If you are a movie lover, you may have come across MKV files on the internet or from other sources. MKV is a popular video format that offers many advantages over other formats. But how can you download MKV movies for free and play them on your devices? In this article, we will show you what MKV format is, how to play it, and how to download it from legal and safe sources. We will also show you how to convert MKV files to other formats if needed.
MKV stands for Matroska Video, which is a multimedia container format that can store audio, video, subtitles, and other data in a single file. Unlike other video formats, such as MP4 or AVI, which are codecs that compress the data, MKV is a container that can hold different types of codecs. This means that MKV files can have different quality, size, and compatibility depending on the codecs used.
A multimedia container format is like a box that can hold different types of items. For example, you can put books, clothes, toys, and electronics in a box. Similarly, you can put different types of audio, video, subtitles, and metadata in an MKV file. This makes MKV files very flexible and versatile.
One of the main benefits of using MKV format is that it supports multiple audio, video, and subtitle tracks in a single file. This means that you can have different languages, soundtracks, commentaries, angles, resolutions, and formats in one file. For example, you can have an MKV movie with English and Spanish audio tracks, HD and SD video tracks, and subtitles in various languages. You can also switch between these tracks easily using a compatible media player.
Another advantage of using MKV format is that it is future-proof and compatible with many devices. Because MKV is an open standard format that does not depend on any specific company or technology, it can be updated and improved over time without becoming outdated. Moreover, because MKV can hold any type of codec, it can be played on many devices that support those codecs. For example, you can play an MKV file with H.264 video and AAC audio on any device that supports those codecs.
Now that you know what MKV format is and why you should use it, let's see how you can play it on your computer or mobile device. There are two main factors that affect the playback of MKV files: the media player and the decoder filters.
The media player is the software that allows you to watch and control the video and audio files on your device. There are many media players available for different platforms, but the best option for playing MKV files is VLC Media Player. VLC Media Player is a free and open source software that can play almost any type of media file, including MKV. It also has many features and settings that allow you to customize your viewing experience. You can download VLC Media Player from its official website or from your device's app store.
If you don't want to use VLC Media Player, or if you encounter any problems with it, you can also try other MKV players for your device. Here are some of the alternatives that you can use:
| Platform |
|---|
| MKV Players |
|---|
| Windows |
| MPC-HC, KMPlayer, PotPlayer, GOM Player |
| Mac |
| IINA, 5KPlayer, MPlayerX, Elmedia Player |
| Linux |
| SMPlayer, MPV, MPlayer, Kaffeine |
| iOS |
| nPlayer, Infuse, PlayerXtreme, KMPlayer |
| Android |
| MX Player, BSPlayer, XPlayer, KMPlayer |
The decoder filters are the software components that decode the audio and video data in the MKV file and render them on your device. Depending on the codecs used in the MKV file, you may need to install some decoder filters to play it properly. Some of the common decoder filters that you may need are:
Now that you know how to play MKV movies on your device, let's see how you can download them from legal and safe sources. There are many websites that offer free downloads of MKV movies, but not all of them are trustworthy or legal. Some of them may contain malware, viruses, or spyware that can harm your device or compromise your privacy. Some of them may also violate the copyright laws and expose you to legal risks. Therefore, you should be careful when choosing where to download MKV movies from.
Here are some of the legal and safe sources that you can use to download MKV movies for free:
Public domain movies are films that have no or expired copyright protection and are therefore free to use and distribute by anyone. Public domain movies are usually classic and vintage films that were made before 1964 or have not been renewed by their owners. You can find many public domain movies in MKV format on websites such as:
The Public Domain Review is a website that showcases and celebrates the best of the public domain. It features curated collections of films, books, art, and other media that are free to use and share. You can find many interesting and rare films in MKV format on its Films section. You can also explore its Collections section for themed selections of films and other media.
YouTube is the most popular video-sharing platform in the world. It hosts billions of videos uploaded by users and licensed by content owners. You can find many MKV movies on YouTube, both legal and illegal. You can use the search function or the filters to find MKV movies by keyword, genre, duration, quality, or upload date. You can also subscribe to channels that upload MKV movies regularly.
