Audio
What is a .mp4 file?
An .mp4 is the most widely supported video file there is — practically every device plays one.
This extension has been used by more than one format
2 different formats have claimed .mp4 over the years, so two files with the same extension aren't necessarily the same kind of thing.
How to open a .mp4 file
- WindowsFilms & TV
- WindowsVLC
- MacQuickTime
- MacVLC
- LinuxVLC
- Linuxmpv
How to convert a .mp4 file
- HandBrake to shrink it; VLC can extract the audio to .mp3.
MIME type
When a .mp4 file travels over the web, servers label it with one of these MIME types:
application/mp4video/mp4The technical record
For archivists, developers and the merely curious: these are the PRONOM registry entries for .mp4.
| Format name | Version | MIME type | PUID |
|---|---|---|---|
| MPEG-4 Media File | — | application/mp4, video/mp4 | fmt/199 |
| Apple Lossless Audio Codec | — | — | fmt/596 |