How to Convert M4V to MKV on Windows/Mac/Online

M4V videos are usually downloaded from Apple devices like iTunes. Do you know their limitation? They are hard to be played on other players like Windows media players. Therefore, to solve the issue, you can convert these videos to other formats like MKV, a more compatible video format. So, follow this post to learn the effective methods here.

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Jane Zhou

Updated on May 24, 2024

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When you download a video from iTunes, the M4V is the usual format you will get from the device. As the M4V format is used by Apple, it's hard to play this format on other media players and devices. For this reason, you can convert M4V to other formats like MP4, MKV, AVI, etc., making the video file more compatible. Among these video formats, MKV is the desired format if you want to watch the video or save content effectively. Do you know how to convert the format? Here, in this post, you learn serval different ways to convert M4V to MKV without losing quality. 

Related Article>> MKV vs MP4, Which Video Format is Better?

How to Convert M4V Video to MKV on EaseUS Video Converter

Because M4V files are supported by a limited amount of players, it's wise to convert them to a more compatible format like MKV. One of the best free video converter is EaseUS Video Converter. As its name suggests, it offers simple operations for video conversion. You can even use its bulk conversion to deal with more than one M4V file at the same time. Meanwhile, you can alter the parameters like resolution, frame rate, bitrate, etc.

Apart from being a video converter, EaseUS Video Converter can also be an audio extractor and video/audio merger. 

Key Features:

Catch this chance to download this best video converter on Windows PC!

Here is a list of steps on converting video files to MKV:

Step 1. Download EaseUS Video Converter. Choose the "Video Converter" tab. Then, prepare your target video file and import it into this Windows converting software. Hit the "Choose Files" button from the main interface. 

choose video converter

Step 2. Once the video file is imported, hit the Settings icon. From various options, choose MKV as the output format. Based on your needs, select the target Quality and Resolution. Meanwhile, apply more options by clicking "Edit". At the same time, you can change the saving location from the "Save to" selection. 

Then, hit "Convert All" to start your conversion. 

video mkv format

Step 3. Click "Finished" from the top side. Here you can view the MKV file. Right click it to play, delete, and rename it. 

output to mkv

How to Convert M4V to MKV on HandBrake

As a free and beneficial video transcoder, HandBrake can deal with many video formats including M4V. You can import your M4V video from the computer, and then make this M4V to MKV conversion easily. Without losing quality, you can get the MKV file with original quality. 

There're many editing options provided by this software as well, including changing the video encoder, frame rate, quality, etc. Also, you can use advanced editing to change the encoder fully, like the tune, profile, and level. 

Features:

  • Make conversion on Windows and Mac
  • Open source video transcoder
  • Alter video parameters easily

handbrake

Turn M4V into MKV video, using HandBrake:

Step 1. Download and install HandBrake. Import the M4V file by clicking "Open Source". Then, click the "Destination" option to choose the saving path. 

Step 2. Select the output format in MKV. Choose the option under the "Output Settings". In the Container, you need to select MKV. 

Step 3. If you want to adjust the settings, you can alter the parameters like the video codec in the box below. Once done, hit "Start Encode". 

How to Convert M4V Video to MKV on VLC Media Player

The third option is to use VLC Media Player, the famous and free-to-use media converter on Mac. You can convert one or more M4V files to MKV files at the same time, which is time-saving. Another reason to choose this converter is that the interface is clear and simple. You can find the converting process easily. 

What's more, it can edit the media file simply. For example, you can apply the video effects like color threshold, color extraction, motion blur, etc. 

Features:

  • Open source video converter on Windows/Mac
  • Simple editing functions on media files like rotation
  • Play the media file without losing quality

vlc mac converter

Here is a list of steps on converting M4V files to MKV:

Step 1. Download and install VLC Media Player on Mac. Open it and click "File" > "Convert / Stream" from the top toolbar. When the window shows, you have two ways to import the M4V file. One is to drag your M4V file, and also, you can hit the "Open media..." option to import the video file. 

Step 2. Next, you need to click the "Choose Profile" option to select the output format in MKV. Here, you need to choose MKV from "Customize".  

Step 3. In the "Choose Destination" option, you need to click "Save as File". Then, browse the saving path before clicking "Save". 

How to Convert M4V to MKV Online

If you want to avoid the steps to download and install software on the desktop, an online converter could be a suitable choice. Without registration, you can import video files maximum of 100MB into it. Then, choose the output format in MKV for conversion. Although it's an online service, Convertio offers various editing functions like rotating a video, changing parameters, etc. 

Besides MKV, you can also choose MP4, MOV, WEBM, WMV, AVI, or others as the output format. 

Features:

  • Alter codec to encode the video track like H.264 (AVC), H.265 (HEVC), etc.
  • Rotate and flip the video online
  • Import M4V files from Google Drive, Dropbox, etc. 

convertio for m4v to mkv

A quick guide for you to convert M4V to MKV via Convertio:

Step 1. Upload a Video

Open your browser and find Convertio. Here, you can choose or drag the M4V iTunes video to the web page. 

Step 2. Convert File

Choose the M4V to MKV conversion here. Then, start the mission. 

Step 3. Apply Settings

Here, you can customize settings like video resolution, quality, etc. 

Step 4. Save Converted Video

Once the conversion is done, you can download and save the MKV to your computer. If you want, you can save the MKV video in the cloud, like Dropbox or Google Drive. 

Conclusion

Now, you know 4 different software to convert M4V to MKV separately. Choose one of them for conversion. If you want to save time, an online converter like Convertio can meet the requirement. For Windows users who want to use full converting functions, EaseUS Video Converter can be your choice!

FAQs About M4V to MKV Conversion

Some related questions are gathered from the public. Check with them to find useful information.

1. M4V vs MKV, which video format is better?

As a video container, M4V contains audio and video content which is used for Apple devices, iTunes. Usually, this format is protected by Apple FairPlay DRM. In terms of compatibility, it cannot meet your needs fully. 

MKV, on the other hand, is an open-source container that can contain media content with various codecs. It is more flexible to be altered, and that's why many people choose this format to store information. Overall, MKV could be the format you can choose for better usage. 

2. Does HandBrake convert M4V to MP4?

Yes, it does. You can use this software on Windows and Mac. For more details of this software, go to Part 2. Also, you need to change the output format in MP4. 

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