Convert WMV to FLV Online
Transform your Windows Media Video (WMV) files into Flash Video (FLV) format with our online conversion tool. WMV is Microsoft's proprietary format for Windows Media Player, while FLV is Adobe's legacy format from the Flash era. Both are considered outdated for modern applications.
How to Convert WMV to FLV
Converting your video files is straightforward. Upload your WMV file using the tool above, and the conversion process begins automatically. The converter processes your Windows Media video and generates an FLV file for Flash-based applications. Once complete, download your converted file for use with legacy systems or archived Flash platforms.
Why Convert WMV to FLV
Converting WMV to FLV is rarely necessary as both are legacy formats with limited modern support. WMV was designed for Windows Media Player and Windows-based systems, while FLV was created for Adobe Flash Player which is now obsolete. This conversion might be needed for very specific legacy requirements, such as archiving content for historical Flash-based systems or maintaining compatibility with old applications. However, for any modern use case, converting to MP4 or WebM is strongly recommended instead of either WMV or FLV.
Video Quality and Compatibility
Both WMV and FLV are legacy formats with limited compatibility on modern systems. WMV uses Windows Media Video codecs and works best on Windows platforms but has poor support elsewhere. FLV uses older Flash compression and is no longer supported by modern browsers. Converting between these formats typically maintains similar quality levels, though both offer inferior compression compared to modern codecs like H.264 or VP9. Neither format is suitable for contemporary applications. For better quality and compatibility, consider converting legacy videos to modern formats like MP4 or WebM.
Common Use Cases
- Converting legacy Windows videos for archived Flash systems
- Maintaining compatibility with historical Flash applications
- Archiving content in FLV format for documentation purposes
- Supporting very specific legacy platform requirements
- Converting old training videos between legacy formats
- Preserving historical video content in specific formats
Format Comparison
WMV is Microsoft's proprietary format using Windows Media Video compression, designed for Windows environments with limited cross-platform support. FLV is Adobe's legacy container developed for Flash Player streaming, now obsolete since browsers discontinued Flash support. Both formats are outdated and offer inferior compression, quality, and compatibility compared to modern alternatives. WMV works better on legacy Windows systems, while FLV was designed for web streaming in the Flash era. Neither format is recommended for new projects. For modern applications, MP4 and WebM offer superior compression, quality, and universal compatibility across all devices and platforms.
Technical Conversion Details
WMV files typically contain video encoded with Windows Media Video 7, 8, or 9 codecs and audio in Windows Media Audio format. FLV supports H.264, VP6, and Sorenson Spark video codecs with MP3 or AAC audio. During conversion, the video stream is transcoded to FLV-compatible codecs while attempting to preserve the original quality as much as the legacy format allows.
Both formats support metadata including duration, bitrate, and frame dimensions. Basic metadata transfers during conversion, though some WMV-specific extended attributes may not have FLV equivalents. The resulting FLV file maintains standard playback information needed for legacy Flash applications.
Recommended Modern Alternatives
Unless you have specific legacy requirements, consider converting WMV directly to modern formats instead of FLV. MP4 with H.264 codec provides universal device and browser support. WebM with VP9 offers excellent compression for web streaming. Both formats are actively maintained, widely supported, and produce better quality at smaller file sizes than either WMV or FLV.
If your goal is web playback, WebM or MP4 work natively in all modern browsers without plugins. If you need broad device compatibility including older smartphones and smart TVs, MP4 is the safest choice. Only use FLV when specifically required by legacy Flash-based systems that cannot be updated.