MP4
Technology & Computing abbreviation · File Format
| Stands for | MPEG-4 Part 14 |
|---|---|
| Categories | Technology & Computing |
MP4 stands for MPEG-4 Part 14, a file format abbreviation.
Multimedia container file format, typically holding H.264 or H.265 video with AAC audio, used for streaming, phone videos, downloads and social media. Almost every device and browser plays it.
Example: Export the edit as MP4 with H.264 so it plays on everyone's devices.
Usage notes
MP4 was standardized as ISO/IEC 14496-14 in the early 2000s and is based on Apple's QuickTime file format. It is a container, not a codec: an MP4 file can hold different video and audio streams, which is why some MP4s will not play on older devices. Fragmented MP4 underpins modern adaptive streaming. In the mid-2000s, cheap "MP4 players" were portable media players, often unrelated to the format.
Related abbreviations
More file format abbreviations
- MD – Markdown
- MIDI – Musical Instrument Digital Interface
- MKV – Matroska Video
- MOBI – Mobipocket e-book
- MOV – QuickTime Movie
- MP3 – MPEG-1 Audio Layer III
- MPEG – Moving Picture Experts Group
- MSI – Microsoft Installer package
- MSIX – MSIX app package
- NEF – Nikon Electronic Format
- OBJ – Wavefront object file
- ODF – OpenDocument Format