・ MP4 Basic Knowledge ・ MP4 Comparison ・ MP4 Flexibility ・ Download MP4 ・ Convert MP4 ・ Edit MP4 ・ Play MP4
Author: Candice Liu | Updated on Jan 8, 2024
Recent survey says MP4 is the leading format for video professionals - it reigns supreme with 69% for web and 59% for mobile as the output format. Why is MP4 so popular? What is MP4? What are MP4 advantages over MOV, MKV formats? Check here to be one step closer to MP4 video format.
MP4, aka MPEG-4 Part 14, is a container format using MPEG-4 compression developed by MPEG. The 1st version of MP4 file format was premiered in 2001 and replaced by ISO/IEC 14496-1:2003 2 years later. MP4 container allows for mixed storage of audiovisual data, subtitles and still image in a single file. The widely supported MP4 codecs by MP4 include H.264, MPEG4, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, VP8, VP9, MP3, AAC, PNG, JPEG, MPEG timed text, and even the hot H.265/HEVC. Files in MP4 are usually saved in official extension .mp4, along with some others in .m4a, m4p, m4v, .3pg.
What makes MP4 superior to MKV, AVI, MOV? MPEG-4 uses advanced data compression algorithms to ensure the reuse of media data, allow single operation & flexible code rate for high quality, and more. Specifically, MP4 advantages cover:
1. MP4 maintains higher degree of image and sound quality but smaller amount of data due to the high compression rate.
2. MP4 has high compatibility with Apple products since it is made based on QuickTime file format.
3. It gives high level of compression which produces smaller size. This makes it popular for streaming.
4. It stores various types of data other than video and audio, like the object descriptors, the scene descriptors, etc.
While it's the best delivery format, but MP4 loses ground in the long term of editing and movie making. This is because MP4 contains predictive coded frames or bi-directional frames that are against editing requiring intra frame.
MP4 is now the industry standard and tops other formats like AVCHD, FLV, AVI, MKV, and MOV. It is used in almost all fields, from multimedia presentation, movie streaming, video downloading to file transmitting.
1. Playing: Phones and tablets make wide use of MP4 to play files as it handles even the advanced HEVC, H.264 codecs.
2. Transmitting: MP4 delivers small file size, which is the reason it is widely used for sharing the file short through email.
3. Streaming: MP4 takes smaller disk space and consumes lower bandwidth. This makes it popular among YouTube, Vimeo, etc. Users are even prone to download videos in MP4 to be saved in hard drive from the point of file size.
4. Recording: Cameras/camcorders from Sony, JVC or so record digital videos in MP4 as it supports things like subtitles, still images, stage descriptions, 3D objects, etc.
Today's digital technologies give you a bewildering array of video formats to capture, create, edit and distribute films besides MP4 format - MKV, MOV, M4V, AVCHD, FLV and many more. Different formats mean different sizes of space they take, different video quality and compress ratio, and different screens they can play on. Not everyone knows the exact differences between MP4 and other formats. Before you convert, play or download mp4 videos/movies, check the main differences among MP4 and AVCHD, MKV, AVI, M4V etc.
While based on MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 codec, AVCHD is saved in a .m2ts and mp4 file in .mp4. AVCHD uses Dolby® Digital AC-3, while MP4 adopts MPEG-4 AAC LC audio codec. AVCHD is designed by Sony for their camcorders and is suitable for Blu-ray discs and HDTV. Compared with MP4, AVCHD has better quality and large size.
MKV is the preferred format for HD videos and Blu-ray discs as it supports H.264/AVC, a codec used for efficient HD media playback. It's in larger size than MP4. One big difference in MKV and MP4 is most H.265/HEVC files are stored in .mkv, which reduces file size by 50-70% with equivalent quality to MP4 H.264.
AVI is an uncompressed format. MP4 is a lossy format using MPEG4 AVC/H.264 codec, and the H.264 codec will give acceptable quality and lower bit-rates. AVI always has better quality and larger size than MP4 format. AVI is best for storing/editing videos, and MP4 is used for web distributing and physical media.
MP4 and M4V are quite similar. MP4 container holds either MPEG-4 or H.264 with AAC audio, while M4V is also based on H.264 but contains DRM, AC-3 Dolby Digital audio. Besides, M4V is usually protected by Apple's FairPlay protection, and is the specific format for iTunes.
MP4 and MOV are both lossy video formats. MP4 is based on MOV format, both can use MPEG-4. Normally mp4 has higher compression ratio thus MOV comes with better quality and larger size. MOV works under Mac environment and Apple devices, while MP4 video format is more widely accepted.
