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FLV to MP4 ConverterFLV was the Flash Video format used by early YouTube and countless websites. Since Adobe ended Flash in 2020, almost nothing plays FLV files any more. Convert them to MP4 and old downloads and recordings work again on any device.
FLV vs MP4: what changes
FLV used older codecs designed for streaming in the Flash player. MP4 with H.264 is the modern replacement: it plays in every browser, phone and TV and is accepted by every editor and social network.
When to convert FLV to MP4
Use it for old downloaded clips, recordings from early streaming software, archived website videos, and any .flv or .f4v file that will not open.
Before you convert
Many FLV files were made at low resolution and bitrate. The MP4 keeps that resolution and cannot restore lost detail, but it makes the video playable and editable.
Common problems and fixes
Old Flash videos will not play anywhere
Flash Player was retired in 2020, so FLV files lost most of their players. MP4 brings them back to every phone and browser.
The picture is small
Many FLV videos were made at 360p or 480p for early web streaming. The MP4 keeps that size rather than blowing it up into a blurry image.
Audio and video drift apart
Some FLV recordings from old streams have timing errors. Re-encoding fixes most of them; very broken files may need a video editor.
FLV to MP4: output details
| You upload | FLV (.flv, .f4v), usually from old Flash video sites and stream recordings |
|---|---|
| You get | H.264 video with AAC audio, up to 1920 px on the long side (never enlarged) |
| Kept | frame rate, aspect ratio and length |
| Size limit | 200 MB per file |
Frequently asked questions
Is F4V supported?
Yes. F4V, the later Flash format, converts the same way.
Why do FLV files not play any more?
Browsers removed Flash support at the end of 2020, and most players never supported FLV natively. MP4 is the format everything plays today.
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