MP4 is the most commonly used format in daily life because of its high compatibility with different systems of PC, all mobiles, and other portable devices. But if you want to enjoy movies with multiple video and audio tracks in high quality, you'd better convert MP4 videos to MKV files. Moreover, MKV files support external subtitles in different languages, which can provide a better viewing experience for you. In this case, this article will introduce 2 easy ways to convert MP4 to MKV format on Windows/Mac. Moreover, you can learn more about the differences between MP4 and MKV formats.
Wondershare MKV Converter Mac. Mac users can benefit a lot from Wondershare MKV Converter. Free open source video transcoder to change MKV to MP4 at Apple VideoToolBox HW encoding speed. Finder: Mac built-in video encoder to free re-encode MKV to MP4 up to 1080p on macOS. Freemake Video Converter: Free convert MKV video footages to MP4, alongside with basic video editing features.
Part 1: MP4 V.S. MKV: What are the Differences between Them?
MP4 and MKV are both video container formats that contain many video, audio, and subtitle files. However, the codecs contained in these two formats are different, which makes them suitable for playing different kinds of videos. You can learn more about them and why should you convert MP4 to MKV format in the following table:
- Container Format
- Supported codecs
- Supported media players
- Pros and Cons
| MP4 | MKV |
| -video codec: MPEG, H.264/x264, H.265, HEVC -audio codec: AAC, MP3, AC3 -subtitle codec: only the text without any format | -video codec: almost all the video codecs, including XVID, VP9 with high quality -audio codec: almost all, including the lossless codec FLAC -subtitle codec: SRT, ASS, and any external subtitles |
| All media players on computer, mobiles, and chromes | Most media players on the computer |
| -compatible with all devices. -easy to be spread on the Internet. -limited video and audio codecs. -relatively has lower quality than MKV. | -support multiple video, audio, and subtitle tracks. -sometimes has higher quality than MP4 with special codecs. -high quality will make the videos larger. |
Part 2: The Best Way to Convert MP4 to MKV Videos Easily
AVAide Video Converter – Best MP4 to MKV Converter- Convert MP4 videos to MKV files with simple clicks.
- Support more than 300 formats to import and export.
- Able to adjust the video codec, resolution, and frame rate to keep high quality.
- 30X faster processing speed to convert a batch of MP4 to MKV format in a few minutes.
Step 1Download AVAide Video Converter for free on your Windows/Mac. Click the Add Files button to choose the desired MP4 videos. You can also drag and drop the desired files to add to this MP4 to MKV converter.
Step 2Click the Convert All to menu to choose the MKV format in the video list. Then you can choose the resolution according to your need. You can just click the Same as Source option to keep the original quality. To increase the video quality, you should click the Custom Profile icon and choose the XVID or HEVC codec and FLAC lossless audio codec.
Step 3Go back to the main interface and choose the desired storage path. Then click the Convert All button to start converting MP4 to MKV videos.
Part 3: How to Convert MP4 to MKV Format on Mac for Free
VLC Media Player is a video player that can also convert MP4 to MKV format for free on PC. Although it's a free MP4 to MKV converter with simple steps, it can't adjust the video resolution and other settings. If you don't care about the video quality, you can follow the next steps to convert MP4 to MKV videos with VLC:
Step 1Launch VLC Media Player on your Mac. Click the Media menu to choose the Convert/Save button to start the converting function.
Step 2In the popping-up window, you can click the Add button to select the desired MP4 videos. Then click the Convert/Save button to go to the next step.
Step 3Now you can choose the MKV format with the desired codec in the profile menu. After that, you should click the Start button to start converting MP4 to MKV through VLC Media Player.
Part 4: FAQs of Converting MP4 to MKV Format
1. How to convert MP4 to MKV files online for free?
There are so many online MP4 to MKV video converters for free, including Convertio, Anyconv, CloudConvert, etc. You just need to upload your files and do some clicks. But you should note that most free video converters don't support converting big MP4 files to MKV format online.
2. Do MKV videos have higher quality than MP4 files?
Not always so. Sometimes when MKV files are encoded by XVID or VP9 codecs that have high quality, the MKV files have higher quality than MP4. But MKV format also has H.264 codec as the MP4 format. Thus it depends on the codec.
