Buzz
Are you looking to convert WebM files to MP4? Although this open-source format is frequently used on HTML5 platforms like YouTube, some video players do not support WebM videos. Fortunately, converting .webm files to MP4 is simple and doesn’t take much time. If you want to create an MP4 video with the same resolution and file size as the original, you can use any video converter, including VLC Media Player, or an online tool compatible with all platforms. If you’re looking for an easy way to reduce video quality and file size, try HandBrake on your Windows or Mac computer. This article provides a step-by-step guide on 5 simple methods to convert WebM videos to MP4.
Steps
Using Veed.io (across all platforms)
Visit https://www.veed.io/convert/webm-to-mp4 using your browser. This is one of the online conversion tools that makes it easy to convert WebM files to MP4. You can use this tool on any platform, including computers, Android devices, iPhones, or iPads.
- This is an excellent solution if you want to quickly convert WebM files to MP4 without altering the results. You can even use this tool on Android, iPhone, or iPad.
- The free version of Veed.io allows users to convert videos with a maximum size of 250MB and a maximum export duration of 10 minutes. Additionally, the video will have a watermark. If you convert WebM to MP4 online using Veed.io, you’ll need to manually remove the watermark. Alternatively, you can subscribe to Veed.io’s paid plan to convert videos without a watermark.
- Although Veed.io allows you to convert larger files than most online tools, it may not be the best option for very large WebM files—uploading large files can be time-consuming. For extremely large WebM files, it’s better to use offline tools like VLC or Handbrake.
Click on Upload Your File. This action opens a file browsing window.
Select the file. Choose the ".webm" file, then click Open or Upload when prompted. This uploads the WebM file to Veed.io.
Click on Convert File. This oval-shaped button is located at the bottom of the page. You’ll see a preview once the file is converted.
Click on Download MP4. The file will be downloaded to your device’s default library.
- You may need to tap Save to save the file.
Using Handbrake (on Windows and Mac)
Launch Handbrake on your Windows or Mac computer. Handbrake is an open-source video converter that simplifies the process of converting WebM files to MP4. If you don’t have Handbrake installed, you can download it from https://handbrake.fr.
- Handbrake comes with numerous presets, making it easy to adjust the quality and aspect ratio of your MP4 files. While it can’t enhance the quality of low-resolution videos, it’s perfect for creating smaller files that are easier to share.
Drag and drop your WebM file into the window. Alternatively, you can click File to select the file using your Windows or Mac file browser.
Select MP4 from the "Format" menu. If this option isn’t already selected, make sure to choose it. This ensures your MP4 file is encoded correctly (H.264).
Choose a preset from the menu. To select the best settings for your video, first check the resolution and FPS (frames per second) next to "Source" at the top of the window. Higher-quality files will have larger sizes.
- If you don’t want to alter the quality, simply choose a preset with a resolution and FPS similar (or close) to the source.
- For converting a 4K WebM file (4096x2034) to 4K, select the Vimeo YouTube HQ 2160p60 4K preset under the Web menu.
- To reduce the size of a high-quality video, opt for a lower resolution.
- For example, to shrink an HD video with 1080p resolution and 60 FPS without significantly affecting quality, you can choose one of the 720p30 presets.
- The General presets are designed for universal device compatibility, while the Web presets are optimized for online sharing.
- For more details on HandBrake’s official presets, visit https://handbrake.fr/docs/en/latest/technical/official-presets.html.
Select a save location and name your file. Follow these steps to create your MP4 file:
- Click Browse. You’ll find this button next to "File" on Mac and next to "Save As" on Windows.
- Choose the folder to save the file and enter a new name if needed.
- Click Save.
- The new file will have the extension .m4v instead of .m4a. Don’t worry—MP4 and M4V formats are essentially the same. The .m4v extension ensures compatibility with QuickTime.
- If you want to play the video using QuickTime Player on Mac, keep the .m4v extension. Otherwise, replace .m4v in the filename (next to "File" or "Save As") with .mp4.
Click Start Encode on Windows or Start on Mac. This option is located at the top of the window. The file will then be converted to MP4 format.
- Processing larger files will take more time. Smaller files may only take a few seconds to a couple of minutes.
- Once the conversion is complete, the MP4 file will appear in the folder you selected.
Using VLC Media Player (on Windows)
Open VLC Media Player on your Windows computer. VLC Media Player is a free video player that supports almost all audio and video file types. It also allows you to easily convert WebM files to other formats, including MP4.
- If you don’t have VLC Media Player, you can download it from https://www.videolan.org.
- If you want to reduce the quality of the output video, it’s better to use Handbrake. While you can adjust quality settings in VLC, Handbrake’s simple presets eliminate the need for manual customization, helping you avoid creating low-quality or blurry MP4 files.
Click the Media menu and select Convert/Save…. The Media menu is located in the top-left corner of VLC Media Player.
Click the Add button. You’ll find this option near the top of the window.
Select the WEBM file and click Open. This adds the file to the top section of the window.