The biggest difference in MP3 and MP4 is that MP3 codec is used to encode audio only while MP4 contains video, audio, images and text. MP3 uses a lossy compression that can reduce audio file size without significant quality loss, thus remaining smaller size than an equivalent MP4 file.
Main differences between MP4 and other formats in short: 3GP is designed for 3G network mobile phones and optimized to reduce the storage and bandwidth requirements; WMV has smaller file size but inferior quality compared with MP4; FLV is a container format popular for video streaming online, but it doesn't contain as many files as MP4 does, and thus it has smaller file size; MPEG-4 is a compression method of audio and visual digital data while mp4 is a container format. To play the above formats easily without bother, you can convert them into MP4 format in clicks.
* Convert among MP4, MKV, HEVC, H264, AVI, MOV, AVCHD, 200+ digital formats freely;
* Compress MP4, AVI, MKV, MOV to play on iPhone, iPad, Android with suitable size and no quality loss;
* No.1 fast speed to download MP4 video movies from YouTube, FB, Dailymotion, etc. 1000+ sites.
* Record on-screen video and saved in MP4; edit MP4 (trim, crop, add subtitles) without affecting quality.
Unlinke other formats, MP4 features extensive compatibility and it's widely accepted by mobiles, webs, players, editors, and most digital media. For example, VLC player will have trouble to play MKV files, WMV is limited to Windows-oriented products while AVI is not a format for QuickTime either... MP4 keeps well balance between file size, video quality and excellent compatibility. Check the platforms that support MP4 format:
MP4 is relatively small with high quality remained even after compression, thus it's used on most mobile devices: iOS- iPhone, iPad, iPod; Android- Samsung, HTC, LG, Pixel, Moto, Sony, Huawei etc.
Most TV sets also support MP4 playback via USB or streaming, like Samsung TV, Vizio TV, Sony Bravia TV, LG, Sharp, Toshiba etc. The MP4 contains subtitles, video, audio and pictures.
Videos in MP4 is suitable for capturing content having high level of motion, also a top format for various game consoles including but not limited to Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3/PS4/PS Vita/PSP/Wii.
Cameras like Sony, Cannon, Panasonic, GoPro support MP4 recording as MP4G4/H.264 support both SD and HD video recording. And H.264 can yield HQ video while take less memory.
YouTube, FaceBook, Vimeo, Instagram, Twitter, Dailymotion, Break and most online video sites host MP4 as it's compatible with both online and mobile browsers and also supported by the new HTML5.
MP4 is widely accepted by desktop and laptop running on both macOS and Windows like MacBook Pro/Air/mini etc. It's a default format for Mac/PC's built-in players and most other computer applications.
In addition to the above compatible platforms, MP4 also works well with almost all the video players like QuickTime Player, VLC media player, DivX Plus Player, Windows Media Player, 5KPlayer; browsers IE, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera; video editors and most PC/Mac applications. However, you may also find that a file in .mp4 can't be open though it's stated as one of the supported formats. You should note that some programs support mp4 in H.264 or MPEG-4 codec only. If you have trouble to play a certain mp4 file, you can simply convert MP4 to the acceptable codec.
Now that MP4 enjoys a great compatibility on various devices, downloading MP4 videos cannot be more befitting for playing offline on desktop, mobile, TV, game console and more. Now the critical point is how to download MP4 movies and videos, which can be settled with a couple of answers, namely via plugins, apps, MP4 video downloader, online MP4 downloading service and torrent download sites. But which is the best way to get MP4 download? Is it free or safe enough? You will get your answer after you check the detailed MP4 video downloading methods.
Browser plugins offers an easy yet effective solution to free download MP4. You're not bound to things like system requirements or platform support for MP4 downloads on Chrome, Firefox, Safari etc.
Pros: Easy-to-use, no claim on platform & OS
Cons: Different browsers require different plugins
If you wanna download MP4 videos offline on iPhone iPad Android or other portable gadgets, MP4 download apps deliver a txtbook solution to directly download MP4 for offline playback or sharing.
Pros: Straightforward for MP4 mobile download
Cons: Limited MP4 download sites supported
MP4 video downloader software is claimed to be the safest and stablest tool to download HD MP4 from YouTube, Facebook, Vevo etc. And it is indeed. It keeps you away from the ads pop-ups, endless redirects, or hidden virus and malware.
Pros: Good security and stability. Fast speed.
