How to Convert MKV to MP4 with Preferred Subtitles Burned In

"Hey guys, I would really appreciate if someone could help me with my problem. I'm trying to convert a MKV file, to a MP4 file but I don't know how to keep the subtitles on my MP4 file. On my MKV file, there's differents types of subtitles (Different languages), but I only need the first one if it's impossible to have all of them."

As we know, the movie subtitles assist you to understand the movie plot better and faster while you watching movies, especially in plots that speak in their native language. And no matter you download your favorite videos from online, or get a copy from DVD/Blu-ray discs, you're in a great chance to meet MKV videos, which saves multiple audio, subtitle, chapter tracks at high-definition. However, due to the codec and higher bitrate issue, there are many situations you need to convert MKV to MP4 files for better compatibility. Moreover, to better understand the movie, most folks are fond of burning in subtitles in the result MP4 files. For that, this article aims to provide the best 2 solutions to free encode/re-encode MKV to MP4 with desired subtitle burned in.

Method 1: Convert MKV to MP4 with Subtitles with DumboFab Video Converter

DumboFab Video Converter is the best yet easiest solution to help you convert MKV files to MP4 format and burn soft subtitles to the video on Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7, etc. And it has a Mac version compatible with macOS Big Sur and lower. Its features include but are not limited to:

◉ Accept all MKV files with different encoded video/audio streams and higher bit and frame rate.
◉ Transcode MKV to MP4 in HEVC, H.264 as well as burn soft subtitles in .srt, *.ass, *.ass, *.ssa to MP4 video easily.
◉ Convert MKV video to MP4 for iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows Phone, and other devices with optimized presets.
◉ The high quality engine and adjustable video parameters like resolution, frame rate, bit rate etc. can help you encode MKV to MP4 with imperceptible quality loss.
◉ Finish conversion at fast speed, owing to the support for the advanced Intel QSV, Nvidia CUDA/NVENC, Hyper-threading and AMD 3DNow! Tech.
◉ Edit videos by trimming, merging, cropping, adding subtitle, etc.

Tutorial: How to decode MKV to MP4 with desired subtitles with DumboFab Video Converter

After free downloading and installing the DumboFab Video Converter, fire it up on your computer. The guide below take the Windows version as example. The process oon Mac is almost the same.

Step 1. Load MKV video.

Click Add Video button to import the MKV video to the program. Alternatively, you can directly drag and drop the MKV file to the program, and the file will be loaded to the converter automatically.

Step 2. Select MP4 as the output profile.

From Fomrat drop-down list, you're recommended to choose H.264 encoded MP4 from Common Video category as the output format because the H.264 encoded MP4 profile is widely supportd by almost all devices and media players. You can also choose H.265 Video(*.mp4) or the device profile as the output profile per your needs.

Step 3. Burn subtitles to the video.

Click the pencil-alike Edit button to enter Video Editor window. You will many options to touch up your videos such as Trim, Crop, Effect, etc. Click Subtitle, and then tick up the Enable option and then you click Browse to add preferred (*.srt or *.ass/*.ssa) subtitle files to the video as hardcoded subtitles. You can click the play button to preivew the subtitle on the video.

Step 4. Start conversion and subtitle burning.

Tap Convert button to start conversion from MKV to MP4 with subtitles. If your computer configuration is high enough, Intel/NVIDIA/AMD hardware accelerator will be auto enabled to boost decoding and encoding speed. Once done, you can feel free to enjoy the result MP4 files with subtitles on smartphones, tablets, TV or game consoles with media player apps.

Method 2: Free Convert MKV to MP4 with Subtitles with Handbrake

HandBrake is an open source video transcoder available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. It allows you to change video in MKV and other formats to MP4. Also you can add SRT captions into MP4, MKV video files. Below are the detailed steps on how to get the job done.

Tutorial: How to transcode MKV to MP4 with subtitles using Handbrake

Step 1. Add target MKV file by clicking "Open Source". It always takes longer time than DumboFab Video converter to load files.
Step 2. Navigate to Output Settings, and choose "MP4" as the output container. And then click "Import Subtitle" to locate and import the SRT subtitle.
Step 3. Click "Browse" to choose a destination for where you would like the MP4 resulting file to be saved.
Step 4. If you have nothing to modify, click "Start Encode" to begin changing MKV to MP4 with subtitles burned in.

Although this video converter is free and clean, it is very difficult to use for beginners and always comes across errors, such as, handbrake freezes while encoding, source file not supported, video audio out of sync.