Click the Convert/Save button. You’ll find this option at the bottom of the window.
Select the MP4 profile. Click the "Profile" menu, then choose the Video - H.264 + MP3 (MP4) profile.
Click the wrench icon. This option is located next to the "Profile" menu.
Configure video encoding settings. To ensure the output video matches the original, follow these steps:
- Click the Video codec tab.
- Select H-264 from the "Codec" menu.
- Choose Same as source in the "Frame Rate" menu.
- Click the Resolution tab and ensure all options are set to Auto.
- You can reduce the resolution if desired. However, increasing it beyond the original won’t improve quality.
- Lowering the resolution of an already low-quality video will result in poor output.
- Click the Audio codec tab.
- Check the box next to Audio and select Keep original audio track.
- Click Save.
Choose the output file location. Now, you need to select a folder on your computer to save the new file. Follow these steps:
- Click Browse next to "Destination file".
- Navigate to the folder where you want to save the MP4 file.
- In the "File name" field, replace .webm with .mp4.
- Click Save.
Click Start to convert the video. You’ll find this button at the bottom of the window. The WebM file will then be converted to MP4 format.
- The process may take a few minutes for larger files, but smaller files will convert more quickly.
- Once the conversion is complete, the new file will appear in the selected folder.
Using VLC Media Player (on Mac)
Open VLC Media Player on your Mac. VLC Media Player is a free program that supports almost all audio and video file types.
- VLC also makes it easy to convert WebM files to other formats, including MP4. If you don’t have VLC Media Player, you can download it from https://www.videolan.org.
Click the File menu and select Convert/Save…. The File menu is located in the top-left corner of the screen.
Open the WebM file. Follow these steps:
- Click the Open media… button.
- Select the WebM file.
- Click Open.
Select the MP4 profile. If this option isn’t selected by default, click the "Choose Profile" menu and choose Video - H.264 + MP3 (MP4).
Click the Customize… button. You’ll find this option to the right of the selected profile.
Choose H.264 video encoding. This selects the conversion method for VLC. Follow these steps:
- Click the Video codec tab.
- Select H.264 from the "Codec" menu. This may already be selected; if not, choose it from the menu.
- It’s best to keep the default settings for the remaining options to ensure VLC uses the original frame rate and resolution for the output video.
- You can reduce the resolution if desired, but increasing it beyond the original won’t improve quality.
- Upscaling a low-resolution video will result in poorer quality.
Keep the original audio. This ensures the converted video retains its sound:
- Click the Audio codec tab.
- Check the boxes next to "Audio" and "Keep original audio track".
- Leave the default settings for the remaining options.
Click Apply. This saves your changes and returns you to the Convert & Stream window.
Choose the save location. Now, select a folder on your Mac to save the new file. Follow these steps:
- Click Save as File under "Choose Destination".
- Click the Browse… button displayed on the screen.
- Navigate to the folder where you want to save the MP4 file.
- Enter a new name for the file in the "Save As" field at the top. Only enter the file name (e.g., movie) without adding the ".mp4" extension.
- Click Save.
Click Save to convert the file. This button is located at the bottom of the window. It will convert the WebM file to MP4 format. The process may take a few minutes for larger files but will be quicker for smaller ones.
Open the folder containing the new file. You’ll notice the new file has the extension .m4v instead of .m4a. Don’t worry—MP4 and M4V formats are essentially the same. The file extension ensures compatibility with QuickTime.
- If you want to play the video in QuickTime Player (the default media player on Mac), keep the .m4v extension.
- If QuickTime isn’t a concern, you can easily rename the file to use the .mp4 extension, making it playable in any video player that supports MP4.
Rename the file (optional). If you want to change the .m4v extension and don’t mind viewing the video in QuickTime Player, follow these steps:
- Click the file once to select it, then press Return.
- Replace .m4v with .mp4. For example, if the file is named movie.m4v, change it to movie.mp4.
- Press Return.
Using Online Convert (across all platforms)
Visit https://video.online-convert.com/convert-to-mp4. Online Convert is a free web-based tool that allows you to convert various file types (including WEBM) to MP4 format.
- This tool is useful for quickly converting small-sized WebM files to MP4 without altering the output video. For files larger than 100MB, consider using another method. Additionally, if you need to convert more than 2 videos to MP4 simultaneously, upgrade to a Premium plan or try another online conversion tool.
Click Choose File. This is the white button on the green box.
Select the WebM file. Locate and choose the file with the ".webm" extension, then click Open or Upload when prompted.
Click START. This is the green button below the file name. The conversion process will begin immediately. Once completed, you’ll see the option to download the MP4 file.
Save the downloaded file to your computer, phone, or tablet. If the download doesn’t start automatically, click or tap Download. When prompted, choose a location to save the file on your computer, Android, iPhone, or iPad, then click or tap Save to store the new MP4 file.
Tips
- You can find countless online tools and apps for converting video files to MP4 format. If the options mentioned in this article don’t suit your needs, search for "webm to MP4 converter" online to explore alternatives.
