Easily and Free Change Video Format for Better Playback

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How to Change Video Format Effectively | 6 Free Solutions

Updated on Jul 17, 2026

Want to change video formats for playback, uploading, sharing, or editing? This article shares six simple and free methods to help you change the format of videos on Windows, Mac, and mobile devices. Plus, an additional way to change only the video container format without re-encoding is also provided. Keep reading to learn how to change video formats in specific steps!

👇 Get the best free video file type converter to convert video formats easily and efficiently on Windows:

https://www.videoconverterfactory.com/download/hd-video-converter.exe hd-video-converter.exe

※ Why Do We Need to Change the Format of Videos?

※ How to Change Video Format with 6 Free and Simple Methods

--- WonderFox Free HD Video Converter Factory Pro (Windows) 🏆

--- VLC Media Player (All Platforms)

--- HandBrake (Windows & Mac)

--- iMovie (Mac & iOS)

--- Video Converter, Compressor (Android)

--- CloudConvert (Online)

※ Pro Tip: Change Video Format via "Remuxing" (Instant & No Quality Loss)

※ FAQs

Why Do We Need to Change the Format of Videos?

Have you ever encountered any of the following video problems?

1. Unable to play certain downloaded videos, movies, or series on TVs, mobile phones, and computers.

2. Unable to import certain videos into editing software.

3. Unable to upload certain videos to websites.

4. Unable to send certain videos via instant messaging apps.

The root cause of these problems is that the video is using an inappropriate format, and changing format of videos is the best solution.

Usually, to get a better playback experience or a smoother sharing/uploading process, converting the video format to MP4, AVI, or H264 is a common method. Alternatively, you might want to change the format of videos to another specific format. So, how exactly do you change the video format? Don't worry, below are 6 simple methods to help you easily change video format for free. Read on to get some practical video format conversion skills!

How to Change Video Format with 6 Free and Simple Methods

Changing video formats is not just simply changing the suffix name of a video file. Format changing involves video transcoding or video remuxing. It may seem a little bit difficult, but you can easily reformat videos with the help of some free video file changers. I will recommend 6 simple and free video format changers to help you change a video file type as below.

Method 1 – How to Convert Video Format on Windows with the Best Free Video Converter

WonderFox Free HD Video Converter Factory is a free yet powerful video format changer which supports all video format input and offers 500+ output formats and devices for easy and fast conversion. With its help, you can change format of video to any type you want in simple clicks.

It can also be used to change audio formats, edit video and audio files, extract audio from video, modify video/audio parameters, download YouTube videos, etc. Now, let's download this format converter and see how to change the file type of a video below.

Guides on How to Change Video File Type

Before starting to change movie formats, please free download free download the video file converter software.

Step 1: Add Files for Video Format Change Preparation

Run WonderFox Free HD Video Converter Factory and open Converter, then click the "Add Files" button to load videos or directly drag and drop them to the program.

Step 2: Set the Output Format

Click the "Click to change output format" area on the right side of the program. Under the "Video" tab, choose the video format you want to change to.
Optionally, you can open "Parameter settings" and edit the parameters, such as encoder, bitrate, frame rate, and volume, as needed. It's okay to leave these settings at default, as the program can Smart-Fit commonly used settings based on your selected format.

Step 3: Start to Change the Format of a Video

Set the output destination by clicking the ▼ icon at the bottom and click the "Run" button to start the format conversion.

Also see: MP4 to Xvid | MKV to MP4

Method 2 – How to Change Video Format on Various Devices with VLC Media Player

how to change the format of a video

If you have already downloaded and installed VLC media player, you can also use it as a video format changer/VLC converter to help change video file types. Check how to convert video files with VLC below.

💡 VLC is compatible on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS operating systems. The following guide takes Windows as an example.

Step 1: Run VLC player, click Media > Convert/Save on the menu bar, or you can directly use the keyboard shortcuts "Ctrl + R".

Step 2: Click the "Add" button to import a video and then click the "Convert/Save" button.

Step 3: Click the "Profile" drop-down list and select the format and codec you want to change to. Experienced users also can edit parameters or add a new customized profile yourself.

Step 4: Set the output destination and click the "Start" button.

Related Search: Play DVD in VLC | Merge Videos in VLC | Cut MP3 in VLC

Method 3 – How to Convert Video Format with Handbrake on Windows and Mac

how to change video file type

Handbrake is a famous and free cross-platform video file changer with strong functions, such as adding subtitles, batch conversion. However, it may be a little bit complex for new users because its operation interface may not be so intuitive and clear. In addition, we have talked about how to extract audio with Handbrake before, here we share with you how to change the format of videos with it.

Step 1: Run Handbrake, click "File" to import video.

Step 2: Select the output destination and output container. Currently, it only includes MP4, WebM and MKV format.

Step 3: Choose the format and codec you need in the right "Preset".

Step 4: Finally click the upper "Start Encode" to begin to change format of video.

Method 4 – How to Change a Video Format with iMovie

iMovie

For Mac users who want to change their video file formats, there is a built-in application - iMovie. It is an easy-to-use video editor for Apple devices that can also handle video conversions. However, it only supports a few video formats like MPEG-4, MPEG-2, AVCHD, MOV, DV, etc. With it, you can change the video format to MP4 or QuickTime MOV formats.

