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Convert FLV to MP4

Choose an FLV, optionally check a short sample, then create a compatible MP4.

How it works
  1. ImportChoose FLV
  2. InspectCheck codecs
  3. PreviewOptional sample
  4. ExportCreate MP4
InputFLV videoOutputVerified MP4

FLV was the format of Flash video, and Flash has been gone since the end of 2020. What remains are archives: downloaded lectures, old tutorials, saved streams and site backups that nothing modern will open. Converting to MP4 rescues them, and since many FLVs already contain H.264, the conversion is often a fast copy rather than a re-encode.

Fast copy or full conversion

Later FLV files usually hold H.264 video with AAC or MP3 audio — the same streams a modern MP4 uses. Those can be copied straight into an MP4 container without touching the picture, which is quick and completely lossless. Older FLVs contain Sorenson Spark or VP6, neither of which any current device decodes, so those need a real re-encode. The tool works out which case your file falls into, and taking the copy path whenever it is available is always the better result.

Expect low resolution and accept it

Flash video was built for early-2000s bandwidth. A typical archived FLV is 320×240 or 480×360 at a low bitrate, and conversion cannot add detail that was never captured. Upscaling to 1080p produces a soft, larger file rather than a better one. Convert at native resolution, keep the result as the archival copy, and if the footage genuinely needs to be bigger on screen, do the scaling at playback time where it can at least be undone.

Questions, answered

Can I still open FLV files?

Not in browsers — Flash was discontinued at the end of 2020. A few desktop players still decode them, but converting to MP4 is the reliable way to keep an archive usable.

Will converting lose quality?

Not if the FLV already contains H.264 and the streams can be copied into an MP4 container. Older files with Sorenson or VP6 video must be re-encoded, which costs a little.

Why is my converted video so low resolution?

Because the FLV was recorded that way — Flash video was built for early-2000s bandwidth. Conversion cannot invent detail, so keep the native resolution rather than upscaling.

Should I check a sample first?

It is worth it for a long file. A short sample confirms the audio survived and the picture looks as expected before you spend time on the whole thing.

Can I convert a whole folder of old FLV files?

Yes — the batch convert tool queues them and applies the same settings to each, which is the practical way to migrate an archive.

Useful next steps

Continue with a tool that fits naturally after flv to mp4.

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