How to Convert MKV Files to MP4?

MKV file format can be pretty helpful when you have subtitles on an audio track, but it has a downside. The video format has compatibility and support issues, as many devices do not support it.

If you have a video file in the MKV file format and you find yourself unable to play it because your device does not support it, there is a simple workaround for you. You can convert MKV to a more compatible file format, such as MP4, as with other file types.

When you try to open MKV files via the Windows Media Player, you might encounter such as 0xc1010103. As it turns out, you can bypass the compatibility restraint of MKV files in several ways. You can find file conversion websites over the internet, and a handful exists.

Almost every one of them does the job quite smoothly. In this article, we will take you through several methods you can use to convert an MKV file to MP4. You can follow any that best suits you. With that in mind, let us get right into it. 

1. Convert MKV to MP4 Online 

As it happens, you can find many online video convertors that will convert your file to any other compatible format. Using this method is the simplest and takes the least amount of time. As it turns out, with so many websites, finding a good one can be complicated. 

To convert your MKV to MP4, we would recommend using CloudConvert. CloudConvert is an online tool that allows you to convert your video files to various formats. Since it is an online service, you will have to upload your video to their server before you can convert it to MP4. As it turns out, they offer a free plan that allows you to make 25 conversions in a single day which is sufficient. 

If, for any privacy concerns, you do not want to upload your video file online and instead do it on your computer, skip this method and jump to the next one below. In addition, you can delete your file from CloudConvert’s server after it converts your file. This can take a few hours to a day, but the file will be deleted permanently from their server. 

One of the neat features of CloudConvert is that it allows you to convert files from a URL. This means if you do not have the file on your computer, you can simply provide a URL, which will convert it for you. 

Follow the instructions down below to use CloudConvert to convert your MKV file to MP4:

1. First, open up the CloudConvert website in your browser by clicking this link.
2. Once the website is open, you must choose your file formats. From the first drop-down menu, choose MKV since that’s the format of the file you are uploading. The file formats are separated by the type of file. Look for MKV in the Video tab. 
3. The subsequent box allows you to choose the file format to which you want to convert your file. Choose MP4 from the second drop-down menu. MP4 in the same tab as MKV, i.e., Video.

   

4. After you do that, click on the Select File button. Now, depending on the location of the video, you can also use the down arrow option to use a different uploading method.
5. If you click the Select File button, it will assume you want to upload it from your computer. If you want to provide a URL of a file, you can do so by choosing the URL option from the drop-down menu of the down arrow option.

   

6. Once you provide the file, some additional options will appear. 
7. Click on the Settings icon next to Convert to.

   

8. In the new dialog box, you can provide additional parameters or customize the file. From here, you can add subtitles to the video, apply a watermark, and much more.

   

9. Once you are ready to convert the file, click on the Convert button.

   

10. Wait for the video conversion process to complete. The file will be uploaded initially and then converted to MP4. 
11. After the conversion is complete, you can use the Download button to download the new video file.

    

12. If you want to delete the file, click on the X icon at the end. This will remove the file from their servers.

2. Convert MKV File to MP4 via VLC Media Player

VLC Media Player is a famous video player supporting almost any video file format. This includes MKV, so you can play MKV files using VLC Media Player. However, if you still want to convert your MKV file to MP4 for whatever reason, VLC Media Player allows you to do that too. 

VLC Media Player comes with a Convert feature you can use to convert your videos to other file formats. We will be using that feature here to convert MKV to MP4. Follow the instructions down below to do this:

1. First, if you do not already have VLC Media Player on your device, you will need to download and install it. To do this, visit VideoLAN’s website and download the app. The setup wizard will prompt you to install additional third-party software during installation, so make sure you go through it carefully. You can choose not to install any additional programs. 
2. Once you have VLC Media Player, open it up by searching for it in the Start Menu.

   

3. On the VLC Media Player window, click on Media at the top-left corner, and from the drop-down menu, choose Convert / Save.

   

4. On the Open Media window, click on the Add button. Navigate to the directory of the MKV file and open it up.

   

5. Once you do that, click on the Convert / Save button.

   

6. After that, on the Convert dialog box, choose Video – H.264 + MP3 (MP4) from the Profile drop-down menu.

   

7. Finally, click the Browse button and provide a name and destination location for the video file.
8. After doing that, click on the Start button.

   

9. VLC Media Player will begin converting your video. Wait for it to finish.  

3. Convert MKV File to MP4 via HandBrake

If you are unfamiliar with HandBrake, it is an free open-source video transcoder. This means it allows you to change the encoding of one video file to another. The application is quite powerful and is available on all platforms, i.e., Windows, Mac and Linux. On top of that, it is free.

However, there is a dependency you will have to download to make sure the application works correctly. The dependency in question is Microsoft .NET 6.0 SDK. We will provide you with a direct download link, so you do not have to worry. With that said, let us show you how to convert your video file with HandBrake. 

1. First of all, download and install HandBrake from its official website. Click here to open up the website.
2. After you install HandBrake, download Microsoft .NET 6.0 SDK from this link. Install it on your computer.
3. Once you do that, open up the HandBrake application.
4. On the HandBrake window, click on File and choose the MKV file you want to convert. Alternatively, you can also drag and drop your MKV file into HandBrake.
5. After that, in the Summary section, ensure the Format is set to MP4. We will be using the default settings, but you can change them if you want to.

   

6. At the bottom, click the Browse button and choose a destination location for your file.
7. Once you do, click on the Start Encode button at the top to begin the video conversion process.