3. Can I play MKV video on Windows Media Player?
Of course, you can. Most media players support playing MKV files on Windows/Mac. But if the MKV file is encoded by VP9, you should download the VP9 codec for Windows Media Player in advance. You can also try other professional video players, including VLC Media Player, PotPlayer, etc.
ConclusionMP4 and MKV formats are both commonly used in daily life. When you download videos from websites, YouTube, and other platforms, you will find most videos are save in MP4 or MKV files. But when you want to enjoy movies in high quality but only get MP4 videos, you'd better convert MP4 to MKV format. And you have learned two easy ways through MP4 to MKV converters in this article.
Your complete video toolbox that supports 350+ formats for conversion in lossless quality.
Video Conversion Solutions
This post will discuss how to convert MKV to MP4 on Mac for free without losing quality.
MKV is a very popular high quality video format that can store video, audio, image, or subtitle tracks in one file, However, you can’t open MKV files on iMovie, QuickTime, iPad, iPhone, PSP, iPod, or other Apple devices.
In this condition, you need to convert MKV to MP4 on Mac. Because MP4 format enjoys great popularity among the public and supports many video players, such as Zune, PSP, Blackberry, iPod, iPhone, etc. And it is the only format that can allow PS3 and Xbox to play.
- >> How to Convert MKV to MP4 on Mac with Transcoding Software
- >> How to Convert MKV to MP4 online
How to Convert MKV to MP4 on Mac with Transcoding Software
#1. Cisdem Video Converter
When it comes to converting MKV file to MP4 on Mac, Cisdem Video Converter will be an ideal choice. It assists you to effortlessly convert video & audio files in any format with high quality, including MKV to MP4 Mac. You can customize your videos by merging, trimming, cropping, inserting watermarks/subtitles as well as put effects to MKV videos for brilliant visual enjoyment. The software also lets you download online videos from YouTube, Break, Metacafe, Bing, Flickr, AOL, etc.
Best MKV to MP4 Converter for Mac
- Convert MKV to MOV, MP4, MP3, iPhone, iPod, PSP, etc.
- Support more than 300 audio & video codecs
- Edit and touch up the media files before conversion
- Merge multiple MKV videos and convert to a single file
- Inbuilt video player to preview converted MKV
- Download 1080p/4k videos from 1000+ video sharing sites
- Rip movie DVDs to MKV, MP4, or other formats
- Batch processing and super fast speed
Steps to Convert MKV to MP4 Mac with Cisdem Video Converter:
Download and install Cisdem Video Converter on Mac.
After installation, double-click the software to run it. Then import MKV files by dragging and dropping. The application supports bulk conversion, so you can load multiple files into it.
Click the format icon, and choose the target format as MP4. There are many devices that can be selected. If you want to convert MKV to MP4 for your iPad device, you can navigate to “Apple Device” > “iPad”.
For experienced users, you can manually change encoding parameters such as video codec, bit rate, frame rate, audio codec, etc. in the “Advanced Settings” window. To open it, click the “gear” button next to the output format you choose.
In this step, you can click the icon to edit your MKV files freely with the feature of cropping, deinterlacing, contrast, watermark inserts, and much more. The application also empowers you to set the 3D types and depths.
Once the editing process finished, click to start a conversion on your Mac. That how much time the conversion process takes depends on the size of the video files you have added.
Advantages:
- Intuitive and responsive interface
- High-quality output, and
- Compatible with 300+ formats and presets
- Support video downloading & editing, DVD ripping, etc. features
#2. Convert MKV to MP4 on Mac with VLC
VLC Media Player is a decent video player & converter made by VideoLAN, and it now has been used by thousands of people around the globe. It's a cross-platform program, not only for Mac but also for Windows and Linux. Plus, VLC and convert MKV to MP4 on Mac totally free. You can easily obtain its DMG file from the official websites.
Steps to Free Convert MKV to MP4 on Mac with VLC:
Step 1. Run VLC Media Player on Mac.
Step 2. On the menu bar, click 'File'> 'Convert/Stream'.
Step 3. Import the local MKV file to the UI by either dragging the media file or choosing the “Open media” option.
Step 4. Select the profile option- “H.264 + MP3 (MP4)”.
Step 5. Click on “Save as File”. Choose the output location, and enter the name of the file.
Step 6. Save the output file.
