MP4

Overview

MP4 is the ISO-standard media container behind most web and social video. It commonly wraps H.264 video and AAC audio, and its broad device support makes it the safest delivery format for streaming and downloads.

Typical use cases

• Streaming
• Social media video
• Downloadable video
• Universal playback

Advantages

• Designed for streaming
• Lossy or lossless storage
• Open standard specification
• Browser support: Universal

Disadvantages

• Container and codec are often confused
• Editing usually re-encodes
• Metadata support is limited

How to open or use it

Open MP4 files with an application that supports video/mp4. Editing in most video tools after re-encode. For delivery, use a viewer or converter that reads mp4.