.H264 File Extension
H.264 Encoded Video File
Developer | ITU-T and MPEG |
Popularity |
3.5 | 160 Votes |
Category | Video Files |
Format | Binary |
What is an H264 file?
An H264 file is a video file encoded with H.264 compression, which is a popular format for high-definition video. It is often used as the video format for AVCHD camcorders, HDTV, Blu-ray, and HD DVD. H264 generally refers to a video file that is an .MP4 file.
H.264 is a video compression codec that requires a video container to host the encoded video. Therefore, a file with the .h264 extension may be a misnamed .264, .MP4, .AVI, or .MKV file. Nevertheless, the .h264 extension is still sometimes used to describe the contents of H.264 encoded video files.
How to open an H264 file
You can play the video an H264 file contains in VideoLAN VLC media player (multiplatform) or File Viewer Plus (Windows). Note that, by default, VLC may not recognize H264 files as valid video files. Therefore, you may have to open your H264 file by selecting File → Open File... from VLC's menu bar, instead of just double-clicking the file.
How to convert an H264 file
You can use VideoLAN VLC media player (multiplatform) or File Viewer Plus (Windows) to convert H264 videos to other formats. For example, VLC can convert H264 files to: