What happens when you convert OGA to OGV
- OGV is a video format. The audio is encoded as Vorbis audio, and by default the file has no picture.
- Tick "Add a black video track" if the OGV is going to YouTube or another site that rejects audio-only video.
How to convert OGA to OGV online
- Press "Choose OGA files" and select one or more files, or drag them onto the box. You can add files of any size your device can hold in memory.
- Adjust the settings if you need to: resolution and quality control the size of the result. The defaults suit most people.
- Press "Convert to OGV". The first audio or video conversion downloads the converter engine, about 32 MB, which your browser then keeps for next time.
- Save each OGV with its download button. Close the tab and every trace of the files is gone from memory.
Why convert OGA to OGV?
OGA files usually come from Linux audio tools and some messaging apps. People convert them to OGV because OGV is the free format Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons accept for uploads.
In short, OGA is good at what it was made for, and OGV is the more practical choice when the file has to play, upload or edit somewhere else. OGA plays in Chrome, Firefox and Edge; many desktop players do not recognise the extension, while OGV plays in Chrome and Firefox; Safari does not.
How to convert OGA to OGV on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
On Windows
Open this page in Chrome, Edge or Firefox, drag your OGA files in from File Explorer, and press Convert. Each OGV is saved to your Downloads folder. If you prefer a desktop program, VLC can also convert OGA to OGV: choose Media, then Convert / Save.
On a Mac
Safari, Chrome and Firefox all work. Drag the OGA files from Finder onto the drop zone and the OGV files land in Downloads.
On iPhone and iPad
Open the page in Safari and tap Choose OGA files. You can pick from Photos or from the Files app. The converted OGV appears in Files, in the Downloads folder; to put it in your photo library, open it there, tap Share and choose Save Video.
On Android
Open the page in Chrome, tap Choose OGA files and pick them from Files or your gallery. The OGV is saved to the Download folder, where any file manager can find it. Keep the screen on while a long video converts, because Android may pause a tab in the background.
Best settings for OGA to OGV
OGV is written as Theora video with Vorbis audio. The Resolution setting is the one to reach for: 1080p keeps full HD detail, 720p is plenty for phones and laptops and roughly halves the size, and 480p suits email and old devices.
The quality levels map to the H.264 CRF scale where the target uses H.264, and to fixed high-quality settings for older codecs such as MPEG-2, MPEG-4 Part 2, WMV and Theora. Re-encoding always costs a little detail, so convert from the best copy of the OGA you have.
OGA vs OGV: the differences
| OGA | OGV | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ogg audio | Ogg video |
| Type | audio | video |
| Created by | the Xiph.Org Foundation | the Xiph.Org Foundation |
| First released | 2007 | 2007 |
| Compression | Lossy or lossless | Lossy |
| Usually contains | Vorbis, Opus, FLAC or Speex | Theora video with Vorbis audio |
| In a browser | plays in Chrome, Firefox and Edge; many desktop players do not recognise the extension | plays in Chrome and Firefox; Safari does not |
| Common uses | Linux audio tools and some messaging apps | Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons video and open-source projects |
| MIME type | audio/ogg | video/ogg |
About OGA and OGV files
What is an OGA file?
The .oga extension was introduced to mark Ogg files that contain only audio. The contents are the same as a typical .ogg, but plenty of software only looks for the older extension.
What is an OGV file?
OGV holds Theora video, a free codec that Wikimedia uses for its media. Theora is noticeably less efficient than H.264, so OGV files are often larger for the same quality.
OGA to OGV not working? Common problems
- The conversion is slow. Audio and container changes take seconds, but re-encoding video runs on your own processor. Lower the resolution to 720p, close other tabs, and keep the device plugged in.
- The tab stops or reloads on a very large file. Browsers limit how much memory one tab can use, around 2 GB and less on phones. Split long recordings or convert them on a computer.
- The OGV will not play on an old device. Try the other formats offered for OGA, or choose 720p, which older players handle more reliably.
Convert OGA to OGV with ffmpeg
This converter runs ffmpeg inside your browser. If you would rather use the ffmpeg command line on your own computer, this command produces an equivalent OGV with the same kind of settings:
ffmpeg -i input.oga -c:v libtheora -q:v 7 -c:a libvorbis -q:a 5 output.ogvReplace input.oga with the name of your file. For a whole folder of OGA files, run the command in a loop, or drop them all on the converter above, which processes them one after another.
OGA to OGV converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting OGA to OGV?
A little. Both formats are lossy, so re-encoding compounds the loss slightly. Keep the default quality or higher and the difference is rarely noticeable.
Why is the OGV a different size from the OGA?
Without a picture, the OGV is about the size of the audio. Adding a black video track adds a little, because a still black frame compresses to almost nothing.
Are my OGA files uploaded anywhere?
No. The conversion runs inside this browser tab using ffmpeg compiled to WebAssembly, so your files stay on your device. You can disconnect from the internet after the page and converter engine have loaded and it still works.
Can I convert several OGA files to OGV at once?
Yes. Select or drop as many files as you like; they are converted one after another and each gets its own download button.
How do I open an OGV file?
OGV plays in Chrome and Firefox; Safari does not. OGV is common for Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons video and open-source projects.
Is this OGA to OGV converter free?
Yes. There is no sign-up, no watermark and no limit on how many files you convert. The site is paid for by advertising, and because conversions run on your device there is no server cost per file.
Can I convert OGA to OGV on my phone?
Yes. The converter works in Safari on iPhone and iPad and in Chrome on Android. Long HD videos convert more slowly on a phone than on a computer.