To download MKV movies from YouTube, you will need a third-party tool or service that can extract the video file from the website. There are many online tools and software that can do this, but you should be careful about their reliability and security. Some of them may contain malware, viruses, or spyware that can harm your device or compromise your privacy. Some of them may also violate the terms of service of YouTube and expose you to legal risks. Therefore, you should use these tools at your own risk and discretion.
EZTV is a torrent site that specializes in TV shows and series. It offers high-quality downloads of TV shows and series in various formats, including MKV. You can browse and download TV shows and series by genre, popularity, rating, or date. You can also use the search function or the filters to find specific TV shows and series.
To download TV shows and series from EZTV, you will need a torrent client that can handle torrent files and magnet links. A torrent client is a software that connects you to other users who have the same file and allows you to download it from them. There are many torrent clients available for different platforms, but some of the popular ones are uTorrent, BitTorrent, qBittorrent, and Transmission.
Downloading TV shows and series from EZTV may not be legal or safe in some countries or regions. Some TV shows and series may be protected by copyright laws and downloading them may violate those laws. Some torrent files or magnet links may contain malware, viruses, or spyware that can harm your device or compromise your privacy. Some torrent sites or clients may also expose you to cyberattacks or surveillance by hackers or authorities. Therefore, you should be careful when downloading TV shows and series from EZTV.
FZMovies is a website that provides direct downloads of Hollywood and Bollywood movies in various formats, including MKV. You can browse and download movies by genre, year, quality, or popularity. You can also use the search function or the filters to find specific movies.
Downloading movies from FZMovies may not be legal or safe in some countries or regions. Some movies may be protected by copyright laws and downloading them may violate those laws. Some movie files may contain malware, viruses, or spyware that can harm your device or compromise your privacy. Some movie sites may also expose you to cyberattacks or surveillance by hackers or authorities. Therefore, you should be careful when downloading movies from FZMovies.
MegaShare is a website that provides streaming and downloading of latest and popular movies in various formats, including MKV. You can watch and download movies by genre, country, year, quality, or popularity. You can also use the search function or the filters to find specific movies.
Streaming and downloading movies from MegaShare may not be legal or safe in some countries or regions. Some movies may be protected by copyright laws and streaming or downloading them may violate those laws. Some movie files may contain malware, viruses, or spyware that can harm your device or compromise your privacy. Some movie sites may also expose you to cyberattacks or surveillance by hackers or authorities. Therefore, you should be careful when streaming or downloading movies from MegaShare.
Sometimes, you may need to convert MKV movies to other formats for various reasons. For example, you may want to reduce the file size, improve the compatibility, edit the video, or extract the audio. There are many tools and services that can help you convert MKV movies to other formats, but not all of them are reliable and secure. Some of them may lose the quality, damage the file, or add watermarks. Some of them may also contain malware, viruses, or spyware that can harm your device or compromise your privacy. Therefore, you should be careful when choosing how to convert MKV movies to other formats.
Here are some of the reliable and secure ways that you can use to convert MKV movies to other formats:
Zamzar is an online service that can convert MKV files to various formats, such as MP4, AVI, MOV, WMV, FLV, MP3, WAV, and more. Zamzar is easy to use and fast. You just need to upload your MKV file, choose the output format, enter your email address, and click on Convert. Zamzar will then convert your file and send you a link to download it. Zamzar is free for files up to 50 MB and has a paid plan for larger files.
HandBrake is a free and open source software that can convert MKV files to various formats, such as MP4, M4V, MKV, AVI, WEBM, and more. HandBrake is powerful and customizable. You can adjust the video and audio settings, such as codec, bitrate, resolution, frame rate, quality, and more. You can also add subtitles, filters, chapters, and metadata. HandBrake is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux users and can be downloaded from its official website.
In this article, we have shown you how to download MKV movies for free and play them on your devices. We have also shown you how to convert MKV movies to other formats if needed. We hope that you have found this article helpful and informative.
Here are some of the frequently asked questions about MKV movies: