MP4 to OGV Converter
Initializing... drag & drop files here
Supports: MP4, M4V
Advanced Options - Our defaults are optimized for the best results. We recommend you keeping the defaults unless you have a specific need.
Reset to defaults
Need help?Convert MP4 to OGV Online
Turn an MP4 video into an OGV file — the Ogg container's open, royalty-free video format — for HTML5 <video> fallbacks, Linux media players, MediaWiki uploads, or any project that needs a patent-free codec. Files are uploaded over an encrypted connection, converted on our servers, and deleted automatically a few hours after conversion. No sign-up, no watermark.
How to Convert MP4 to OGV
- Upload Your MP4 File: Drag and drop your file onto the page or click "+ Add Files". MP4 and M4V inputs are accepted, and you can queue several files to convert in one batch.
- Choose the Video Codec: Open Video Codec under advanced options and pick Theora (the classic OGV codec, maximum compatibility with old players) or VP8 (better compression, the tool's default). Leave Audio Codec on Vorbis for a standard
.ogv, or switch to Opus, FLAC, or Speex. - Set Quality or Size (Optional): Use File Compression to target a Specific file size, a Quality Preset (default "Very High"), or a Constant/Variable Bitrate. You can also drop the Video resolution with a preset or percentage, or Trim to a time range.
- Convert and Download: Click "Convert" and download your OGV file. No sign-up, no watermark, no email gate.
OGV vs MP4 vs WebM — How They Compare
OGV is open and royalty-free, but it is a legacy web format; for modern browsers WebM is the better open alternative, and MP4 remains the most universally compatible choice. Convert to OGV when a target system specifically requires Ogg.
| Property | OGV (Ogg) | MP4 | WebM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Container | Ogg (Xiph.Org) | MPEG-4 Part 14 | WebM (Matroska-based) |
| Typical video codec | Theora or VP8 | H.264 / H.265 | VP8 / VP9 / AV1 |
| Typical audio codec | Vorbis / Opus | AAC | Vorbis / Opus |
| Royalty-free | Yes | No (H.264/H.265 licensed) | Yes |
| Compression efficiency | Lowest (Theora) | High | High |
| Browser support today | Limited; Theora removed from Chrome 123+ | Universal | Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari 16+ |
| Best for | Royalty-free / legacy Ogg requirements | Maximum compatibility, mobile | Modern open-source web video |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does OGV use the Theora codec or VP8?
It can use either. Traditionally "OGV" means Theora video with Vorbis audio inside an Ogg container, and that is what most software expects when it asks for .ogv. The Ogg container also officially supports VP8 and VP9 video plus Opus and FLAC audio, so this converter lets you choose. Pick Theora for the widest compatibility with older Ogg players; pick VP8 for noticeably better compression at the same quality.
Is Theora still supported in browsers?
It is being phased out. Theora had broad support for years, but Google removed it from Chromium (completed around Chrome 123 in 2023) and Firefox followed, citing low adoption. MP4 (H.264) plays everywhere, and WebM is the recommended open-source format for modern browsers. Use OGV mainly when a specific tool, archive, or platform still requires the Ogg format rather than as a primary web delivery format.
Why convert MP4 to OGV at all if it is a legacy format?
A few real cases still call for it: uploading video to Wikipedia/Wikimedia Commons and other MediaWiki sites that prefer patent-free formats, feeding older Linux applications or embedded players that only handle Ogg, providing a royalty-free fallback source where licensing H.264 is a concern, or matching the input format an existing pipeline was built around. For general web playback, MP4 or WebM is the better target.
Will I lose quality converting from MP4 to OGV?
Some loss is expected because this is a lossy-to-lossy re-encode and Theora is less efficient than H.264, so at the same file size an OGV usually looks a little softer than the source MP4. To minimise it, choose VP8 instead of Theora, raise the Quality Preset, or set a generous Specific file size. There is no way to make the OGV mathematically identical to the original MP4 — re-encoding always discards some data.
What is the largest MP4 I can convert, and how is my file handled?
The practical limit is upload size and time rather than your device — very large files simply take longer to send over your connection. Each file is transferred over an encrypted (TLS) connection, converted on our servers, and then deleted automatically a few hours after conversion. Nothing is shared, made public, or kept long-term, and no account is required.
Can I keep the audio when converting to OGV?
Yes. The audio track is re-encoded into an Ogg-compatible codec — Vorbis by default, with Opus, FLAC, and Speex also available under Audio Codec. In our testing, leaving the codec on Vorbis at the default quality preset produced a standard .ogv that played correctly in VLC and Firefox without any extra muxing step. If you only need the audio, convert MP4 to OGG instead for an audio-only Ogg file.
How do I go back from OGV to MP4 later?
Use the reverse tool: OGV to MP4 re-encodes Ogg video back to H.264 MP4 for universal playback. If your real goal is a modern, royalty-free web format rather than legacy Ogg, MP4 to WebM is usually the better choice — it is supported by Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, and by Safari 16 and later.