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MP4 to WMV converter

Convert MP4 to WMV in your browser. No upload and no account: the file never leaves your device, so the only size limit is your device’s memory.

I want WMV
Quality

Applies only when the video has to be re-encoded. A straight copy keeps the original quality.

Advanced 2
Always re-encode Rebuilds the picture as H.264 (VP9 for WebM) even when it could be copied. Fixes files that won’t play on older TVs and PCs.

Bytes of your files sent anywhere: 0 B

Related conversions

Need it the other way round? Convert WMV to MP4

Other ways to convert MP4

Convert other formats to WMV

Read more about the MP4 format and the WMV format, or see every video tool and all video conversions.

Should you convert MP4 to WMV?

Yes, when a device or app needs WMV. WMV can’t carry the H.264 or HEVC (H.265) video found in MP4 files, so the picture is re-encoded as Windows Media Video, which takes about as long as the clip on a recent laptop.

Check that WMV is really needed: it plays in Windows Media Player and VLC; not Macs, iPhones, browsers or most websites, while MP4 is opens everywhere.

MP4 is the video container that plays on everything, usually holding H.264 video and AAC audio; WMV is the Windows Media video format from the Windows XP era. Choose WMV only for an old Windows PC or presentation that won’t take anything else.

MP4 and WMV compared
Property MP4 WMV
Usually contains H.264 or HEVC video with AAC audio WMV2 or WMV3 video with WMA audio
Support Opens everywhere A legacy format
Plays on Every phone, browser, TV, editor, chat app and upload form Windows Media Player and VLC; not Macs, iPhones, browsers or most websites
Best for Sharing video anywhere Old Windows presentations and players
Introduced 2003 1999

How to convert MP4 to WMV

  1. 01

    Add your MP4

    Drop your MP4 video onto the box, or click to choose it. It is read from your disk and stays there.

  2. 02

    Check the settings

    The output is already set to WMV. Change the quality if you want to; the defaults suit most files.

  3. 03

    Save the WMV

    Press convert and save the WMV. Several files come back together as a ZIP.

What changes when MP4 becomes WMV

Re-encoded, at a quality you choose

Because the video has to be compressed again, a little detail is lost. The default quality keeps the difference invisible; choose High for footage you’ll edit further.

WMV is an older format

Choose WMV only for an old Windows PC or presentation that won’t take anything else. For sharing, uploading or playing on phones, MP4 is the better choice.

Expect a larger file

WMV generally takes more room than MP4. If the file has to fit an upload limit, check the size once it’s converted. MP4: 1080p phone video runs roughly 60–130 MB a minute. WMV: Larger than MP4 for the same quality.

This page is put together from our notes on each format, choosing only what is true of MP4 and WMV, so every pairing states the same facts the same way. How these pages are made.

Why it doesn’t upload

Video files are big, and uploading one just to change its container can take longer than the conversion itself. Your browser can read and write these formats, so the file never has to leave your device.

How to check for yourself

Worth knowing

  • About the MP4. An MP4 that won’t play is rarely broken; it usually holds a newer codec such as HEVC or AV1 that the player doesn’t support.
  • About the WMV. WMV files from old DRM-protected downloads can’t be converted by any tool; only unprotected ones will work.
  • MP4, MOV, MKV and WebM are handled by your browser’s own video engine, often with hardware help. AVI, WMV, FLV, MPG and the other older formats use the FFmpeg engine, a one-time 31 MB download, and are slower.

Questions

Does converting MP4 to WMV lose quality?

The video is re-encoded, so a little detail is lost, but the default quality is set high enough that it doesn’t show.

Will a WMV play on my phone?

WMV a legacy format: Windows Media Player and VLC; not Macs, iPhones, browsers or most websites. Windows Media Player and VLC play WMV files; on a Mac, use VLC.

Read more about this

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