History of the MKV file.

December 2002 marked the beginning of the MKV format. Then, Steve Lhomme announced the new project after leaving the Multimedia Container Format (MCF) developers’ team.

The WebM container format, which shares the base with MKV, has been continually developing since 2010. Microsoft started to support MKV files in 2014, with Windows Media Player being the primary video player for the OS’s users.

With features like menus, selectable streams, and chapter entries, the MKV file format has become famous for storing short videos, TV series, and films. The name ‘Matroska’ derives from the Russian word ‘matryoshka’ for the set of wooden nesting dolls placed inside one another.

Pros and cons of MKV files.

MKV files can be perfect for your next project, but there are also some aspects of them that might mean an alternative will help you get the most out of your next production.

How to open an MKV file.

The MKV format is not as widespread as other video container formats. Therefore, not all platforms have native support for MKV files.

To open a file with the MKV extension on your Windows computer, simply double-click on the file to open it in Windows Media Player. To open and MKV file on a macOS computer, you’ll need to use a third-party application.

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How to convert MKV to MP4?

You may need or prefer working in an MP4 video format on Adobe video editing tools, such as Premiere Pro. If so, you will need to convert an MKV file to MP4 to be compatible with this and other applications. To convert an MKV file, use a reputable open-source or paid third-party tool.

What is MKV format?

MKV, or Matroska Video Files, is a video file container format that can store an unlimited number of video, audio, and subtitle tracks in one file. It’s similar to MOV and AVI but offers a larger storage size. It’s an open-source format which is free to use by anyone.

What will play MKV files?

Some platforms and operating systems, such as Windows, have adopted MKV as a native format. A simple double-click on the file will automatically open the video in the default media player. For other platforms, there are free third-party applications that support the MVK format.

Does converting MKV to MP4 lose quality?

Changing container format from MKV to MP4 doesn’t involve encoding, as it is only the process of changing the “wrapping” around video, audio, and other media streams in the container. This process doesn’t lead to quality loss.

How can you edit an MKV file?

Before editing an MKV file in Premiere Pro, you’ll need to change the file’s format to MP4 or another supported multimedia container format. You can do it using one of the free or paid third-party tools available.

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Learn more about similar file types to MKV.

Learn more about choosing video formats and work with intuitive and easy-to-use video editing tools:

Adobe Premiere Pro After Effects Media Encoder

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