How to Compress a MKV File: The Ultimate Guide

You might have come across MKV files in one form or another during your time online, and wondered what they’re for and how to work with them. Although there is a fairly wide support for MKV files, they’re not industry standard and can be fairly bulky, and there is a good chance you will want to compress them into a much smaller file size or convert them into a different file type altogether.

What is a MKV file?

An MKV file is a Matroska multimedia container format. It usually contains multiple media files such as video and audio files, and the benefit of a MKV file is it can include an unlimited number of video and audio files. It can even support inclusion of descriptions, ratings, subtitles, cover art, and chapter points, which makes it an excellent file type for holding information for DVDs. If you open a MKV file there’s a good chance you will be presented with lots of different content, and as a result the files can be pretty large.

The benefits of compressing a MKV file

Compressing a MKV file brings the file size down into something much more manageable. If you imagine how much high definition video content you can include in a single MKV file, and then imagine what it would be like working with multiple MKV files at once, it becomes pretty clear that compressing MKVs to make them smaller will do wonders for your workflow. Smaller files are quicker to transfer, take up less space on DVDs and other media storage devices, and work faster on your computer.

If you want to compress a MKV file into a smaller size you’ll need to work with video editing software like Pinnacle Studio to convert it. Once you’ve downloaded the software and opened it up, it’s a straightforward process to export the video into something similar but smaller, like an MP4.

How to convert a MKV file

  1. To start with, open up Pinnacle Studio.
  2. Import your MKV file into Pinnacle Studio by selecting the file in the Import screen.
  3. Drag the video onto the timeline in the video layer.
  4. Navigate to the Export screen.
  5. Select your desired output such as MP4 from the Extension tab.
  6. Next to Preset you should be presented with a drop-down menu. Here, Pinnacle Studio provides you with a list of premade settings that you can choose from. Explore the options and choose the one that works the best for you.
  7. If you want to create your own custom settings, hit the Edit icon and adjust the settings accordingly. Reducing the size and the bitrate will reduce the size of the file.
  8. Select the destination of where you want your new file to end up.
  9. Finally, simply hit Start Export to begin compressing the file.

Compress or convert files to make them smaller

MKV files are incredibly useful container formats that can hold a massive amount of video and audio as well as chapter points, descriptions, and other multimedia content. If you’re making DVDs you’ll very likely come across a MKV file, but as a result they can be huge. Use video editing software like Pinnacle Studio to convert your MKV files into smaller file types such as MP4, and make them easier to transfer and store on your devices. Download Pinnacle Studio today and try it out for yourself.

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