Cons: It needs to install 3rd party software first.
There is nothing easier than MP4 online video downloader to download MP4 on desktops. You don't need install anything, just enter the URL address, click and select MP4 as output format, and there you are.
Pros: Easy; No need to install anything.
Cons: Unsafety; limited outputs; nonsupport of 4K.
You can also get MP4 download from torrent download sites with client like bitTorrent, uTorrent etc. It's ideal for mass MP4 download because a series of videos, movies, TV plays are usually compressed together so that you don't have to go over one by one. But MP4 torrent download is not encouraged since your downloaded MP4 video in this way may not be safe enough, carrying adware, malware virus, trojan etc. Worse still, you may also get in copyright issues especially when it comes to the copyrighted contents.
Click "Add Link". Free download and launch MacX YouTube Downloader on Mac. Click "Add Link" icon on the top to navigate to MP4 video download interface.
Analyze MP4 URL. Copy and paste your target video URL to the rectangle box, click "analyze", and the video will be loaded immediately. 
Select MP4. In the popup window, select MP4 as output format. And you are also available to choose the MP4 video resolution, file size and codec.
Note: If you're willing to watch the downloaded MP4 videos on iPhone iPad, you can check the box of "Auto add MP4 to iTunes".
Opt for Output Folder. Click "Browse" button to specify the output folder path so as to save the downloaded MP4 files where you prefer on your computer.
Free Download MP4 Video Now. Hit "Download Now" icon on the right corner to begin to free download MP4 HD movie video on Mac.
MP4 is a multimedia container with video and audio in various codecs like H.264, H.265, Theora, VP8, VP9, MPEG4, WMV, and more. This poses a problem when playing MP4 because MP4 codec might not be compatible with your phone at times. For instance, iPhone supports MP4 encoded with H.264/MPEG4, you cannot play MP4 in other codecs. So make sure MP4 video codec is in the support list of the device you want to play with. Wrong aspect ratio also leads to bad video playback experience. For example, you will get black bars down the sides when playing a 4:3 MP4 video on 16:9 widescreen TV. So an MP4 video converter is much needed to cope with the video/audio codec, res, aspect ratio and other settings. Check the solutions below and make MP4 downloads playable on your devices.
Is there any software both available to download and convert MP4? MacX Video Converter Pro is narratively compelling to this end, which is able to free download MP4 videos from YouTube, Facebook, Myspace, 1000+ sites and convert MP4 videos to MOV, AVI, FLV, WebM, MKV, YouTube, Quicktime etc. World' fastest speed ensured!
MP4 is widely accepted by a range of devices indeed, but it's not versatile. Still your downloads, rips, records, and saved copies are not confined to MP4 as well. So there might be some times you need to convert AVCHD, MKV, FLV, VOB, AVI to MP4 format or convert MP4 videos to MP3, MOV, etc to get them organized, editable, playable on laptops, mobile phones, media players, game consoles, etc.
You shot some beautiful footages with your Canon Panasonic camcorders, converting AVCHD to MP4 wins top priority if they wanna import AVCHD to iMovie, Final Cut Pro for editing, upload recordings for sharing, or watch AVCHD on iOS Android on the go.
It happens to all of us when opening an .mkv video on Mac with QuickTime, it says "There is no application set to open mkv". The MKV cannot open problem happens on game consoles, iPhone iPad, iTunes etc as well. You do need convert MKV to MP4 for a better compatibility.
Not all YouTube videos are compatible with portable devices directly, case in point, FLV. To watch such YouTube videos on handhelds, converting YouTube to MP4 comes to be the initial step. Conversely, converting MP4 to YouTube will do you a favor for uploading.
If you have a huge collection of DVD disks, you may want to convert DVD to MP4 to get rid of being smudged or damaged, free up your room space, get DVD contents at your fingertips on your phones, tablets, TVs or any other devices to view on the road.
Besides MP4 format, video resolution, aspect ratio, codec, bitrate, size etc. also matter a lot for playing MP4 on mobiles. If you sfind your MP4 unplayable on your iPhone, you do need adjust the parameters and convert MP4 to iPhone. MacX MediaTrans will do both at 1-click.
iTunes does add files that ends in .mp4. But do you know MP4, as a container format, can be encoded with various codecs like H.264, MPEG-4, MPEG-2, H.265, etc. And MP4 will be rejected by iTunes unless you convert MP4 to iTunes accepted MPEG-4, H.264, AAC codecs.
