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MKV to MP4 Conversion on macOS

Complete macOS guide for converting MKV files to MP4 format. Learn Terminal commands, Homebrew FFmpeg installation, GUI applications, and native macOS tools for seamless video conversion.

Beginner Friendly
Terminal & GUI
Native macOS

What You'll Learn

Install FFmpeg via Homebrew

Terminal commands for conversion

Preserve video quality settings

Batch conversion techniques

GUI application alternatives

Keep subtitles and audio tracks

Optimize for macOS playback

Troubleshooting common issues

Method 1: FFmpeg via Terminal

Professional-grade conversion using command line tools

1Install Homebrew Package Manager

First, we need Homebrew to easily install FFmpeg and its dependencies. Open Terminal and run:

Terminal Command
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

2Install FFmpeg with All Codecs

Once Homebrew is installed, install FFmpeg with comprehensive codec support:

Install FFmpeg
brew install ffmpeg

Verify installation by checking the version:

ffmpeg -version

3Convert MKV to MP4

Navigate to your video folder and use these commands:

🔄 Lossless conversion (fastest, keeps original quality):

Copy streams without re-encoding
ffmpeg -i input.mkv -c copy output.mp4

⚡ High quality conversion with H.264:

Re-encode with optimal settings
ffmpeg -i input.mkv -c:v libx264 -crf 18 -c:a aac -b:a 128k output.mp4

📝 Preserve all subtitle tracks:

Include all subtitle streams
ffmpeg -i input.mkv -c copy -c:s mov_text output.mp4

4Batch Convert Multiple Files

Convert all MKV files in a folder using a simple bash loop:

Batch conversion script
for i in *.mkv; do ffmpeg -i "$i" -c copy "${i%.*}.mp4"; done

Method 2: GUI Applications

User-friendly applications with drag-and-drop interface

1HandBrake (Recommended)

Free, open-source video transcoder with excellent macOS support and presets.

✅ Advantages:

  • • Free and open-source
  • • Apple Silicon native
  • • Excellent quality presets
  • • Batch processing
  • • Preview functionality

📥 Installation:

Download HandBrake

Or via Homebrew:

brew install --cask handbrake

2IINA (Media Player + Conversion)

Modern media player for macOS with built-in conversion capabilities.

✅ Features:

  • • Native macOS design
  • • Plays MKV natively
  • • Simple conversion tools
  • • TouchBar support
  • • Picture-in-Picture

📥 Installation:

Download IINA

Or via Mac App Store

3Permute 3 (Premium)

Professional media conversion app designed specifically for macOS.

✅ Features:

  • • Drag-and-drop interface
  • • Background processing
  • • Notification Center integration
  • • Multiple format presets
  • • Watch folder automation

💰 Pricing:

$39.99 on Mac App Store

Free trial available

Advanced Tips for macOS Users

🚀 Hardware Acceleration (Apple Silicon)

M1/M2 Mac users can leverage VideoToolbox for faster encoding:

ffmpeg -i input.mkv -c:v h264_videotoolbox -b:v 5M -c:a aac output.mp4

📱 Optimize for Apple Devices

Create files optimized for iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV playback:

ffmpeg -i input.mkv -c:v libx264 -profile:v baseline -level 3.0 -pix_fmt yuv420p -c:a aac -movflags +faststart output.mp4

🔧 Automator Workflow

Create a right-click context menu for MKV files:

1. Open Automator → New Document → Quick Action

2. Set "Workflow receives" to "movie files" in "Finder"

3. Add "Run Shell Script" action

4. Paste the FFmpeg command and save

📂 File Associations

Set default applications for MKV files:

1. Right-click any MKV file → "Get Info"

2. In "Open with" section, choose your preferred app

3. Click "Change All..." to apply to all MKV files

4. Recommended: IINA or VLC for playback

Troubleshooting Common Issues

❌ "Permission denied" errors

Solution: Use sudo for Homebrew installation or check file permissions:

sudo chown -R $(whoami) /usr/local/Homebrew

❌ "Unknown encoder" errors

Solution: Reinstall FFmpeg with full codec support:

brew uninstall ffmpeg && brew install ffmpeg

❌ Slow conversion speeds

Solution: Use hardware acceleration or adjust thread count:

ffmpeg -i input.mkv -threads $(sysctl -n hw.ncpu) -c copy output.mp4

❌ "Command not found" errors

Solution: Add Homebrew to your PATH in shell profile:

echo 'export PATH="/opt/homebrew/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc && source ~/.zshrc

macOS Performance Tips

⚡ Speed Optimizations

  • • Close unnecessary applications during conversion
  • • Use SSD for temporary files (set TMPDIR)
  • • Enable hardware acceleration on Apple Silicon
  • • Use appropriate thread count (# of CPU cores)
  • • Convert multiple files simultaneously

🎯 Quality Settings

  • • CRF 18-23 for high quality H.264
  • • Use -preset slow for better compression
  • • Keep original resolution unless necessary
  • • AAC 128k sufficient for most content
  • • Test with short clips first

Need a Simpler Solution?

While this guide shows professional methods, you can also use our free online MKV to MP4 converter that works directly in your Mac's browser - no installation required!

Try Online Converter

100% browser-based • No installation needed • Privacy protected • Works on any Mac