Video conversion
Convert FLV to WMV
Updated Jul 2026
FLV is Flash Video, an older web format that needs a separate player now that browsers have dropped Flash. WMV is Windows Media Video, which Windows Media Player and File Explorer's preview pane open directly. To convert, open the FLV in a converter and export it as WMV. Doing this on your own computer means the video never has to leave your machine.
- Extension
- .flv
- Type
- Video
- Typically
- Legacy web video
- Compression
- Lossy
- Extension
- .wmv
- Type
- Video
- Typically
- Windows video
- Compression
- Lossy
Convert FLV to WMV on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert FLV to WMV
- Open Morphjet and drag in the FLV file you want to convert, or a whole folder of them at once.
- Choose WMV as the output format.
- Convert. The WMV is written next to your original, and nothing is uploaded anywhere.
FLV vs WMV: what actually changes
| FLV | WMV | |
|---|---|---|
| Plays without extra software | No, needs a dedicated player since Flash Player was discontinued | Yes, opens natively in Windows Media Player and File Explorer |
| File size | Smaller, from older low-bitrate compression | Larger, though still reasonably efficient |
| Quality | Lower, built for early web bandwidth limits | Better, supports higher bitrates and resolutions |
| Editing software support | Rare, most current editors don't accept it | Wider, especially in Windows-based editing tools |
| Common use today | Essentially obsolete, dropped by browsers and platforms | Niche, mostly within Windows-centered workflows |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert FLV to WMV when you have old Flash-era video files sitting around and want to open, edit, or watch them on a Windows PC without hunting down a Flash-era player.
If you never actually need to open or edit the file, there's no reason to convert it, since re-encoding an old FLV won't improve the quality it already has.
Why not just use an online converter?
Old FLV files often come from downloaded web videos, screen recordings, or footage you'd rather not hand over to a stranger's server just to change the format. Many online converters require uploading the whole video and waiting for their server to process it. Converting on your own computer keeps the video, whatever it shows, entirely on your machine.
Questions
Does converting FLV to WMV lose quality?
Converting won't add quality that wasn't there. FLV video was usually compressed at low bitrates for old web streaming, and WMV encodes it at whatever settings you choose, but it can't recover detail the original FLV never had.
Will an FLV file play on Windows without converting it?
Not directly. Browsers dropped Flash Player years ago, and Windows Media Player doesn't open FLV natively, so you need either a separate player or a conversion to a format like WMV.
Does the WMV keep the FLV's metadata?
Basic details like duration and resolution carry over. FLV files rarely hold much beyond that, so there's little to lose in the conversion.
Can I convert FLV to WMV without an internet connection?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet converts the file locally, so you can do it with wifi off and nothing gets sent anywhere.
Morphjet converts FLV, WMV, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.