What is a PSP file?
PSP stands for PlayStation Portable video (MP4). It was created by Sony and first released in 2004. The PSP plays MP4 video only in the format Sony specified: H.264 or MPEG-4 at the screen size of 480 by 272 pixels, in an MP4 file the PSP recognises. A "PSP video" is that kind of MP4, saved with the .mp4 extension.
| Type | video |
|---|---|
| Compression | Lossy |
| Usually contains | H.264 video at 480 by 272 pixels with AAC audio |
| In a browser | is an MP4, so it also plays in browsers and on phones |
| Common uses | watching videos on a PlayStation Portable |
| MIME type | video/mp4 |
How to open a PSP file
Whether a PSP file opens with a double click depends on the device. Here is what works on each, without buying software:
| Windows | Films and TV and Media Player open the common formats; VLC opens almost any video file, PSP included. |
|---|---|
| Mac | QuickTime Player opens formats Apple supports; VLC or IINA open the rest. |
| iPhone and iPad | The Files app plays formats Apple supports. For others, a player such as VLC for iOS, or converting the file here, is the easiest route. |
| Android | Most gallery and music apps play the common formats; VLC for Android plays almost everything. |
| Web browser | PSP is an MP4, so it also plays in browsers and on phones. |
PSP compared with other video formats
How PSP stacks up against the formats people most often convert it to or from:
| Format | Compression | Usually contains | Released | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSP | Lossy | H.264 video at 480 by 272 pixels with AAC audio | 2004 | watching videos on a PlayStation Portable |
| MP4 | Lossy | H.264 or H.265 video with AAC audio | 2001 | phone videos, YouTube uploads, social media and streaming |
| MOV | Lossy | H.264, HEVC or ProRes video with AAC audio | 1991 | iPhone recordings, Final Cut Pro and screen recordings on Mac |
| MKV | Lossy | almost any codec, often H.264 or H.265 with several audio and subtitle tracks | 2002 | films and TV rips, OBS recordings and anime releases |
| WebM | Lossy | VP8, VP9 or AV1 video with Vorbis or Opus audio | 2010 | web video, screen recorders and browser-based recordings |
How to use the PSP converter
- Drop your MP4 files on the box, or press Choose files. Several files can go in at once.
- Press Convert to PSP.
- Save each PSP with its Download button. Most files never leave your device.
This page makes PSP files from other formats. There is no conversion from PSP to another format on the site yet, so the converter only offers PSP as the result.
Tips for converting PSP files without losing quality
This page makes PSP files from other formats, so the quality is decided by the source: clean, well-made originals give a clean PSP. Keep the originals as well: they are the files you edit, and a new PSP can be made from them at any time.
- Keep the original recording. Every re-encode costs a little detail, so convert from the best copy you have, not from a file that was already converted.
- Know whether you need a new container or a new codec. MOV, MKV and MP4 can all hold H.264 video, and switching between them is fast and lossless; changing the codec means re-encoding, which is slower.
- For sharing, MP4 with H.264 at 1080p or 720p is the safe choice: every phone, browser and social network plays it.
- Phones record at very high bitrates. If a file is too big to send, lowering the resolution to 720p usually shrinks it far more than any quality setting.
Make a PSP file from the command line
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 PSP with the same kind of settings:
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "scale=480:272:force_original_aspect_ratio=decrease,pad=480:272:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2" -c:v libx264 -profile:v main -level 3.0 -crf 21 -c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 48000 -f psp output.mp4Replace input.mp4 with the name of your file. For a whole folder of MP4 files, run the command in a loop, or drop them all on the converter above, which processes them one after another.
PSP converter FAQ
What is a PSP file?
PSP stands for PlayStation Portable video (MP4), a video format created by Sony in 2004. The PSP plays MP4 video only in the format Sony specified: H.264 or MPEG-4 at the screen size of 480 by 272 pixels, in an MP4 file the PSP recognises. A "PSP video" is that kind of MP4, saved with the .mp4 extension.
How do I open a PSP file?
PSP is an MP4, so it also plays in browsers and on phones.
Does converting PSP files here upload them?
No. Every conversion on this page runs inside your browser, so your PSP files never leave your device.
Is the PSP converter free?
Yes. There is no sign-up and no watermark, and no limit on how many PSP files you convert. The site is supported by advertising.
Can I convert PSP files on iPhone or Android?
Yes. Open this page in Safari on iPhone and iPad, or in Chrome on Android, choose your files and download the results to your Downloads folder.
Can I convert several files to PSP at once?
Yes. Drop as many as you like; they are converted one after another, each with its own download button.