Video format

.mkv

Matroska Video

MKV is the most flexible video container format available. It can hold virtually any codec and supports unlimited audio tracks, subtitles, and chapters. It's the format of choice for high-quality video enthusiasts.

MIME type

video/x-matroska

Developer

Matroska.org

Introduced

2002

Advantages

  • Supports virtually any codec
  • Multiple audio and subtitle tracks
  • Chapter support
  • Open source and free

Limitations

  • Not natively supported by all players
  • Not ideal for streaming
  • Large files at high quality
  • No hardware playback on some devices

When to use MKV

Movie collections and media servers
Anime with multiple subtitle tracks
Blu-ray rips and backups
Multi-language video distribution

Technical details

MKV uses the Matroska container based on EBML (Extensible Binary Meta Language). It supports H.264, H.265, VP9, AV1 video and virtually any audio codec. No limit on tracks or chapters.

Convert MKV to other formats

7 conversion options available

Convert to MKV from other formats

7 formats can be converted to MKV

Ready to convert your MKV files?

358+ conversion options. Fast, free, and secure.

Start converting — it's free