Guide
M4V to MP4: turn an Apple M4V into a plain MP4
Drop an M4V file above and get a plain MP4 that any app or upload form takes. Unprotected files are usually done in seconds.
In short
- This converter turns an M4V file into a plain MP4 that any app accepts.
- Most M4V files hold H.264 video and AAC sound, so they are copied in seconds.
- Films and shows bought in iTunes are copy-protected and cannot be converted.
- Nothing is uploaded. Everything runs inside this browser tab.
M4V to MP4
Runs in your browser · files never leave this page
Drop a M4V file here
or
The engine reads the file first. An H.264 picture with AAC sound is copied into the MP4 with no re-encode. Anything else is written as H.264 + AAC.
Your file never leaves this page. The engine downloads once, the work happens in this tab, and there is no upload, no account and no storage. Close the tab and the file is gone unless you downloaded it.
More free tools: Video compressor · Video resizer · Video to MP4 · Video to MP3 · Video clipper · all tools
What is an M4V file?
M4V is Apple's version of MP4. It is almost the same file with a different name.
- M4V files come from iTunes, Apple apps and older export tools on a Mac.
- Inside an M4V you find H.264 or HEVC video, with AAC sound and sometimes a surround track.
- Some upload forms and Windows apps refuse a file that ends in .m4v.
- Films and shows bought in iTunes carry Apple copy protection and cannot be read.
What the converter does
It copies what an MP4 can hold as it is, and re-encodes only what it cannot.
- Copied: H.264 video and AAC sound go into the MP4 untouched. No quality loss.
- Re-encoded: any other video becomes H.264 at a high quality setting (CRF 23).
- Sound: any other sound becomes AAC at 160 kbps.
- Web ready: the MP4 is set up to start playing before it fully loads.
What happens to each part of your M4V file
The first video track and the first sound track are used. The rest is left out.
| Inside the file | What you get in the MP4 | How long |
|---|---|---|
| H.264 video | Copied as is, no quality loss | Seconds |
| HEVC video | Re-encoded once to H.264 | Minutes for a long file |
| AAC sound | Copied as is | Seconds |
| Surround sound (AC-3) | Converted to AAC at 160 kbps | Seconds |
| Copy-protected iTunes purchase | Cannot be read | - |
Inside the file: H.264 video
- What you get in the MP4
- Copied as is, no quality loss
- How long
- Seconds
Inside the file: HEVC video
- What you get in the MP4
- Re-encoded once to H.264
- How long
- Minutes for a long file
Inside the file: AAC sound
- What you get in the MP4
- Copied as is
- How long
- Seconds
Inside the file: Surround sound (AC-3)
- What you get in the MP4
- Converted to AAC at 160 kbps
- How long
- Seconds
Inside the file: Copy-protected iTunes purchase
- What you get in the MP4
- Cannot be read
- How long
- -
This is the whole editor
Highlight a phrase and a clip lands on those exact words. No timeline, no keyframes, no layers.
How to convert M4V to MP4
Four steps, all in this tab.
M4V to MP4 in four steps
Drop your M4V file
In the box at the top
The engine reads it
Which video and sound it holds
Copy or re-encode
Only what MP4 cannot hold is redone
Download the MP4
Saved to your device
Limits of a browser tool
Everything runs on your own device, so your device sets the limits.
- File size: up to 500 MB runs comfortably. Bigger files may run out of memory.
- Speed: the engine uses one processor core, so a long re-encode takes minutes.
- First run: the engine downloads once, about 32 MB. After that it starts fast.
- Phones: it works, but a laptop is faster and has more memory.
Questions people ask
- Is M4V the same as MP4?
- Almost. An unprotected M4V is an MP4 with an Apple name. Converting writes a clean MP4 and sets it up to start playing before it fully loads.
- Can I just rename .m4v to .mp4?
- Often it plays, but not always. A HEVC or surround-sound M4V may still be refused. The converter makes a file that follows the MP4 rules exactly.
- Can I convert movies I bought in iTunes?
- No. Purchased films and shows carry Apple copy protection. The engine cannot read them.
- Does M4V to MP4 lose quality?
- Not when the video is H.264, which is copied bit for bit. HEVC video is re-encoded once at a high quality setting.
- Is my M4V file uploaded anywhere?
- No. The tool runs inside this browser tab, so your M4V file never leaves your device. Only the engine itself is downloaded, about 32 MB, once per visit.
Want a finished video with captions, not just a converted file? Cutroom edits your clip for you. Your first video is free.