Why does everyone recommend MP4 over WMV?

MP4 with H.264 offers better compression, superior quality, universal device support, and works in all web browsers. WMV is a proprietary Microsoft format with declining support. Only use WMV when you have a specific technical requirement—legacy Windows hardware, ancient PowerPoint versions, or corporate systems frozen in time.

Video to WMV Converter - For Windows Media Player

Convert videos to WMV format for legacy Windows systems and older PowerPoint. Works offline, no uploads, completely private browser-based conversion.

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Frequently Asked Questions

WMV (Windows Media Video) is Microsoft's legacy video format from the 2000s. Use it only when required for specific compatibility: legacy Windows systems running XP/Vista, corporate computers with restricted software, PowerPoint 2010 or earlier, or archival systems that specifically require WMV. For all modern use cases, MP4 is superior.

WMV has poor cross-platform support. macOS doesn't play WMV natively—users need VLC or other third-party players. Linux requires codecs. iPhones and iPads don't support WMV at all. Most Android devices can play it, but compatibility varies. If your audience uses anything other than Windows PCs, use MP4 instead.

For most uses, 'High Quality' balances visual quality with reasonable file sizes. Use 'Best Quality' only when visual perfection is critical and file size doesn't matter. 'Smaller File' works for PowerPoint presentations where slight quality loss is acceptable. 'Smallest File' is for extreme storage constraints or low-priority content.

Yes, WMV works well in PowerPoint 2010 and earlier versions. However, modern PowerPoint (2013+) supports MP4 natively and is the recommended format—it creates smaller files, plays more reliably, and works across platforms. Only use WMV if you're certain your presentation will only run on old Windows systems.

At similar quality levels, MP4 with H.264 typically produces 10-30% smaller files than WMV while looking better. WMV's main compression advantage was in the early 2000s; modern codecs have surpassed it. If file size is your concern, use MP4 with appropriate quality settings instead.

Keep 'Original' to preserve source quality. Choose 1080p for high-quality archival or presentation on large screens. 720p is sufficient for most business presentations and reduces file size significantly. 480p works for simple PowerPoint slides where video is secondary content or when email size limits apply.

Yes, any re-encoding reduces quality. The WMV codec is also older and less efficient than modern codecs like H.264, so quality loss may be more noticeable than converting to MP4. At 'High Quality' or 'Best Quality' settings, most content still looks acceptable. If preserving quality is critical, use MP4 instead.

No, never. All video processing happens entirely in your browser using FFmpeg WebAssembly. Your video files never leave your computer—no server uploads, no cloud processing, no data collection. You can verify this by disconnecting internet after the page loads; conversion still works.

Probably not. WMV is a legacy format with declining support. The only valid reasons to use WMV today are: you have legacy Windows hardware that only plays WMV, corporate systems with frozen software configurations, or specific archival requirements. For literally every other use case—sharing, web, presentations, archiving—MP4 is the better choice.

Video to WMV Converter - For Windows Media Player

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