MKV and WebM are open-source formats. This article introduces four ways to convert MKV to WebM and vice versa using MiniTool Video Converter, HandBrake, VLC, and CloudConvert. The basic process is to import a file, select WebM or MKV as the output format, customize settings if needed, choose a destination, and start the conversion.
MKV (Matroska Video) is an open-source multimedia container that can store multiple video, audio, image, and subtitle tracks in a single file. WebM is also a free, open-source media format developed by Google in 2010 for web use and HTML5, with support in modern browsers such as Chrome and Firefox.
Since the two formats have different uses and compatibility, this provides 4 useful methods to convert MKV to WebM.
How to Convert MKV to WebM and Vice Versa
Fast steps:
- Import the MKV file to a converter.
- Set the output format.
- Start conversion.
#1 Using MiniTool Video Converter
MiniTool Video Converter is a free Windows video and audio converter that supports formats including MP4, MKV, AVI, VOB, WebM, MP3, and AAC. It can convert MKV to WebM, customize output settings such as resolution and bitrate, and batch convert up to 5 files simultaneously to the same or different formats.
MiniTool Video Converter
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Batch convert video/audio files among 1000+ formats.
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Quickly compress videos for easy storage and transfer.
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Accurately extract subtitles from video/audio files.
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Effectively enhance video quality.
You can refer to the guide below for MKV to WebM conversion:
1. Run MiniTool Video Converter.
Download MiniTool Video Converter and install it on your desktop. Then launch it.
2. Upload MKV file.
In the default Video Convert tab, click on Add Files or Add or Drag files here to start conversion to choose your MKV file from your computer, and click Open.
3. Select the output format.
Click the gear icon, switch to the Video tab, and select the WEBM option. In the right panel, choose the video quality you need.
4. Choose the destination folder.
Expand the Output option and choose the save path.
5. Start conversion.
Click the Convert button to start the conversion process. Once finished, you can go to the Completed tab, click the play icon to preview the converted file, or click the folder icon to locate it.
You can also follow the steps above to convert WebM to MKV.
#2 Using HandBrake
HandBrake, compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux, is a free and open-source transcoder that can convert videos and rip DVDs or Blu-ray sources without copy protection. It supports importing most popular formats and exporting videos in MP4, MKV, and WebM formats. Hence, you can use HandBrake to convert MKV to WebM and vice versa. Also, it is a batch video converter.
Furthermore, with HandBrake, you can make some basic edits like merging videos, adding subtitles to a video, rotating a video, adding filters, and resizing a video.
1. Download and install HandBrake.
Go to the official website of HandBrake and install it on your computer.
2. Import the MKV file.
Launch HandBrake. To upload your MKV video file, you can click the File option or directly drag and drop your MKV video into HandBrake.
3. Select WebM as the output format.
Under the Summary tab, expand the Format dropdown, and choose the WebM option.
4. Choose an output folder.
Click the Browse button to choose a destination folder to save the converted WebM file.
5. Start converting MKV to WebM.
Click the Start Encode option to convert MKV to WebM.
#3 Using VLC
VLC is known as a multimedia player that is available for desktop operating systems (Windows/Mac/Linux) and mobile platforms. In addition, VLC can also work as an audio and video converter.
You can use it to import files in various formats for conversion. What’s more, VLC can help you remove audio from a video, remove subtitles from a video, rotate a video, record screens, add effects and filters to a video, etc.
Here is how to convert MKV to WebM using VLC:
1. Download and launch VLC.
Get and install VLC on your desktop and open it.
2. Open the Convert/Save window.
Click the Media tab and select the Convert/Save… option to open the Open Media window.
3. Import the MKV file.
In this window, click the + Add button to import your MKV video and then click on Convert/Save.
4. Select WebM as the output format.
The Convert window will appear, you can expand the Profile dropdown and click on the Video – VP80 + Vorbis (Webm) option.
5. Choose an output folder.
In the destination section, click the Browse button to choose a destination folder to save the converted file.
6. Start converting MKV to WebM.
Finally, you can click on the Start button to begin the conversion process.
#4 CloudConvert
CloudConvert is an online file converter that can convert audio, videos, images, documents, ebooks, archives, spreadsheets, and presentations in over 200 formats. Furthermore, it supports compressing images. As an MKV to WebM converter, it also provides you with options to adjust video resolution, quality, and file size. Below are detailed steps to get WebM from MKV with CloudConvert.
1. Open CloudConvert.
Visit the website of CloudConvert.
2. Upload the MKV file.
Click on Select Files to upload your MKV file from your computer, or click the inverted arrow next to Select Files to choose to upload a file from Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, or by pasting a URL.
3. Select WebM as the output format.
Expand the Convert to dropdown and choose the WEBM option in the Video section.
4. Customize the output settings if needed.
Optionally, you can click the tool icon to change the video and audio parameters like resolution, aspect ratio, sample rate, etc. Moreover, you can trim the video and add a watermark to the video here. Then click on Okay.
5. Convert and download the WebM file.
Click on the Convert button to start converting MKV to WebM. Once the process is finished, you can click the Download button to save the WebM video file.
WebM vs MKV
| MKV | WebM | |
| Compatibility | Widely supported on Android | Better overall compatibility |
| File Size | Large | Small |
| Best For | High-quality, multitrack video | Web video and smaller file sizes |
1. Compatibility
WebM offers better overall compatibility, especially for web and modern devices.
MKV is compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux for local playback. However, it may need third-party players to play. Besides, MKV is natively incompatible with mainstream browsers, such as Google Chrome, Firefox, and more. It has to convert codecs if it needs to be embedded into the web. Moreover, for mobile devices, MKV is widely compatible with Android devices but is poor in the Apple ecosystem.
WebM is well-compatible with modern systems, like Windows, Linux, and macOS. It natively supports Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Opera. Plus, WebM is also one of the formats that belong to the HTML5 standard. As a proprietary web format, it can play smoothly in web videos and in live scenarios. To play on portable devices or TVs, it also outperforms MKV.
2. File Size
MKV usually has a large file size. MKV mainly adopts H.264, H.265, and AV1 video codecs, as well as the AC3 and AAC audio codecs. When adopting advanced H.265 or AV1, it has high compression efficiency. However, due to MKV’s multitrack property, it stores more content for better video quality.
WebM usually utilizes VP8, VP9, and AV1 video codecs, as well as Vorbis and Opus audio codecs. Considering that it uses VP9 or AV1 to encode videos, MKV can significantly compress videos without much video quality loss.
3. Patent and Open Source
Both MKV and WebM are derived from Matroska’s open-source program. Therefore, they are free and open-source video formats. When using them for personal and commercial purposes, users don’t have to worry about legal and copyright issues.
Wrapping Up
MKV is suitable for high-quality, multitrack video, while WebM is better for web video and smaller file sizes. To convert between them, MiniTool Video Converter, HandBrake, VLC, and CloudConvert can help.
If you have any questions or comments about MiniTool Video Converter, please don’t hesitate to email us at support@minitool.com.
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