Convert M4V to MP4

How it works

1. 1

   Add your M4V file

   Drop, pick, or paste it. It stays on your device.

2. 2

   Convert

   We re-encode it to MP4 right here in your browser.

3. 3

   Download

   Save the MP4 file.

Almost the same format, with one catch

M4V is Apple's variant of MP4, and structurally it is close to identical: the same container, usually carrying H.264 video and AAC audio. Apple simply used a different extension for video bought or rented through iTunes, so that its own software could recognise them. In most cases converting an M4V to an MP4 is barely a conversion at all, and rewrapping it takes seconds.

The exception is the reason the extension exists. M4V files that came from the iTunes Store may carry FairPlay copy protection, and a protected file cannot be converted by us or by anybody else, because the video inside is encrypted and there is nothing readable to work with. If your M4V was purchased or rented, expect this to fail, and that is not a bug.

An M4V you exported yourself, from iMovie or Final Cut or a camera, has no protection on it and will convert without complaint. If in doubt, the origin of the file tells you which kind you have.

Why nothing uploads

Other tools send your video to their servers, which costs them money per file, so they add watermarks, cap file sizes, and make you sign up. This tool does the work right here in your browser using your own device. Your file is never uploaded, so there is no wait, no watermark, no size limit, and no account.

Questions

Why did my M4V fail to convert?

Almost certainly FairPlay copy protection, which means it came from the iTunes Store. The video inside is encrypted, so there is nothing any converter can read.

Can I just rename the file to .mp4?

Sometimes that works, since the formats are so close. It is not reliable, and a proper rewrap fixes the container's internals rather than only its name.

Is any quality lost?

Where the streams can be rewrapped, none at all. The video is copied across rather than decoded.

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