Guide
MTS to MP4: camcorder clips, picture untouched
Drop an MTS or M2TS file from your camcorder above and get an MP4 for phones, editors and social apps. The picture is copied as is.
In short
- This converter turns camcorder MTS and M2TS files into MP4.
- The H.264 picture is copied as it is, so no quality is lost.
- Dolby Digital (AC-3) sound is converted to AAC at 160 kbps.
- Nothing is uploaded. Everything runs inside this browser tab.
MTS to MP4
Runs in your browser · files never leave this page
Drop a MTS 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 MTS file?
MTS is the file an AVCHD camcorder saves. Sony, Panasonic and Canon camcorders used it.
- MTS files sit on the camera card in PRIVATE, then AVCHD, then BDMV, then STREAM.
- Inside an MTS file you find H.264 video with Dolby Digital (AC-3) sound.
- The same video is called M2TS on Blu-ray discs and on some cameras.
- Phones and social apps do not open a file that ends in .mts.
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 MTS 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 |
| Dolby Digital (AC-3) sound | Converted to AAC at 160 kbps | Seconds |
| Interlaced video (1080i) | Kept as it is | - |
| .m2ts and .ts files | Accepted, handled the same way | - |
Inside the file: H.264 video
- What you get in the MP4
- Copied as is, no quality loss
- How long
- Seconds
Inside the file: Dolby Digital (AC-3) sound
- What you get in the MP4
- Converted to AAC at 160 kbps
- How long
- Seconds
Inside the file: Interlaced video (1080i)
- What you get in the MP4
- Kept as it is
- How long
- -
Inside the file: .m2ts and .ts files
- What you get in the MP4
- Accepted, handled the same way
- 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 MTS to MP4
Four steps, all in this tab.
MTS to MP4 in four steps
Drop your MTS 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
- Where are the MTS files on my camcorder card?
- In PRIVATE, then AVCHD, then BDMV, then STREAM. Copy the .MTS files from STREAM to your computer, then drop them here one at a time.
- Is MTS to MP4 lossless?
- The picture is. The H.264 video is copied as is. Only the sound changes, from Dolby Digital to AAC at 160 kbps.
- One recording was saved as several MTS files. How do I join them?
- Camcorders split long recordings into parts. Convert each part to MP4, then join them in order with the free video stitcher.
- Why do I see thin lines on fast motion?
- Some camcorders film interlaced (1080i). The picture is copied as it is, so the lines stay. Most players smooth them out; some do not.
- Is my MTS file uploaded anywhere?
- No. The tool runs inside this browser tab, so your MTS 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.