Container | Real MP4, faststart | Real MP4, faststart | Still a transport stream | MP4 |
| Time | Seconds | About real time at 1080p | Instant | Upload, queue, then download |
| Where the clip goes | Stays on your device | Stays on your device | Stays on your device | Their servers, kept as long as the service decides |
| Size cap | About 2 GB per file | About 2 GB per file | None | Depends on the service |
When camcorder owners convert MTS to MP4
Archiving old family tapes and cards
Keep the original picture with Fast Copy and store a single MP4 per clip instead of a folder of AVCHD files that only some apps understand.
Editing in apps that reject MTS
If an editor imports the clip without sound or not at all, the AC3 audio is the usual cause. The MP4 carries AAC instead.
Playing on a TV, tablet or phone
H.264 with AAC in an MP4 is the combination most devices play. Use Re-encode if the 1080i comb lines bother you on a computer screen.
Sending a clip to relatives
Re-encode with Small file quality at 720p gives a smaller file for email or chat apps. Compare the two sizes on the result screen before you send it.
1080i camcorder video: keep it interlaced or not?
Many AVCHD camcorders record 1080i: each frame is stored as two half-pictures taken a moment apart. TVs and most players combine them on playback. Some editors and computer players show both at once, which looks like thin comb lines on anything that moves.
When the H.264 video can be copied, as camcorder video usually can, Fast Copy keeps it exactly as recorded, interlacing included. That is the right choice for an archive, because nothing is thrown away. Re-encode turns it into progressive video, which is better for editing, for web players and for watching on a laptop. Newer camcorders that record 1080p (AVCHD Progressive) have no interlacing, so Fast Copy is all they need.
Before you convert MTS files from the memory card
- Copy the card to your computer first; the clips sit in PRIVATE/AVCHD/BDMV/STREAM.
- On a Mac the AVCHD folder shows as one item: right-click it and choose Show Package Contents to reach the MTS files.
- Long recordings are split into numbered files such as 00000.MTS and 00001.MTS; convert each part.
- Check the size shown after picking a file; about 2 GB per file is the practical limit in a browser.
- Use a desktop browser; we tested in Chrome on a laptop and have not tested phones.
- Expect a one-time download of about 32 MB the first time the converter starts; later visits load it from cache.
MTS to MP4 conversion mistakes to avoid
Mistake: Renaming the .mts file to .mp4.
Do this instead: The inside is still a transport stream with AC3 sound, so many apps still refuse it. Fast Copy makes a real MP4 in about the same effort.
Mistake: Picking the .CPI or .MPL files from the card.
Do this instead: Those in CLIPINF and PLAYLIST only describe the clips. The video is in the .MTS files in the STREAM folder.
Mistake: Expecting Fast Copy to remove comb lines.
Do this instead: For compatible AVCHD video, Fast Copy keeps the picture as recorded, interlacing included. Choose Re-encode to deinterlace 1080i.
Mistake: Re-encoding every clip just to be safe.
Do this instead: Re-encoding 1080p runs at about real time, so a long recording can take as long as the footage itself. Fast Copy is enough unless you need deinterlacing or a smaller file.
Mistake: Wiping the card as soon as the MP4 appears.
Do this instead: Watch the MP4 through first and keep the original MTS until you have a backup.
Free, private and honest about limits
Nothing leaves your computer
Your file is converted on your own device and is never uploaded to our servers. Home videos stay where they are; only the converter program itself is downloaded, from jsDelivr.
Free, with no count limit
No account, no watermark and no cap on how many clips you convert. Files go one at a time; there is no batch queue.
Limits we measured
A 1.6 GB file converted fine in our tests, while a 2.1 GB file ran out of browser memory. Plan on about 2 GB per file.
Plain FFmpeg underneath
The conversion is done by FFmpeg 5.1.4 compiled to WebAssembly, unmodified, the same engine many desktop tools use.