Popular formats


Opening mkv files

Have a problem opening a .mkv file? We collect information about file formats and can explain what mkv files are. Additionally we recommend software suitable for opening or converting such files.

What is the .MKV file type?

The .mkv file extension is associated with video files (the last "v" of the .mkv file extension stands for video). MKV files follow specifications of Matroska Multimedia Container, which is a free container format for audio-visual information. MKV may contain any number of tracks: audio, video, subtitles, pictures. MKV is typically used to store movies and TV shows, including HD movies (high definition video). It is possible to save the entire contents of a DVD or Blu-ray disc in a single MKV file.

MKV files may be quite big, especially the ones containing multiple high-quality audio tracks, Full HD video, and other elements.

Matroska is an open and royalty-free container, which allows developers of various free and commercial programs adding support for the MKV format without any need to pay for licenses and patents. This (and support of high-quality video/audio) might invest into the growing popularity of MKV on the internet. Many hardware players and media centres support MKV files.

Software to open or convert MKV files

You can open mkv files with the following programs: