Open MP4 files

Full name

MPEG-4 Video File Format
Developer

Moving Picture Experts Group
Popularity

Have you encountered a problem with a MP4 file? Don’t you know which program opens a file with this extension? You will find all the information you need about working with a MP4 file here. In the further part of this page we have added a list of programs that should open your MP4 file. It is enough you choose a proper application for your operating system, download and install it.

What is MP4 file?

The MPEG-4 Part 14 or MP4 format, which is marked by the extension MP4 as avi and mov a container format. It is based on Apple Quicktime.

More info

These files can contain video and / or multiple audio streams as well as subtitle text and images. It also supports multimedia content such as 2D and 3D data, menus or interactive content. Theoretically, almost any type of data can be included in an mp4, but this is not widely supported.

The video and data streams can be coded in different compression methods.

Supported MPEG 1, 2 and 4. MPEG 4 contains such codecs as Xvid, Divx and H264 and is mostly used. Audio can be in AAC, MP3, MP2 or AC3. There are other special codecs supported. Most commonly AAC is used.

MP4 files can also contain additional metadata.

The contents of the file may also be protected by DRM (Digital Rights Management). Then you need a corresponding, possibly paid license to view the content.

For MP4 files, which contain only one type of data, other endings come into use. m4v for video, m4a for audio, m4b for audiobooks.

Often, portable hardware players are referred to as MP4 players if they can play videos in addition to audio files. However, this does not mean that they can handle MP4 files.

Most players can handle MP4 files as long as they can decode the data they contain. That's the case with most videos.

Programs which can open a MP4 file

Windows

Linux

Mac OS

iOS

Apple Music

How to open file with MP4 extension?

In order to open a file with MP4 extension one of the following programs must be installed on user’s system. If a problem with opening MP4 file occurred, it is highly possible that none of the listed programs is present on user’s system. Even if one or more said programs are installed, there may be issues related with given programs. In order to solve a problem with MP4 files, follow the instructions below.

Install QuickTime Player or other program from the list

Most often resolving problems with opening MP4 files is very simple. Just install an appropriate program that supports such files. All of the listed programs support MP4 files, but may vary in offered function and purpose. Some programs may be capable only of viewing contents of MP4 files or offer file conversion options, but may not be capable of editing such files.

Set QuickTime Player as the default program for opening MP4 files

It is possible that although a compatible program has been installed on user’s system, it is not used by the system to open it. This may happen because no default application was associated with this type of files. To associate MP4 files with given application, select "Open with" from drop-down menu (accessed by right-clicking on the file). Then select from the list the program or application you want to be used to open this type of file. If the QuickTime Player applications is not on the list, select "Browse" option in order to manually locate the directory where QuickTime Player has been installed.

Check the section that lists most common problems with MP4 files

Sometimes problems with opening MP4 files may not lie with the application itself, but can arise due to other causes, such as:

File data is corrupted
MP4 files has been not been completely download from the internet (only a part of the data has been downloaded)
Currently used user account hasn’t been granted necessary privileges to open MP4 files (should that be the case, please contact your system administrator or IT specialist)
MP4 file was being copied from a corrupted storage device and is incomplete or data is corrupted. (Copying files from unknown or untrusted sources should be conducted with great care as such files may contain malicious software, which can damage your system)