Convert MKV to M4A Online Free
Extract the audio from your Matroska MKV video and save it as M4A — the Apple AAC audio format. Great for bringing soundtrack and dialogue audio from MKV files into Apple Music, iPhone, or GarageBand.
ChangeThisFile extracts audio from your Matroska MKV video and encodes it as M4A using FFmpeg on our secure servers. M4A is Apple's native AAC container, fully compatible with iTunes, iPhone, and Apple Music. Files are auto-deleted, free with no signup required.
Convert Matroska to M4A
Drop your Matroska file here to convert it instantly
Drag & drop your .mkv file here, or click to browse
Convert to M4A instantly
Matroska vs M4A: Format Comparison
Key differences between the two formats
| Feature | MKV (Matroska) | M4A |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Open video container | Apple MPEG-4 audio container |
| Developer | Matroska.org | Apple / MPEG-4 standard |
| Audio codec | AC-3, DTS, AAC, FLAC, PCM, etc. | AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) |
| Apple compatibility | Not natively supported on iOS/macOS | Native on all Apple platforms |
| File size | Large (HD video included) | Small — AAC audio only |
| Multiple tracks | Supports multiple audio tracks | Single audio stream |
| Metadata | Matroska tags | iTunes tags: artist, album, cover art, lyrics |
| Use case | HD media collections | Apple Music, iPhone, GarageBand, podcasts |
When to Convert
Common scenarios where this conversion is useful
Import MKV soundtrack audio into Apple Music
MKV is not natively supported in Apple Music or iTunes. Convert the audio track to M4A to import soundtracks from MKV films, anime, or concerts directly into your Apple Music library with proper metadata.
Transfer MKV audio for iPhone offline listening
Extract audio from MKV media files and save as M4A to sync to your iPhone via iTunes or the Finder. The M4A format plays natively in the Music app without requiring any additional apps.
Extract anime soundtrack from MKV episode files
Anime episodes distributed as MKV files often include high-quality opening and ending music. Extract the audio as M4A to import favorite tracks into your Apple Music library with full metadata and album art.
Create M4A audiobooks from MKV recordings
If you have lecture series, audiobooks, or training content in MKV video format, extract the audio as M4A for offline listening in Apple's Audiobooks app or any M4A-compatible player.
Prepare MKV audio for GarageBand editing on Mac
GarageBand natively imports M4A files. Extract audio from MKV video sources as M4A to import into GarageBand for remixing, adding effects, or producing a podcast episode from a video interview.
How to Convert Matroska to M4A
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1
Upload your MKV file
Drag and drop your .mkv file onto the converter or click to browse and select it. Files up to 500MB are supported.
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2
Server-side M4A encoding
Your MKV is uploaded over HTTPS and FFmpeg extracts the default audio track, decoding it from whatever codec is present and encoding to AAC in an M4A container. Processing completes in seconds.
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3
Download your M4A file
Click Download to save the .m4a file. The original MKV and M4A output are automatically deleted from our servers after download.
Frequently Asked Questions
iTunes and Apple Music do not support the Matroska MKV container. Converting the audio to M4A packages it in a container Apple applications recognize natively, without needing any third-party codec or format support.
If the MKV contains AAC audio, FFmpeg may be able to stream-copy it to M4A with no re-encoding. If the audio is AC-3, DTS, or PCM, it will be re-encoded to AAC, introducing some quality loss typical of lossy encoding.
FFmpeg extracts the default (first) audio stream from the MKV. If your MKV has multiple language tracks, this is typically the primary language. For specific track selection, use FFmpeg directly with stream mapping flags.
M4A with AAC supports multi-channel audio including 5.1 surround. If the MKV's audio track is 5.1, it can be encoded to AAC 5.1 in the M4A output, though some devices may downmix to stereo during playback.
Yes. M4A is supported on Android natively. While it is commonly associated with Apple, M4A files play in most Android music players without any additional app.
Yes. GarageBand for Mac natively supports M4A. Drag the file into the GarageBand timeline or Media Browser to add it to your project.
Yes. ChangeThisFile is completely free. No signup, no limits, and no watermarks on output files.
M4A supports iTunes tags including title, artist, album, year, genre, track number, cover art, and lyrics. Edit these using iTunes, Mp3tag, MusicBrainz Picard, or any tag-editing app.
Typically just a few seconds to under a minute depending on file length. Only the audio is processed — no video transcoding needed.
Yes. All uploads are HTTPS-encrypted and files are automatically deleted from our servers after you download the M4A. We never retain or access your files.
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