MP4 to WMV Converter
WMV is Microsoft's own video format, and some older Windows software still plays nothing else reliably. Convert an MP4 here when a presentation, an editing project or a legacy PC refuses the file.
Video Converter
or drop MP4, MOV, MKV … files here ·
Max 95 MB per file· Up to 20 files· Deleted after 30 minutes
Files are processed on our servers and deleted after 30 minutes.
Lower is better quality and a bigger file. 18 looks identical to the source, 23 is the default, 28 and above shows visible softening.
Frames per second. Keep the source rate unless a platform asks for a specific one; 15–20 fps is plenty for GIFs.
Only used for PowerPoint files and single still images: how long each slide or picture stays on screen.
Auto uses AAC for MP4/MOV and Opus for WebM. Copy keeps the original sound untouched when the new format supports it.
192 kbps is transparent for music; 128 kbps is enough for speech.
Width of the animation in pixels; height follows the aspect ratio. 480 px suits chats, 720 px or more gives a high-quality GIF but a much larger file.
GIF holds at most 256 colors. Fewer colors make a smaller file but cause banding on gradients and skin tones.
Mixes palette colors in a fine pattern to hide banding. Sierra gives the smoothest result; none gives the smallest file.
Whether the animation repeats endlessly or plays one time and stops.
Optional. Seconds (e.g. 75) or minutes:seconds (1:15). Leave empty to start at the beginning.
Optional. Same format as the start time. Leave empty to keep everything up to the end.
The converted file will be at or just under this size.
How to use this tool
- 1
Add the MP4 files
Drop them on the upload area, up to 20 per batch and 95 MB each.
- 2
Check quality and size
The page starts on WMV at Quality (CRF) 20 with 192 kbps audio. Choose 720p or 480p under Resolution if the target PC is slow.
- 3
Convert and download
Press Convert to WMV and copy the result to the computer that needs it.
Why some PCs still need WMV
Microsoft introduced Windows Media Video in 1999 and kept improving it until WMV 9, which was standardized by SMPTE as VC-1 in 2006 and later appeared on Blu-ray discs. For a decade it was the default video format on Windows: Movie Maker exported it, Windows Media Player streamed it and every school and office PC could open it.
H.264 in an MP4 replaced it, but not everywhere at once. Windows Media Player only gained built-in MP4 support in version 12 with Windows 7 (2009). Machines kept on Windows XP or Vista for a classroom projector, a lab instrument or a museum display, and presentations built in PowerPoint 2010, still meet MP4 files they cannot decode.
MP4
MPEG-4 video
MP4 (MPEG-4 Part 14) is a multimedia container standardised by ISO/MPEG and based on Apple's QuickTime format. It usually holds H.264 or HEVC video with AAC audio, and can also carry subtitles, chapters and metadata. It is the most compatible video format in the world, playing on phones, browsers, TVs, game consoles and social platforms. The video inside is almost always lossy, so repeated re-encoding gradually reduces quality.
- Compression
- Lossy
- Transparency
- –
- Animation
- –
- Introduced
- 2001 · Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG)
WMV
Windows Media Video
WMV is Microsoft's video format, introduced in 1999 for Windows Media Player and streaming. It uses Microsoft's own lossy video codecs inside the ASF container. It was common for older Windows recordings, presentations and downloads, but Microsoft has largely stopped developing it. macOS, iPhones, browsers and many editors do not play WMV without extra software.
- Compression
- Lossy
- Transparency
- –
- Animation
- –
- Introduced
- 1999 · Microsoft
MP4 goes to WMV for a single reason: an older piece of Windows software, a presentation or a locked-down PC plays Windows Media and nothing newer.
Programs that play WMV but reject MP4
| Organisation | Requirement | Source |
|---|---|---|
| PowerPoint 2010 (Windows) | Plays WMV and ASF natively; MP4 and MOV only if Apple QuickTime is installed | — |
| Windows Media Player 11 (XP, Vista) | Plays WMV; no H.264 or AAC decoder for MP4 | — |
| Windows Movie Maker (XP, Vista) | Imports WMV, AVI and MPEG; does not import MP4 | — |
| PowerPoint 2013 and later | Prefers MP4 with H.264 and AAC; WMV still accepted | — |
Convert MP4 to WMV with settings an old PC can handle
A ten-year-old laptop decodes WMV in software, so the frame size matters more than the codec. A 1080p MP4 converted at full size can stutter on a dual-core machine; 720p plays smoothly on almost anything that runs Windows 7, and 480p suits XP-era hardware and a 4:3 projector.
Keep Frame rate on Same as source unless a 60 fps game capture needs to drop to 30 fps for a weak graphics chip. The audio is converted to a format Windows Media Player reads, at the bitrate you set. If you are moving the other way, or need a format for an old DVD player instead, MP4 to AVI covers that hardware.
MP4 to WMV in short
- WMV is for old Windows software, not for sharing
- 720p plays smoothly on most Windows 7 PCs
- Macs need VLC to open WMV
- Keep the MP4 as your master copy
MP4 to WMV converter FAQ
Why would I convert MP4 to WMV today?
Because a specific old program asks for it. PowerPoint 2010 on Windows, Windows Movie Maker and Windows Media Player on XP or Vista all handle WMV out of the box but stumble on MP4 with H.264. If none of those is involved, keep the MP4.
Will a WMV play on a Mac?
Not in QuickTime Player or the Photos app; macOS has never shipped a Windows Media decoder. VLC and IINA play WMV on a Mac, but if the audience uses Macs, MP4 is the better choice.
Is a WMV file bigger than the MP4?
Usually, at the same visible quality. The Windows Media codecs are a generation older than H.264, so they need more bits for the same detail. Lower Resolution to 720p if the WMV has to fit on a small USB stick or an email.
Can I embed the WMV in PowerPoint 2010 so it plays on another PC?
Yes. Use Insert → Video → Video from File, which embeds the clip in the .pptx by default. Older .ppt files from PowerPoint 2007 and earlier only link to the video, so copy the WMV next to the presentation as well.
How do I convert the WMV back later?
Use WMV to MP4. Convert from your original MP4 rather than from the WMV whenever you still have it, since each conversion is another lossy encode.