Video conversion
Convert MPEG to MKV
Updated Jul 2026
MPEG is the older format built for broadcast video and DVDs, while MKV is a modern, flexible container that most current media players and software handle without trouble. To convert, open the file in a converter and export it as MKV. Doing this on your own computer means the video never has to be uploaded anywhere to make the switch.
- Extension
- .mpeg
- Type
- Video
- Typically
- Broadcast, DVD
- Compression
- Lossy
- Extension
- .mkv
- Type
- Video
- Typically
- High-quality video containers
Convert MPEG to MKV on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert MPEG to MKV
- Open Morphjet and drag in the MPEG file, or a whole folder of them if you're converting a batch.
- Choose MKV as the output format.
- Convert. The MKV file is written next to your original, and nothing leaves your machine.
MPEG vs MKV: what actually changes
| MPEG | MKV | |
|---|---|---|
| File size | Compact, already compressed for broadcast or DVD | About the same, since the video isn't recompressed |
| Quality | Lossy, quality was reduced at the original encode | No further loss, MKV just repackages the existing video |
| Plays on legacy hardware | Yes, DVD players and old broadcast decks expect it | No, it's a newer container those devices don't recognize |
| Modern software and device support | Fading outside legacy playback gear | Yes, widely supported by current media players and software |
| Multiple audio and subtitle tracks | Limited, usually one video and one or two audio tracks | Yes, can hold several audio, subtitle, and chapter tracks |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert MPEG to MKV when you want to move an old broadcast or DVD-sourced video into a container that current software, media servers, and archiving tools handle more gracefully, especially if you also want to bundle in subtitle tracks or chapters.
Keep the MPEG original if it just needs to keep playing on the DVD player or broadcast equipment it was made for, since that older hardware often won't recognize MKV at all.
Why not just use an online converter?
Old home videos and archived clips are exactly the kind of file you don't want passing through a stranger's server just to change its container. An online converter uploads the whole video and, depending on its length, that can take a while and leaves a copy sitting on someone else's machine in the meantime. Converting on your own computer keeps it local from start to finish, whether it's one clip or years of an archive.
Questions
Does converting MPEG to MKV lose quality?
No, not meaningfully. Morphjet repackages the existing video and audio into a new container without recompressing them, so you end up with the same quality you started with, MPEG's original lossy encoding and all.
Will the MKV play everywhere the MPEG did?
Not automatically. Older DVD players, some broadcast gear, and Apple's built-in QuickTime player don't recognize MKV natively, though most current desktop media players and streaming devices do.
Does the MKV keep multiple audio tracks or subtitles?
If your MPEG file has more than one audio or subtitle track, MKV can hold onto all of them, and it can add chapter markers too, which MPEG generally can't do.
Can I convert MPEG to MKV without uploading the file?
Yes. Morphjet converts on your own computer, so the video never has to travel over the internet, which matters for large files or footage you'd rather keep private.
Why convert an old MPEG file at all?
Because MPEG is mostly a legacy format now, tied to DVD and broadcast gear, while MKV is what current players, archiving tools, and media servers expect.
Morphjet converts MPEG, MKV, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.