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MKV FORMAT

MKV Converters

Extract high-quality audio from Matroska video files.

About MKV

MKV (Matroska Video) is an open container format developed by Matroska.org, with its first stable release in December 2002. Named after Russian nesting dolls (Matryoshka), MKV can contain virtually unlimited video, audio, and subtitle tracks in any codec format. It commonly holds H.264/H.265 video with AC3, DTS, AAC, or FLAC audio—often at higher quality than streaming services. MKV supports chapters, attachments (fonts, cover art), and extensive metadata, making it the format of choice for video archivists.

Learn more: Matroska on Wikipedia

MKV's flexibility has made it the preferred format for high-quality movie encodes, Blu-ray rips, anime distribution, and personal video libraries. Many MKV files contain multiple audio tracks (different languages, commentary) and FLAC lossless audio that exceeds streaming quality. While VLC and modern media players handle MKV well, extracting audio to MP3 or WAV is often necessary for portable devices, car stereos, or uploading to services that don't accept MKV input.

Quick Facts

Extension
.mkv, .mk3d, .mka
Developed By
Matroska.org
First Released
December 2002
Video Codecs
Any (codec agnostic)
Audio Codecs
FLAC, AAC, DTS, AC3
Max Resolution
8K (7680×4320)
Special Features
Chapters, multi-track
Licensing
Open source

Extract Audio from MKV (2 tools)

MKV to MP3

Extract audio from MKV videos and save as MP3

MKV to WAV

Extract audio from MKV videos and save as lossless WAV

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes MKV audio quality special?

MKV files often contain lossless FLAC audio or high-bitrate DTS/Dolby tracks—quality that far exceeds streaming services. Blu-ray rips commonly include 24-bit FLAC at 48-96kHz, audiophile-grade quality.

When extracting to WAV, you preserve this full quality. For MP3 extraction, we use high-quality encoding that captures most of the audio fidelity in a universally compatible format.

MKV has multiple audio tracks—which one gets extracted?

We extract the default audio track (usually Track 1)—typically the primary language in the highest available quality. MKV files can contain 10+ audio tracks (different languages, commentary, isolated music).

If you need a specific non-default track, specialized tools like MKVToolNix let you select which track to extract. Our converter focuses on the most common use case: getting the main audio quickly.

Why are MKV files so much larger than MP4?

MKV files are often larger because they prioritize quality over compression. While streaming MP4s might use 128kbps AAC audio, MKV files commonly include:

  • Lossless FLAC audio (5-10× larger than AAC)
  • Multiple audio tracks (English, Japanese, commentary)
  • Multiple subtitle tracks
  • Higher video bitrates (transparency over streaming efficiency)

The trade-off is significantly better quality for archival purposes.

Can I play MKV files on my TV or phone?

Smart TVs: Support varies wildly. Samsung, LG, and Sony TVs from the last 5 years usually play MKV, but may not support all audio codecs (DTS often fails).

Phones: VLC plays everything. iOS's native player doesn't support MKV. Android has better native support but codec availability varies.

If you just need the audio for podcasts, music apps, or car stereos, extracting to MP3 gives you universal compatibility without worrying about device support.

Answers at a Glance

Quick answers to common questions.