Video conversion
Convert WMV to MKV
Updated Jul 2026
WMV is an older Windows-only video format, and MKV is a widely supported container that plays smoothly on Mac, Windows, phones, and TVs. To convert, open the WMV in a converter and export it as MKV, which repackages the video without re-encoding it. Doing this on your own computer means the file never leaves your machine.
- Extension
- .wmv
- Type
- Video
- Typically
- Windows video
- Compression
- Lossy
- Extension
- .mkv
- Type
- Video
- Typically
- High-quality video containers
Convert WMV to MKV on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert WMV to MKV
- Open Morphjet and drag in the WMV file, or a whole folder of old recordings at once.
- Choose MKV as the output format.
- Convert. The MKV is written next to your original, and nothing leaves your machine.
WMV vs MKV: what actually changes
| WMV | MKV | |
|---|---|---|
| Opens everywhere | No, mostly limited to older Windows software | Yes, plays in most modern media apps on Mac, Windows, and mobile |
| File size | Smaller, built around compression for old bandwidth limits | Similar or slightly larger, since it's a container rather than a compressor |
| Quality | Lossy, compression is baked in when the file is made | No extra loss, converting just wraps the existing video in a new container |
| Multiple audio and subtitle tracks | No, one audio track | Yes, can hold several audio tracks and subtitles in one file |
| Long-term support | Aging format tied to older Windows versions | Actively used and well supported by current software |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert WMV to MKV when you want to play old Windows recordings on a Mac, phone, or modern TV, combine multiple audio tracks or subtitles into one file, or move a video off a format that's tied closely to older Windows versions.
If the WMV already plays fine where you need it, say on an old Windows PC set up just for that, there's no real reason to convert it and keep a second copy taking up disk space.
Why not just use an online converter?
WMV files often hold home movies, screen recordings, or old family footage, the kind of thing you don't want sitting on a stranger's server. Uploading one to a web-based converter means that video leaves your hands, at least temporarily, with no real way to know how long it's kept. Converting on your own computer keeps the file exactly where it started, on your machine.
Questions
Does converting WMV to MKV lose quality?
No noticeable loss beyond what's already in the WMV. Since the WMV is already compressed, converting it typically repackages that same video stream into MKV rather than recompressing it from scratch.
Will the MKV play on a Mac?
Yes. MKV is widely supported by media players on Mac, Windows, and mobile devices, which is the main reason people move away from WMV, a format tied closely to Windows.
Does the MKV keep multiple audio tracks or subtitles from the WMV?
If the original WMV has more than one audio track, that carries over into the MKV, which also supports embedding subtitle tracks directly in the file.
Can I convert WMV to MKV without uploading it?
Yes. Morphjet converts video on your own computer, so the file never gets uploaded anywhere, even if you're converting a large folder of old recordings.
Why bother converting an old WMV file at all?
Because support for WMV keeps fading outside Windows. If you want to watch, edit, or share that video anywhere else, converting it to MKV keeps it usable.
Morphjet converts WMV, MKV, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.