What Is a WMV File and How to Open It?

Downloaded a file with a .wmv extension but don't know what it is? Read on to learn all about WMV.

WMV is a file format created by Microsoft that is used for Windows Media Video. It is capable of storing videos, audio, and animations on PC, and is compressed using Microsoft's Windows Media Video and Audio technologies. WMV is usually saved in the Microsoft Advanced Systems Format (ASF) with the extensions .asf or .wmv. In rare cases, it can also be packed into the Matroska or AVI container format with their corresponding extensions.

WMV is only one of the three codecs from the Windows Media Video family, with the other two being WMV Screen and WMV Image. However, the latter two formats are lesser-used and –known compared to WMV. A similar format to WMV is WMA, a file format that is designed for audio-only files and saved with a .wma extension.

WMV was first introduced in 1999. To this day, WMV is still widely used in various industries and distributed over the internet.

As WMV is a part of the Windows Media framework, it can be naturally opened by one of the native media programs on Windows, such as Windows Media Player. On other platforms, you can easily open a WMV file using VLC media player.

Here is a group of video players that can open WMV files:

• Windows Media Player (Windows, free)
• Movies & TV (Windows, free)
• Media Player Classic (Windows, free)
• VLC media player (cross-platform, free)
• RealPlayer (cross-platform, freemium)
• DivX Player (Windows, free)
• Elmedia Player (Mac, free)

In addition to video players, lots of editing software can open and edit WMV files, such as Windows Movie Maker (discontinued), Microsoft Photos, Clipchamp, VideoLAN Movie Creator, and Adobe Premiere Pro. You can even upload WMV to YouTube or Google Drive and play it without any hassle.

Play WMV on Android

Play WMV on iPhone

Play WMV on iPad

Play WMV on Chromebook

WMV files may not be compatible with your media player or device. Therefore, you can convert WMV to MP4 to gain wider compatibility.

There are multiple free converter tools to your choice. But our best recommendation is WonderFox Free HD Video Converter Factory. This is a Windows-based program that can handle video conversions offline without any restrictions. Here are the steps you can follow:

Alternatively, you can opt for an online file conversion service such as Convertio to convert your files without the need to install any software. Note, however, that it does need you to upload the file and requires a stable internet connection.

WMV is often compared with MP4. Here is a summary of the differences between WMV and MP4 for your reference.

WMV is a file format created by Microsoft and is used for storing videos, audio, and animations on PCs. They are commonly utilized for internet streaming, particularly on Windows-based systems.

WMV files can be opened using a variety of media players. On Windows systems, built-in media programs such as Windows Media Player and Movies & TV can open WMV files. Additionally, popular media players like VLC media player, Media Player Classic, RealPlayer, DivX Player, and Elmedia Player (for Mac) are also capable of playing WMV files.

Yes, WMV files can be converted to MP4 format using various converter tools. One recommended tool is WonderFox Free HD Video Converter Factory, which is a Windows-based program free from limitations. Alternatively, online file conversion services like Convertio can also convert WMV to MP4 format.

MP4 is generally considered a better format than WMV in terms of quality, size, compatibility, usage, and other specific requirements. But for Windows users, WMV remains a good option.