What is a WMV file?
WMV stands for Windows Media Video. It was created by Microsoft and first released in 1999. WMV was the default export of Windows Movie Maker, so many home videos from the 2000s are in it. Macs and iPhones never played it natively.
| Type | video |
|---|---|
| Compression | Lossy |
| Usually contains | WMV video with WMA audio in an ASF container |
| In a browser | does not play in browsers; plays in Windows Media Player and Films and TV |
| Common uses | Windows Movie Maker exports and older corporate video |
| MIME type | video/x-ms-wmv |
Which format should you convert WMV to?
- WMV to MP4 to play on any phone, computer or TV, or to upload to YouTube and social media.
- WMV to MOV to edit in iMovie or Final Cut Pro on a Mac.
- WMV to MP3 to keep only the soundtrack, for music or a podcast.
- WMV to GIF to share a short silent clip that loops anywhere.
WMV is already lossy, so converting it to a lossless format makes the file bigger without improving it; pick a lossless target only if a program requires one.
How to open a WMV file
Whether a WMV 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, WMV 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 | WMV does not play in browsers; plays in Windows Media Player and Films and TV. |
Want the technical details? See what a .wmv file is, with its MIME type, file signature and a viewer.
WMV compared with other video formats
How WMV stacks up against the formats people most often convert it to or from:
| Format | Compression | Usually contains | Released | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMV | Lossy | WMV video with WMA audio in an ASF container | 1999 | Windows Movie Maker exports and older corporate video |
| 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 WMV converter
- Choose the format you want in the Convert to menu.
- Drop your WMV files on the box, or press Choose WMV files. Several files can go in at once.
- Adjust the settings if you need to; the defaults suit most people.
- Press Convert and save each file with its Download button. Nothing is uploaded at any point.
Tips for converting WMV files without losing quality
WMV is lossy, so some detail was already discarded when the file was made. Converting it cannot bring that back. Converting to a lossless format preserves what is left exactly but makes the file larger; converting to another lossy format adds a small extra loss, which is invisible at sensible settings.
- 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.
Convert WMV files from the command line
Everything this page does can also be done in a terminal. The most common WMV conversion, to MP4, looks like this with ffmpeg:
ffmpeg -i input.wmv -c:v libx264 -crf 23 -preset veryfast -c:a aac -b:a 128k -movflags +faststart output.mp4Change the output extension to pick another format. The converter above runs the same ffmpeg engine inside your browser, so you get the result without installing anything.
WMV converter FAQ
What is a WMV file?
WMV stands for Windows Media Video, a video format created by Microsoft in 1999. WMV was the default export of Windows Movie Maker, so many home videos from the 2000s are in it. Macs and iPhones never played it natively.
How do I open a WMV file?
WMV does not play in browsers; plays in Windows Media Player and Films and TV. If the program you need will not open it, convert it to a more widely supported format above.
What is the most common WMV conversion?
WMV to MP4 is the conversion people search for most. The video is re-encoded to H.264 video with AAC audio.
Does converting WMV files here upload them?
No. Every conversion on this page runs inside your browser, so your WMV files never leave your device.
Is the WMV converter free?
Yes. There is no sign-up and no watermark, and no limit on how many WMV files you convert. The site is supported by advertising.
Can I convert WMV files on iPhone or Android?
Yes. Open this page in Safari on iPhone and iPad, or in Chrome on Android, choose your WMV files and download the results to your Downloads folder.
Can I convert several WMV files at once?
Yes. Drop as many as you like; they are converted one after another, each with its own download button.