What's next after MP4 conversion? Edit MP4. You download a MP4 video with 60 mins in length, but you can't carve out time to watch this full MP4 video. Another case, when you mean to send a MP4 file to your friend via E-mail or upload MP4 to YouTube for sharing, you're told that your MP4 file exceeds the limits. That's not the end. You open a MP4 movie on your computer but sorry to find that the subtitles are foreign language, no English subtitles. All these issues indicate one thing: you need a MP4 editor to edit MP4 files before playback. How to edit MP4 video file? Follow MP4 tips & tricks to get the details.
It's no problem to watch a 60-min MP4 video for the one who is enjoying his summer holiday. As for the office worker, it's hard. Thus, you need a MP4 cutter to delete MP4 video clips to shorten length or get your favorite MP4 clip.
When you watch Oscars 2017 Best Foreign Language Film The Salesman, you need to add SRT English subtitles to this MP4 Iranian film. Well, how to merge SRT subtitles with MP4 in less 5 mins? Click button to learn more.
There will be times when you need to crop MP4 video to shift attentions to the most important parts. Your MP4 video will look better after you remove unwanted background, crop black borders and more.
Large MP4 file leads to YouTube uploading and E-mailing failure? Your 16GB iPhone rejects the oversized MP4 file? All these can be resolved as long as you compress MP4 file size, such as lower the resolution or bitrate.
You have two high-quality mp4 files that are from the same show. You wonder if there is a qualified MP4 joiner to merge multiple MP4 video files into 1 without re-encoding or quality loss. The answer is Yes!
News from BBC says audio streaming overtakes video for 1st time in US. This means people are more apt to use audio instead of video. If you also prefer audio to video, you can extract audio from MP4, YouTube, etc.
When you decide to buy some valuable goods like a new car, you would do some internet research and won't rush your decision. So it goes with free MP4 video players, which are vehicles for your MP4 videos and movies. Like cars, not all MP4 video players are created equal. Some deliver strong performance while others are not up to the mark. In case you install a weak free MP4 player, you will unload it sooner later and reinstall another one. That's quite time-consuming. Instead, you'd better do some research in this MP4 video player for Mac/PC comparison review and pick out the most powerful free MP4 media player to play MP4 format with whatever MP4 codec.
Simple and versatile, 5KPlayer is a free MP4 player that can easily play MP4, as well as MOV, MKV, DVD, 4K, VR video, etc.
VLC is the top media player to play MP4, video, audio, disc, etc. Though sometimes it won't play MP4 (H265), its merits outweigh demerits.
Here comes KMPlayer, which enables you to play MP4 freely on PC. Additional features also include playing HD, 2K, 4K UHD, 3D video, etc.
MPlayer is a cross-platform player to play MP4, MKV, AVI, etc. 12 container formats encoded by H264/MPEG-4 AVC, MPEG-4 Part 2, etc.
As a Windows video player, GOMPlayer has no problem to play MP4 video format, WMV, MKV, FLV, 3GP, even broken AVI on PC.
The last member RealPlayer can free play MP4 video on Mac, PC, Linux and even Android . Plus, the list of supported formats is extensive.
The above parts show the main differences and similarities among these top 6 free MP4 video players. Yet, that's absolutely not enough. After you choose one from them to play MP4 on Mac or Windows, there is a high likelihood that you need more guides on how to play MP4 files with 5KPlayer, VLC or KMPlayer, how to solve the problem "VLC won't play MP4", and other extended cases like play MKV on Mac, play YouTube on iPhone, etc. Thus, the below section lists out some tutorials for your reference.
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100% FREE video downloader makes MP4 video downloading simple and pain-free. Only 3 clicks to free download MP4 video movie from YouTube, Facebook, Dailymotion, cbs, bilibili, etc. 1000+ safe sites with whatever resolution (720p, 1080p, 2160p) and codec (H265/H264/MPEG-4 AVC).
Top all-in-1 video converter to free download MP4 video from 1000+ sites with No.1 fast speed, convert any video to MP4, convert MP4 to MOV, AVI, MKV, WMV, FLV, iPhone iPad, Android, etc. 194 + video audio formats and 350+ preset profiles, and edit MP4 (trim, crop, compress) on Mac.
An impressive MP4 video player to free play MP4 video on Mac/PC with any MP4 codecs (H264/MPEG-4 AVC, MPEG-4 Part 2, H265). Also play 4K/5K/1080p HD video, DVD, MOV, MKV, AVI, 360 VR, MP3, etc. files. Other great abilities like video AirPlay and downloads are also worth mention.
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