Video to OGV Converter

How to Convert Video to OGV Online

1. Upload Your Video File: Drag and drop or click "+ Add Files" to select MP4, MOV, MKV, WebM, AVI, FLV, MTS, AVCHD, M2TS, WMV, 3GP, or any of the 35+ supported source formats. Batch conversion is supported — every file uses the same settings.
2. Pick Quality Preset or Bitrate: Default video codec is VP8 with Vorbis audio, the combination Wikimedia Commons accepts. Switch to Theora under Video Codec if you need the classic Xiph.Org stack, or to FLAC/Opus/Speex for the audio track. Under File Compression, pick a Quality Preset (Very High through Very Low), set a Specific file size, or use Constant Bitrate / Variable Bitrate / Constant Quality (CRF) / Constraint Quality if you want manual control.
3. Resize and Trim (Optional): Under Video resolution, keep original, pick a Preset (4320p down to 144p), enter a Width or Height with aspect-ratio lock, set an exact Width x Height, or scale by Resolution Percentage. Under Trim, choose Unchanged to keep the full clip or Time Range to clip a section.
4. Convert and Download: Click "Convert." Files process on our servers without watermarks, account sign-up, or per-day caps. Outputs play in VLC, mpv, and any player that still ships a Theora or VP8 decoder.

Why Convert Video to OGV?

OGV is the .ogv extension of the Ogg container, maintained by the Xiph.Org Foundation and built around the royalty-free Theora video codec paired with Vorbis (or Opus) audio. It was the original royalty-free format for HTML5 <video> before VP9 and AV1 took over, and it remains the only format some open-source platforms accept. Convert to OGV when:

• Uploading to Wikipedia or Wikimedia Commons — Commons accepts only WebM (VP8/VP9/AV1), Ogg Theora (.ogv), and MPEG-1/2; it explicitly refuses MP4 and MOV because H.264/H.265 are patent-encumbered. Single-step uploads cap at 100 MB; chunked uploads go up to 5 GiB.
• Embedding video on legacy or open-source CMS deployments — older MediaWiki, Drupal, and Plone installs ship with Ogg/Theora playback out of the box but require plugins for MP4.
• Distributing video without licensing exposure — Theora and Vorbis are unencumbered by patents, useful for educational content, museum archives, and government sites with FOSS mandates.
• Pairing with WebM as an HTML5 <video> fallback — older Firefox versions (before 28) played Theora/Vorbis but not VP9; a <source src="video.ogv"> line keeps those clients working.
• Archiving footage in a non-proprietary container — Ogg's chained-stream design tolerates partial corruption better than MP4's MOOV-atom dependence, which can render an MP4 unplayable if the header is damaged.
• Submitting to open video projects on the Internet Archive — many archive.org collections still prefer OGV/Theora masters alongside WebM derivatives.

OGV vs WebM vs MP4 — Format Comparison

Codec and Quality Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Wikipedia still accept OGV when Chrome dropped Theora?

Wikimedia Commons accepts WebM (VP8/VP9/AV1) and Ogg Theora (.ogv) and rejects MP4/MOV because H.264 and H.265 are patent-encumbered. Even though Chrome disabled Theora by default in version 120 and Chromium removed it in 123 (March 2024), and Firefox 126 disabled it by default in May 2024, Wikimedia keeps OGV as a legacy upload target — server-side it transcodes uploads to WebM for streaming. If you are uploading new content today, WebM (VP9) is preferred; convert to OGV only if a tool or workflow specifically requires Theora.

Should I pick Theora or VP8 as the video codec for my OGV file?

Theora is the safer choice for maximum compatibility with old players and strict open-format requirements — it is the codec the Ogg/Theora spec was built around. VP8 in an OGV container is less common; some players (notably older VLC versions) handle it fine but a few legacy decoders will refuse it. Pick Theora unless you specifically need VP8's slightly better compression and you control the playback environment.

Will my OGV file play in modern browsers?

Native browser support has shrunk sharply: Chrome disabled Theora by default in version 120 and Chromium removed the decoder in 123 (March 2024), with Edge following, and Firefox 126 disabled Theora by default in May 2024. Safari has never natively played OGV. VLC, MPV, MPC-HC, and FFmpeg-based players still handle the format on the desktop, and Firefox users can re-enable Theora via about:config. For a public-facing site, embed a WebM or MP4 fallback alongside any <source src="video.ogv"> tag.

How big will the output be compared to my MP4?

For a typical 1080p source, an OGV/Theora file is usually 30–50% larger than the equivalent H.264 MP4 at matching visual quality. Theora's compression is from 2008 and predates the inter-frame prediction tricks H.264 and VP9 use. If file size is critical, pick a lower Quality Preset, set a Specific file size target, or convert to WebM instead and use VP9 — it sits in the same royalty-free family but compresses 40–60% better than Theora.

Can I convert OGV back to MP4 for sharing?

Yes. After you generate the OGV master, use OGV to MP4 to produce an H.264 file for general sharing, OGV to WebM for modern open-format web embed, or any of the other 40+ OGV output targets. Round-tripping does cost a small amount of quality because both encodes are lossy.

What audio codec should I use inside the OGV container?

Vorbis is the historical default and the codec Wikimedia expects. Opus is a newer IETF/Xiph codec (RFC 6716, 2012) that achieves better quality at the same bitrate, and Ogg containers officially support it via RFC 7845. Pick Vorbis for maximum compatibility with old players or Opus for voice-heavy content where you want lower bitrate. Speex (the older voice codec) is also supported but Opus has superseded it for new work.

Why is the conversion slower than MP4 to OGV elsewhere?

Two reasons. First, Theora is encoded with the reference libtheora encoder, which is single-threaded and not nearly as optimized as x264 or libvpx. Second, our server runs a two-pass encode when you set a Specific file size or Constant Bitrate, doubling encode time but giving you the exact size you asked for. If speed matters more than size precision, pick Quality Preset → Medium for a single-pass encode.

Will subtitles, chapters, or multiple audio tracks survive the conversion?

Soft subtitles and chapter markers are dropped in the OGV output — Ogg supports Kate for subtitles but most players ignore it and we strip the track to keep compatibility predictable. If your source has burned-in subtitles those will remain because they're part of the video frame. Multiple audio tracks are merged or the first track is kept; mux a custom track separately after conversion if you need a multi-language OGV.

What's the maximum input file size?

The upload cap depends on your plan tier — anonymous users can convert smaller files, and registered/Pro tiers raise the cap. For Wikimedia Commons uploads specifically, the single-request cap is 100 MB and chunked uploads can go up to 5 GiB; pick a target Specific file size below those thresholds when you're encoding for upload.