┌─ FILE ANALYSIS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ┐
│ DEVELOPER : Moving Picture Experts Group
│ CATEGORY : Video
│ MIME TYPE : video/mp4
│ MAGIC BYTES : 0000001866747970
└ ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ┘
What is an MP4 file?
MP4 (MPEG-4 Part 14) is a digital multimedia container format most commonly used to store video and audio. It can also store subtitles, still images, and metadata. The format was introduced in 2001 and has since become the de facto standard for sharing video content on the web.
How to open MP4 files
MP4 files can be opened with virtually any modern media player, including:
- VLC Media Player (Windows, macOS, Linux) — Free, open-source
- Windows Media Player (Windows) — Built-in
- QuickTime Player (macOS) — Built-in
- MPV (Windows, macOS, Linux) — Free, lightweight
All modern web browsers also support MP4 playback natively via the <video> HTML element.
Technical specifications
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Container | MPEG-4 Part 14 |
| Video Codecs | H.264 (AVC), H.265 (HEVC), AV1 |
| Audio Codecs | AAC, MP3, Opus, AC-3 |
| Subtitle Formats | SRT (embedded), TTML |
| Max Resolution | Unlimited (codec-dependent) |
| Streaming | Progressive download, DASH |
Common use cases
- Web video: YouTube, Vimeo, and most platforms use MP4 as their primary delivery format.
- Mobile recording: Smartphones default to MP4 for camera recordings.
- Video editing: Used as an intermediate or final export format.
- Live streaming: MP4 fragments (fMP4) are used in DASH and HLS streaming.