<p>Both <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matroska" rel="noreferrer">MKV</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MPEG-4_Part_14" rel="noreferrer">MP4</a> are container file formats. Container formats define how actual audio, video, subtitle and other data are structured. MKV is an open standard format, while MP4 comes from the ISO and is based on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QuickTime_File_Format" rel="noreferrer">QuickTime</a> file format.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-06-19T15:36:48.747Z
2012-06-19T15:36:48.747Z
ObscureRobot
<p>I would like to add that MP4 has restrictions of what can be muxed to MP4 and what not, while MKV has nearly no limitations at all.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-10T06:14:36.533Z
2018-04-10T06:14:36.533Z
damian101
<p>I don't know if this is the correct exchange site to ask this question. I would like to know what is the difference between mkv and mp4 files?</p>

<software><mp4><mkv>
What is the difference between mkv and mp4 files?
Bastien Vandamme
# What is the difference between mkv and mp4 files?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-06-19)

I don't know if this is the correct exchange site to ask this question. I would like to know what is the difference between mkv and mp4 files?

**Tags:** software, mp4, mkv


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2012-06-19. Score: 6

Both [MKV](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matroska) and [MP4](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MPEG-4_Part_14) are container file formats. Container formats define how actual audio, video, subtitle and other data are structured. MKV is an open standard format, while MP4 comes from the ISO and is based on the [QuickTime](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QuickTime_File_Format) file format.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2018-04-10. Score: 0

I would like to add that MP4 has restrictions of what can be muxed to MP4 and what not, while MKV has nearly no limitations at all.


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