MP4 Video — MPEG-4 container for video and audio, standard for web.
Quick facts
What is .mp4
A .mp4 file is a MP4 Video — MPEG-4 container for video and audio, standard for web.
In the mime-db registry it maps to application/mp4. When serving .mp4 over HTTP, set the Content-Type header as shown in Developer info below.
Related entities: it maps to application/mp4 — and is delivered over HTTP via the Content-Type header.
How to open .mp4 files
Developer info
When served over HTTP, responses should set the following header:
Content-Type: application/mp4
Common software that reads/writes .mp4:
Relation chain
Related extensions
Related MIME types
Common uses
How to edit .mp4 files
How to create .mp4 files
Frequently asked questions
Common options include VLC, QuickTime, Chrome. You can also open many of these files with built-in viewers or a browser.
Create a new file in any text editor or the app that owns the format and save it with the .mp4 extension.
application/mp4 is the media type identifier used for .mp4 files during network transfer (for example in the HTTP Content-Type header).
Sources & standards
Updated 2026-08-18
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