MKV Converter - Convert MKV to/from AVI, MP4, DVD, M2TS and More

With the growing of multimedia, users are watching videos on cross-platforms like mobiles, game consoles, desktops, HDTVs, etc., instead of trapped in single device. However, this reqiures a relatively wide compatible video format, or else videos won't play. Obviously, MKV fails to meet the condition, as MKV files not playing error could happen on all these devices. Thus, a MKV video converter is quite in demand to play 4K/HD MKV files swimmingly.

Part 1. Why You Need Convert MKV Videos

MKV video is a open source, open standard container format. A MKV file can envelope unlimited streams data into a single file. The extension for a Matroska file containing video is MKV, for audio only MKA, and for subtitles only, MKS. The MKV format has many advantages over competing containers like Microsoft Audio Video Interleave (AVI), Apple QuickTime MOV, Moving Pictures Experts Group (MPEG) and others.

However, the built-in features of MKV files call on converting MKV to MP4, MOV, AVI, M2TS and more. Firstly, MKV is not a format with wide compatibility and the open source feature makes it can be encoded with various audio/video codecs. This could lead in MKV video/codec not supported error unless you download MKV codec or convert MKV to MP4. Then MKV file contains multiple audio, video, subtitles tracks etc., but it is usually in large size, making it hard to store and play on portable devices.

Of course, open source and multi-tracks are also the superiority for MKV, driving you to convert videos to MKV on certain occasions.

Part 2. What's the Criterions for An Excellent MKV Video Converter

There are a wide range of free .mkv video converters on the market. Some of them help you convert MKV videos indeed, while some also get you into a lot of troubles, such as oversized output files, slow encoding/decoding speed, huge quality loss, no audio or black screen for outputs etc. So what's the best MKV video converting software? According to most users' requirements, an excellent MKV video converter should feature:

1. Accept any MKV files, regardless of offline MKV video from video sharing sites, DVD/Blu-ray rips, 4K HEVC MKV recording footages etc.
2. Convert MKV videos to all mainstream video formats, including MP4, MOV, AVI, WMV, M2TS, HEVC, H.264, MPEG-4, XviD etc.
3. Compress MKV file size to the hilt, yet with great image/audio quality, better in original quality.
4. Deliver a fast video conversion speed, especially for 4K HEVC MKV encoding/decoding.
5. Bundle no adware, spyware, virus or other needless or malicious stuffs.

Part 3. The Best 5 MKV Converter You Should Know

Actually, there are quite a few video converters that meet the criterions for an excellent MKV video converter. Here we'd like to list best 5 MKV converters that help you keep your video collection more simplified.

#1. Winxvideo AI

Winxvideo AI is fast video converter that converts between MKV and many other formats, such as MKV to MP4, MKV to AVI, AVCHD to MKV, DVD to MKV and more. Unlike other free video converters, WinX offers 47X real-time faster speed for MKV conversion under the support of unique GPU acceleration tech. Besides, it's also capable of reducing MKV video file size to the hilt, by up to 90% without image/audio quality loss.

#2. MPEG StreamClip

MPEG StreamClip is a video encoder, editor, and player that is available on MacOS and Windows. It not only allows you to convert MPEG files but more video format like MKV, MOV, FLV, MP4 etc. to other formats or preset profiles. You can use MPEG StreamClip to set In/Out points and convert them into muxed or demuxed files, or export them to QuickTime, AVI, MKV, and MPEG-4 files with more than professional quality.

#3. Any Video Converter Free

Any Video Converter Free is an awesome MKV video converter can help you to convert MKV files to the formats fitting for your portable players. You're able to decode and encode MKV, AVI, WMV, MPG, MKV to AVI, HTML5, MP4, WMV, FLV, 3GP, 3G2, MOV, MPG; and extract audio from MKV to MP3, AAC, M4A, FLAC etc. for iPhone, iPad, Android, Xbox, PS5/4. Also, with it, you can customize output file size, adjust video & audio parameters, trim large MKV file into smaller ones, crop black borders and so on.

#4. VLC

Besides being a media player for playing various video and audio files, VLC can also be used as a MKV video converter. It helps users to transcode MKV video files to MP4, MOV, WebM, WMV, HEVC, H.264, TS, YouTube etc. Though it's not as competent as professional video converters, it's enough to fulfill the general tasks for MKV conversion. Better yet, you don't have to install extra software on your computer.

#5. CloudConvert (web-based)

CloudConvert is a web-based MKV converter that enables you to convert MKV video to the format like MOV, MP4, MOV, FLV, WMV, WebM etc. or any other video format to MKV. You don't have to install any software or plugins. All can be done based on the web with your browsers. But the defect is also obvious, if you have a slow or even bad network, your MKV conversion would head for defeat. Meanwhile, it has strict file size limit for the input videos (1GB for free accounts).

Part 4. How to Convert MKV Files to MP4 Format

Take Winxvideo AI as an example.

Step 1: Launch this MKV converter for Windows and Mac. Click "+ Video" button to load your target MKV video.

Step 2: Choose output format from the automatically popped up window, where 420+ profiles are available for your choice. Go General Profiles > MP4 Video > OK button to convert MKV to MP4. Certainly, you're able to transcode MKV to HEVC, or directly convert MKV to iPad iPhone, Apple TV, Xbox, PS4 etc.

Step 3: Specify the output folder path by clicking "Browse" button. After then hit "RUN" button to accomplish MKV to MP4 conversion in a very short time. Intel/nVIDIA/AMD hardware acceleration will be applied automatically if your computer graphic cards are embedded with GPU acceleration function.

[Tutorial] How to Convert MKV to MP4 within 3 Steps

Part 5. The Main Advantages of MKV Video

1. The first advantage of the MKV format is that it is open source, making the code freely available to developers the all world over, and to the public. Most other container formats contain mostly proprietary code, developed solely by the originating company and licensed parties. Open source programs have an arguably higher potential for more creative solutions and broader implementation.

With installation of free download MKV Codec Pack, you can also play MKV files with Windows Media Player, Windows Media Center, and trace to Windows Media Extenders (like the Xbox 360) and to UPnP devices (like the PlayStation 3). Fortunately, you won't lose any quality when watching MKV files on your PC or through a Windows Media Center extender. Check >> Best MKV Player for Windows

2. MKV is a flexible video format that has quickly become the preferred file extension for high definition video on the Internet. Due to MKV's efficient usage of bandwidth and storage, WebM video also based on MKV structure.

3. It natively supports features like alternate audio tracks, multilingual subtitles and chapter points, as well as rich metadata authoring including cover art, ratings, descriptions and more.

4. An entire CD or DVD can fit inside a single MKV file.

But playing MKV is not as that simply. You may come across situations like MKV files not playing error on Windows and Mac, pixelated MKV playback, stuttering or lags, MKV no sound in Windows etc. Thus, to get a smooth MKV playback, you need a MKV converter indeed!

Convert MKV Videos to Fix All Kinds of MKV Not Playing Errors!