Advantages:
- Combine playback and transcoder features
- Keep upgrading
Disadvantages:
- Can’t batch convert MKV files
- Make beginners confused when setting customized formats
Mkv To Mp4 Mac Freeware
#3. Convert MKV to MP4 on Mac with Handbrake
Handbrake is one of the best free MKV to MP4 converter on Mac. Windows and Linux platforms can be used as well. It has been around for 10 years and remains the best possible way for converting MKV file to MP4 on Mac. Handbrake contains lots of features as well, such as adding subtitles, live video preview, an integrated bitrate calculator, picture cropping & scaling and so on.
Steps to Convert MKV to MP4 Mac Using Handbrake:
Step 1. Install and launch Handbrake.
Step 2. Click “Source” > “Open File” and browse your file system to where the MKV files are located.
Step 3. Select all the MKV files that need to be converted to MP4 format from the Mac folder, and then click 'Open'.
Step 4. Under the “Summary” tab, Choose “MP4 File”. And you can customize filters, dimensions, chapters, encoder, and more.
Step 5. Click “Browser” to choose the file destination.
Step 6. Go back to the main window and click the “Start” button.
Advantages:
- Rip a DVD or Blu-ray
- Add subtitle to a movie file
Disadvantages:
- Can’t perform audio conversion
- Except for MKV and MP4 format, others can’t be supported by Handbrake
#4. Convert MKV to MP4 on Mac with Remux
There is a long list of video converters available that takes care of your MKV to MP4 conversion on Mac. In particular, worth recommending is Remux, said this is the FFmpeg-based MKV to MP4 converter for macOS users. With the software, you can also create MKV, M4V, AVI, TS, or VOB video files. It adds new aac_at presets encoded with Apple AAC, but you need to remove the plist file to see them.
Steps to Convert MKV to MP4 Mac via Remux:
Step 1. Install and run Remux.
Step 2. There are two tabs: “Single” and “Batch processing”. To convert multiple MKV files, switch to the second one.
Step 3. Drag-n-drop MKV videos to the interface.
Step 4. Select MP4 as output format.
Step 5. Click “Go”.
Disadvantages:
- Can’t add subtitle tracks to movie files
- Always crash
How to Convert MKV to MP4 online
The fastest way to convert MKV to MP4 on Mac is to use a web-based service. Aconvert.com is such an online MKV to MP4 converter for Mac that can work smoothly without any software. It's not difficult to use this free online tool. Only go with few clicks, the MP4 files you need will be generated immediately. Here we go:
Steps to Convert MKV to MP4 Online:
Step 1. Simply select a file to convert from your device or enter its URL.
Step 2. Choose the output format as MP4.
Step 3. (Optional) Click 'Change size, bitrate or frame rate', then the option for customizing video size, bitrate, rate, and aspect will show up. Pick your favorite parameters.
Step 4. When everything is ready, click the 'Convert Now!' button.
Advantages:
- No charge
- No need to download and install
Disadvantages:
- Can’t be used offline
- The input or output formats are limited
- The conversion comes with bad quality
- Can’t edit MKV videos before conversion
MKV Overview
MKV is a container format that is capable of holding different video, audio, image, or subtitle tracks in one file. It’s a free container format, thus you can download plenty of MKV files online for free without any fuss. MKV file is generally larger than the MP4 equivalant.
Format: MKV
Support: Needs players like VLC
Bit-depth: 8bit, 10bit
Mkv To Mp4 Free Mac
MP4 Overview
Mp4 To Mkv Mac Free Download
MP4 stands for MPEG-4 Part 14, it is one of the most popular video format, and it can be played by almost all media players. Just like MKV, MP4 is also a container format that stores video, audio, images, subtitles, and more. MP4 format always gives lower file sizes, this make it perfect for video streaming or compressing.
Format: MP4
Support: Works on all major platforms
Bit-depth: 8bit, 10bit
Closing Words
Free Mkv File Converter
You've seen 5 best MKV to MP4 converters for Mac created to make video conversion. Compared with the online tool, desktop apps are more effective and safe. I'd like to use Cisdem Video Converter to convert MKV to MP4 on Mac. As you can see, its advantages are obvious. Well, you might have different opinions. Every program can find its user, and the user can select the best one which actually fits him.