WMV (Windows Media Video) files come from older software, cameras, screen recorders and downloads. Many current devices and programs can't play them. Converting to MP4 re-encodes the Windows Media video and sound into H.264 and AAC, the formats practically every player understands.
How to convert WMV to MP4
- Upload the WMV or ASF file (up to 2 GB).
- Keep Convert to: MP4, and choose the quality: Balanced looks like the original, High keeps more detail, Small file saves space.
- Download the MP4.
What changes
- Video: WMV 7, WMV 8, WMV 9 and VC-1 are re-encoded to H.264.
- Sound: WMA and WMA Pro are re-encoded to AAC. MP3 sound, which some ASF files contain, is copied.
- Size: the picture keeps its size in pixels. WMV files with non-square pixels are made square, so the shape stays right.
Tips
- ASF files (the container behind WMV and WMA) are accepted too.
- Files protected with digital rights management (DRM) can't be converted; the result says so when a file is protected.
- To go the other way, choose WMV as the output: MP4 and other videos become WMV 8 with WMA sound, for older software and devices.
- Re-encoding takes time: up to about 25 minutes of 1080p video per file, and longer for the smaller videos typical of WMV. Choose a lower maximum resolution under “More options” for long recordings.
More about what this tool reads and writes: Video Converter.