VLC Convert MKV to MP4 no Video (there is audio)

Date October 17, 2016 Author Catherine Category Alternatives, MKV, Video Tips, VLC

VLC is a media player but also a tool people often use to convert videos. Things are that there are some questions in forums that when people convert MKV to MP4 with VLC, many get audio only without video. Or, they get video and audio, but the audio is out of synch with the video and the video is not smooth.

You have to know that both MKV and MP4 are just the container and can have various combinations of video and audio files in it. When you have wrong settings on MKV to MP4 with VLC, you would lose video or audio in the conversion. Now, let’s see how to convert MKV to MP4 with VLC correctly.

Convert an MKV file to MP4 with VLC with video/audio keeping

1. Run “VLC media player”.
2. From main menu select “Media” > “Convert / Save…”.
3. On “File” tab, click “Add…” button.
4. Choose you MKV file. After that, it should be added to the list. (Alternatively, you can drag&drop a file into the list.)
5. Click “Convert/Save” button.
6. Select Profile: “Video – H.264 + MP3 (MP4)”.
7. Click on the icon button that has hint: “Edit selected profile”.
8. On “Encapsulation” tab, leave “MP4/MOV” selected.
9. On “Video codec” tab, check both “Video” and “Keep original video track”.
10. On “Audio codec” tab, similarly select both “Audio” and “Keep original audio track”.
11. Click “Save” button.
12. In “Destination” selection, click “Browse” button to select directory and file name for you destination MP4 file.
13. Click “Start” button.
14. Observe progress bar in the main window as file is converted.

In addition, transcoding is somehow broken in recent builds, this is a known issue awaiting for a fix.
Meanwhile you should use an older version if your new version VLC can’t transcode MKV to MP4.

However, in some specific case, people don’t need to convert anything but just to change container from MKV to MP4.
Get a recent build of FFmpeg and use the following command:

This will just copy the audio and video streams from the MKV file into a new MP4 file so there will be no quality loss.

Convert MKV to MP4 with VLC Alternative with Video and Audio

If you are a newbie who never convert videos with VLC, you can try to use VLC alternative – Pavtube Video Converter Ultimate to transcode MKV to MP4 without no video issue. Pavtube Video Converter Ultimate has more intuitive interface that you can know the next step easily. In the MKV to MP4 conversion process, Pavtube Video Converter Ultimate can equip compatible video codec and audio codec in output MP4 container to avoid video and audio out of synch. Also, you can remux MKV to MP4 without A/V parameters changing. You can play source MKV media files with the built-in player or snap screenshots with the built-camera while playing media files. With built-in video editor, before your export MP4 video, you can trim video length, crop video size, split large video into segments, add watermarks, adjust video effect.

What’s more, Pavtube Video Converter Ultimate can convert 2D MKV to 3D MP4 or convert 3D MKV to 3D MP4 for AVTVR Kit, Samsung Gear VR, Oculus Rift CV1, etc. It also can hardcode external srt/ass/ssa subtitles to MKV, MP4, etc video. Now download VLC alternative to convert MKV to MP4 with right video and audio.

Step 1. Click “File” or the file icon right below it to follow “Load from folder” to import MKV files to Pavtube Video Converter Ultimate. Batch conversion features allows you to add multiple MKV files to convert. If your MKV files have multiple subtitle streaming, you can choose only one to preserve. Choose the subtitle and audio track in “Subtitle” and “Audio”.

Step 2. Click the format bar to follow “HD Video” and “H.264 HD MP4(*.mp4).”. You also can choose MP4 from “Common Video” category.

Attach/add subtitle to MKV/MP4

If you want to hard burn subtitle to MKV/MP4, you can open "Video Editor" window, click the "Subtitle" bar and check "Enable", then you will be able to browse and add subtitles that you have saved on local computer to the videos.

Step 3. Click the obvious red button on the bottom-right corner to realize conversion from MKV films to MP4 with both video and audio keeping. Then a conversion window pops up to performing MKV films to MP4 conversion.

Now, you can play the MP4 files with Windows Media Player, QuickTime, iPads, etc with video and audio synch.