WMV File Format (.wmv)
A WMV file holds video encoded with one of Microsoft's Windows Media Video codecs inside an ASF container, usually alongside a Windows Media Audio track, and often with Microsoft's DRM applied.
WMV at a glance#
| Full name | Windows Media Video |
|---|---|
| File extension | .wmv |
| Category | Video Files |
| Developer | Microsoft |
| First released | 1999 |
| MIME types | video/x-ms-wmv |
| Compression | Lossy |
| FileFlip support | FileFlip reads this format but does not write it |
What a .wmv file can hold#
These are the things a WMV file either supports or does not, and they are what decides whether a conversion keeps everything or quietly drops something.
| Embedded metadata | Yes |
|---|---|
| Audio | Yes |
| Video | Yes |
| Subtitle tracks | No |
| Chapters | No |
| Encryption | Yes |
| Streaming | Yes |
Strengths and limitations of WMV#
What WMV does well
- Held a watchable picture at the low bitrates early broadband forced on everyone, which is why 2000s downloads used it
- VC-1, which grew out of WMV 9, was a required codec on every Blu-ray and HD DVD player
- Plays on Windows with nothing installed, and drops straight into PowerPoint
- Built for streaming from Windows Media Services, so playback starts before the download finishes
Where WMV falls short
- No native playback on macOS, iOS, Android or in any browser
- Flip4Mac, the plugin that once let QuickTime open WMV, was last updated in 2015 and does not run on current macOS
- Files carrying Windows Media DRM need a licence server that in many cases no longer exists
- VC-1 Advanced Profile broke compatibility with earlier WMV 9 files, so some old files fail on newer decoders
- Subtitles were handled by separate SAMI files rather than a track inside the video
Keep a file as WMV when it is staying on Windows and feeding software that expects it, which is where the format has always worked best.
Convert WMV to MP4 to get the video off Windows, since Macs, phones, browsers and TVs will not play it as it stands.
How to open a .wmv file#
A .wmv file opens in the programs below, grouped by the platform you are on. If you would rather not install anything, FileFlip converts WMV into a format your machine already opens, and it does it in the browser tab rather than on a server.
| Platform | Programs that open it |
|---|---|
| Windows | Windows Media Player, VLC, MPC-HC |
| macOS | VLC, IINA, mpv |
| Linux | VLC, mpv |
| Android | VLC, MX Player |
| Web | FileFlip |
WMV questions people ask#
Why won't my WMV file play on a Mac or iPhone?
WMV was never made to run outside Windows. Apple has no decoder for it, QuickTime has never opened it, and Flip4Mac, the plugin that used to bridge the gap, stopped being maintained around 2015. VLC plays WMV on macOS today because it carries its own decoders. Converting to MP4 is the fix if the file needs to work in Photos, iMovie or on an iPhone.
Is WMV a codec or a file format?
WMV is really a family of codecs, and a .wmv file is an ASF container holding one of them. The version matters: WMV 7, 8 and 9 are all different, and VC-1 Advanced Profile is not backward compatible with WMV 9. That is why a very old WMV can fail in modern software that dropped the earlier decoders while a newer one plays without trouble.
Does converting WMV to MP4 lose quality?
Converting WMV to MP4 re-encodes the video, so a little quality is lost. Nothing can be rewrapped here, because MP4 expects H.264 or H.265 and a WMV holds neither. Encoding at a high enough bitrate keeps the difference invisible, and given most WMV files are low bitrate to begin with there is not much detail left to protect.
What is the difference between WMV and WMA?
WMV is Microsoft's video codec and WMA is its audio counterpart, and they usually travel together, since the audio track inside a WMV file is normally WMA. Both sit in the same ASF container underneath. A .wma file holds audio on its own, which is why it plays in music apps while a .wmv needs a video player.
Why can't I play a WMV video I bought years ago?
A purchased WMV that suddenly refuses to play is almost certainly protected by Windows Media DRM, which checks a licence with a server before letting the video open. Microsoft has moved on to PlayReady and many of the stores that sold WMV content are gone, taking their licence servers with them. Files in that state cannot be converted, because the video inside is encrypted rather than merely wrapped.
Converting WMV files#
Convert WMV to another format
FileFlip does not write .wmv files, so nothing on the site converts into this format. It works as a source only.
Every conversion runs inside your browser. The file is read from your disk, the work happens on your own machine, and nothing is uploaded. How FileFlip works names the engine behind each family and how to verify that for yourself.