Let's see how to use iMovie to convert video formats on Mac.

Step 1: Open the iMovie app on your Mac computer.

Step 2: Click "New" to create a video and choose "Movie" or "Trailer" to add your video to the storyboard.

Step 3: Go to the "File" option on the top menu bar and select "Share" > "File".

Step 4: Select the required video settings and format and click "Next" to specify other settings.

Step 5: Now, click "Save" to start the video conversion.

💡 iMovie is also a mobile app that is available on iPhones. You can also convert videos to MP4 or other formats on your iPhone. The conversion steps are similar to that of the Mac version.

Method 5 - How to Change A Video Format on Android with Video Converter, Compressor

If you are an Android user, you can search Video Converter, Compressor in the Google Play Store, and install it to change video formats on your Android devices. It provides not only the basic video conversion feature but also video compressor, video to audio conversion, video merger, cutter, etc. features.

Let's see how to use this Android app to convert video formats.

Step 1: Search and install this Android app on your device.

Step 2: Launch it and select the "Video Converter" module from the homepage.

Step 3: Import your video files and choose the desired output format under the "Format" category.

Step 4: Export the converted files to your device.

Method 6 - How to Change a Video File Type Online with CloudConvert

how to change the format of a video

Besides using desktop video converters, online video converters can also help you change a video file type without installing any third-party software on your device. And many of them are simple and free to use for limited file sizes. This post takes CloudConvert as an example to show you how to convert video file formats online. With it, you can convert video to MP4, MOV, WMV, AVI, WebM, FLV, and MKV. It also allows you to modify the video and audio settings with simple clicks. Here is a detailed guide for how to use it to change video file types.

Step 1: Go to CloudConvert on the web browser and click "Select File" to import your video files.

Step 2: Open the box beside "Convert to" and select a video file format.

Step 3: Hit "Convert" to start the conversion.

When it finishes the conversion, a preview window will pop up, click the three-dot icon to download the converted file to your device.

Pro Tip: Change Video Format via "Remuxing" (Instant & No Quality Loss)

Are you looking to change your video format, but don't want to wait for a long process or risk quality loss? You can use a technique called remuxing, also known as container-only changing.

To understand this, think of the video format as a digital container, like a box. Inside this box are the video and audio streams. By remuxing, you simply take the video and audio streams out, then put them into another container.

This is the fastest way to change a video format (e.g., from MKV to MP4) while keeping the original quality. For this, you need to use a more professional video converter, such as WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro (the upgraded version of the first program in this article). And here are the steps to follow:

Important: Not every video is suitable for container-only conversion. This format change only works when the video and audio streams inside the source file are already compatible with the target container. For example, both MKV and MP4 support H.264, HEVC/H.265, and MPEG-4, while WebM often use VP8 and VP9. Container-only conversion works for MKV to MP4, but not WebM to MP4.

Change Video Container Only

Step 1: Download and install the software on your PC.

Step 2: Launch the software and open the "Converter". Click "+ Add Files" to load your videos.

Step 3: Click the format image on the right to open the output format list. Select a format that supports the same codec as your original video.

Step 4: Click the ▼ button to set an output path. Then hit "Run" to start changing the video format without re-encoding.

🔔 Note: You should see a lightning icon (⚡) in the interface. This symbol indicates that the video is ready to be remuxed into your chosen format.

At last...

The above six free and online methods can change the format of videos on Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and online to help you play, share, and edit videos with better compatibility. Of course, other online video converters also allow you to change video format without installing anything. However, I don't recommend them since online conversion is always limited by file size, annoying pop-ups, unstable server, upload and download speed, etc. For me personally, I like to use the offline WonderFox Free HD Video Converter Factory because besides the video format conversion, it will also help me with other video and audio processing, like video/audio editing, compression, merging, etc. You can also free download the software to have a try!

Hot search: Change Video Codec | Change Audio Format of a Video | TSV to MP4 | BIN to MP4 | DAV to MP4

FAQs

Q1. How do I convert video formats?

To convert video formats, you need a video converter tool that is compatible with your device. Then you can launch the app/tool and import your videos, select a desired output video format, and then start the conversion to export the converted video file to your device.

Q2. How to convert video to MP4 format?

To convert a video to MP4 format, you need a video converter tool that supports the source video file format and the MP4 output format.

Take WonderFox Free HD Video Converter Factory as an example:

1. Launch the app and open the "Converter" module.

2. Click "Add Files" to import the video you want to convert.

3. Open the output format list and choose "MP4" format.

4. Click "Run" to start the conversion.

Q3. Which video format is best?

Generally, MP4 is the best video format, known for its best compatibility among most devices and platforms. If you want to convert a video for playback, sharing, editing, etc. MP4 video format with H.264 video codec and AAC audio codec is the best choice.

Michelle O'Brien

I write about multimedia topics, including video and audio conversion, compression, editing, and downloading. I joined WonderFox in 2020, and my goal is to help readers solve everyday tech problems more easily. In this article, I've shown you six free methods to easily change video file type. If you want faster and lossless solution, you can also try changing only the container format. Hope you find this article useful!