Best video converters for Windows in 2026

Avidemux 2.8.1 is a free editor aimed at simple cutting, filtering and encoding jobs. It is released under GPL-2.0 and also exists for Linux and Mac OS X. It opens AVI, MP4, ASF and DVD-compatible MPEG files and works with several codecs.

Repeat tasks can be handled through projects, a job queue and scripting. The download is 38.1 MB. The catalog lists the last update as September 21, 2022, which is the oldest date among these seven apps, so check that it still handles the formats you need before relying on it.

MKVToolNix is a set of tools to create, alter and inspect Matroska files. The current version is 103.0.0, updated October 18, 2026, under GPL-2.0. It runs on Windows, Linux and other Unix systems.

It works only with Matroska, so treat it as a container tool rather than a general converter. It fits jobs such as inspecting an MKV file or changing what it contains. The download is 35.2 MB.

FFmpeg 9.0.2 is the framework behind many other tools, able to decode, encode, transcode, mux, demux, stream and filter media. This is the 64-bit static full build from gyan.dev, which contains most libraries. It is licensed GPL-3.0 and was updated September 20, 2026.

It supports formats from very old to very new. At 245.8 MB it is the largest download of the seven. It is a cross-platform tool for recording, converting and streaming, and it works from the command line, so expect to work from commands.

HandBrake 1.11.2 converts video you already have into new MP4 or MKV files using modern codecs. The catalog says the output works on phones, tablets, TV players, game consoles, computers and browsers. It is built by volunteers, open source, and licensed GPL-2.0.

It reads common formats, including files from cameras, phones, screen recordings, and DVD and Blu-ray discs. Under the hood it uses FFmpeg, x264 and x265. The download is 24.2 MB and the last update was June 7, 2026. It is the most direct pick here for ordinary format conversion.

VidCoder 12.23.0 is an open-source application for ripping DVDs and Blu-ray discs and transcoding video on Windows. It uses HandBrake as its encoding engine, so the conversion work comes from the same core as HandBrake itself. It is licensed GPL-2.0 and was updated July 19, 2026.

The download is 49.3 MB. It makes sense if you want a Windows-only tool built on HandBrake's encoder.

XMedia Recode 3.6.4.1 is a free all-in-one converter for video and audio. It is the smallest download of the seven at 21.6 MB and is freeware rather than open source. It was last updated September 26, 2026.

Check the developer's site for supported formats, presets and editing options before choosing it. It is worth a look if you convert both video and audio files and want a single small installer.

LosslessCut 3.70.2 is a graphical front end for FFmpeg built around lossless trimming and cutting of video and audio. The catalog points to rough-cutting large files from cameras, GoPro units and drones, which can drop many gigabytes without a slow re-encode. You can also add a music or subtitle track without encoding.

Because it copies data almost directly, jobs finish quickly. It is licensed GPL-2.0-only and was updated October 28, 2026, the newest date on this page. The download is 240.5 MB.