What is an MP4 file?
MP4 is the video file that plays everywhere: phones, TVs, browsers, editors and every social platform. It is what to convert to when you simply want a clip that works, and it starts playing before the whole file has arrived. You can convert MP4 files here, both into the format and out of it.
Specification
| Full name | MPEG-4 Part 14 |
|---|---|
| Extensions | .mp4 |
| Media type | video/mp4 |
| Compression | Lossy |
| Transparency | — |
| Animation | — |
| Multiple pages | — |
| Colour depth | — |
| Size limits | — |
| Introduced | 2001 |
| Developed by | ISO/IEC MPEG |
| Standard | Open |
| Browser support | Every browser, including older ones |
What MP4 is used for
- Video for the web, social platforms and messaging apps
- Phone and camera recordings
- Streaming delivery with progressive download or HLS
- Anything that simply has to play, wherever it is opened
Strengths and limitations
What MP4 does well
- Plays on effectively every device, browser and TV made this century
- Plays without draining the battery, because devices handle it natively
- Fast seeking and streaming when the index sits at the front
Where MP4 falls short
- Playing and distributing it carries patent licensing obligations
- Larger than the newest web formats at the same visual quality
- Fussy about subtitle tracks and unusual audio tracks
Convert MP4 to
Every target this format can be written out as, each on its own page.
Convert to MP4
Everything that can be turned into a MP4 file.
Tools that accept MP4
Questions about MP4
What is a .mp4 file?
MP4 is the video file that plays everywhere: phones, TVs, browsers, editors and every social platform. The extension .mp4 identifies it, and its media type is video/mp4.
How do I open an MP4 file?
Any current browser will open it directly, so dragging the file into a tab is usually enough. Most operating systems also preview it without extra software.
Is MP4 lossy or lossless?
Lossy. That means detail is discarded during encoding and each re-save compounds the loss, so keep an untouched master where quality matters.
What is MP4 good for?
Plays on effectively every device, browser and TV made this century. Plays without draining the battery, because devices handle it natively. Fast seeking and streaming when the index sits at the front. In practice that makes it a good fit for video for the web, social platforms and messaging apps, and Phone and camera recordings.
What are the drawbacks of MP4?
Playing and distributing it carries patent licensing obligations. Larger than the newest web formats at the same visual quality. Fussy about subtitle tracks and unusual audio tracks.