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What is an M4V file?
Apple's variant of MP4 used by iTunes and the Apple TV app. DRM-free M4V files are essentially MP4 files with a different extension.
Pros
- Plays in Apple TV, iTunes and QuickTime
Cons
- Purchased iTunes movies are DRM-protected and cannot be converted
How to open M4V files
VLC Media Player (free, Windows/macOS/Linux/Android/iOS) opens M4V files with almost any codec. They also open natively in the Photos/Movies & TV app on Windows and QuickTime on Mac.
Is M4V lossy or lossless?
M4V is a container, not a codec — whether it is lossy depends on the streams inside (H.264 video with AAC audio). In practice almost all M4V files use lossy compression.
When should you convert M4V?
DRM-free M4V files are essentially MP4 files with a different extension. If the app or device you need doesn't accept M4V, convert it to MP4 — the most widely supported alternative.
Convert M4V to…
M4V at a glance
- Full name
- iTunes Video
- Developed by
- Apple
- Introduced
- 2003
- Contains
- H.264 video with AAC audio
- MIME type
- video/x-m4v
- Best for
- Apple TV app and iTunes libraries