This article explains how to use HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to batch convert multiple video files to MKV format. Using before-and-after snapshots and the software's interface, it walks through the complete workflow: opening the "Convert to MKV" function, adding video files, checking the pending list, choosing a save location, and starting the process. It's suitable for office and data management scenarios that involve organizing large numbers of MP4 videos, standardizing video formats, and reducing repetitive tasks.
In daily office work, material organization, course data archiving, or project delivery, we often encounter this problem: a folder contains many video files, mostly in MP4 format, but subsequent platforms, players, archiving standards, or team requirements mandate a unified MKV format. If you open a conversion tool one by one, select files individually, and export them one at a time, it is not only time-consuming but also prone to missed conversions, duplicate conversions, and messy file names. This article addresses the common issue of "how to batch convert many video files to MKV format."
HeSoft Doc Batch Tool is software designed for batch processing office files. Besides common document processing features, it also offers video tools, making it suitable for reducing repetitive tasks. Below, with screenshots, we will demonstrate how to convert multiple MP4 videos to MKV format in one go, explaining the purpose and expected outcome of each step to help you complete batch video format conversion more reliably.
Applicable Scenarios: When to Batch Convert Videos to MKV
MKV is a common video container format suitable for video archiving, material management, cross-platform playback, and unified multimedia file organization. For individual users, it might be about consolidating multiple MP4 videos from phones, cameras, or downloaded materials into MKV. For enterprises or teams, it might be about converting training videos, meeting recordings, promotional materials, or project deliverables into a specified format.
If you only handle one or two videos, manual conversion is acceptable; but when the file count reaches dozens, hundreds, or more, batch processing becomes crucial. Using the "Convert Video to MKV" feature in HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , you can add multiple videos to the task list at once and execute the conversion uniformly, avoiding repeated clicking and repeated selection of save locations, thus improving processing efficiency.
As seen in the screenshot, the source files in this example include several MP4 videos named "Video test," such as Video test 23.mp4, Video test 24.mp4, Video test 26.mp4, etc. After processing, these files will become corresponding MKV files, e.g., Video test 23.mkv, Video test 24.mkv, Video test 26.mkv, etc. The main body of the file name remains consistent, and the extension is uniformly .mkv, which facilitates identification and subsequent management.
Effect Preview: Multiple MP4 Video Files Before Processing
Before conversion, the video files in the folder have the .mp4 extension. Different videos might be horizontal or vertical, or come from different shooting sources, but from a file format perspective, they are all in MP4 format. For scenarios requiring unified archiving to MKV, these files need format conversion.
Below is the file effect before processing. You can see that the suffixes of multiple video file names are all mp4, and there are multiple video materials in the folder:
The key point before processing is to confirm whether the source files are correct: are the files all in the same folder, are they indeed the videos that need conversion, and does it include any files you do not wish to process. If there are many files, it is recommended to do a simple sort by name, type, or modification date in the file explorer first, then import them into the software for processing. This can reduce operational errors.
Effect Preview: MKV Video Files Generated Uniformly After Processing
After completing the batch conversion, the original MP4 videos will yield corresponding result files in MKV format. As seen in the processed screenshot, the main body of the file name is still Video test 23, Video test 24, Video test 26, etc., only the extension has changed to .mkv. This result is suitable for continued archiving, uploading, distribution, or importing into other video processing workflows.
Here is a preview of the effect after processing:
Through the before-and-after comparison, it is visually clear: the file suffix before conversion is MP4, and after conversion, it is MKV. For a batch video-to-MKV task, the ideal result is that the batch file format is unified, and the file names are regular, making it easy to correspond with the original materials.
Operation Steps: Using Office Software to Batch Convert Videos to MKV Format
Step 1: Enter Video Tools and Select the "Convert Video to MKV" Feature
After opening HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , find "Video Tools" in the left function category. The main interface of the software will display feature cards related to video processing, such as separating picture and sound from video, deleting sound from video, adding watermark to video, converting video to MP4, converting video to AVI, etc. Based on this requirement, you need to select "Convert Video to MKV."
As seen in the operation screenshot, the "Convert Video to MKV" feature is located in the video tools list, and the card states "Batch convert video files to MKV format." This indicates the processing goal of this feature is very clear: it is not for single video conversion, but for batch conversion targeting multiple video files.
The purpose of this step is to enter the correct batch processing module. The expected result is that the software opens the task page for "Convert Video to MKV," where you can subsequently add the video files to be converted.
Step 2: Add the Video Files to Be Converted
After entering the "Convert Video to MKV" page, you can see two entry points at the top of the interface: "Add Files" and "Import Files from Folder." If you only need to process a few scattered files, you can click "Add Files"; if a batch of videos is all in the same folder, using "Import Files from Folder" is more efficient.
The example screenshot shows that 6 MP4 videos have already been added to the task list. The list displays information such as serial number, name, path, extension, creation time, modification time, and actions. The extension column shows mp4, indicating these pending records are all MP4 video files. The summary area at the bottom shows "Record count: 6," meaning there are currently 6 videos waiting to be processed in the task.
The purpose of this step is to add all videos requiring batch conversion to the task queue. The expected result is that video records appear in the pending list, and the number of records matches the actual number of files to be converted. After adding, it is advisable to first check the list to confirm that the file names, paths, and extensions meet expectations.
Step 3: Check the Pending List and Remove Unnecessary Records if Needed
The biggest fear in batch processing is "selecting files that should not be processed" or "missing files that should be processed." Therefore, before starting the conversion, you should carefully review the task list. The list in the screenshot provides information like file name, path, and extension, which helps users confirm if the imported content is correct.
If you find a video that does not need conversion, you can use the delete action on the right side of the corresponding row to remove it from the task list. Note here that removing a record from the task list usually means it will not participate in this processing round, and it does not equate to necessarily deleting the source file from the computer; the actual behavior depends on the software interface. For videos you are unsure about, it is recommended to check the content back in the folder first before deciding whether to keep it in the list.
You can also see "Filter" and "Sort" buttons on the right side of the interface. For batch tasks with many files, these operations help quickly locate files or view records in a certain order. Although this example only has 6 videos, filtering and sorting first can significantly reduce inspection costs when processing dozens of videos together.
Step 4: Click "Next" and Set the Save Location
After confirming the pending video list is correct, click the "Next" button at the bottom of the page. As seen in the interface flow bar, the current process includes three stages: "Select records to process," "Set save location," and "Start processing." Adding and confirming files belongs to the first stage; clicking "Next" will lead you to the save location setting stage.
The purpose of setting the save location is to specify where the converted MKV files will be saved. For easier management, it is suggested to choose a clear output folder, such as creating a new directory named "MKV Output" or "Converted Files" next to the original video folder. This makes it convenient to compare results before and after processing and prevents source and result files from being mixed up, which could cause accidental deletion or incorrect transfer.
If you have a large number of files, you should also confirm that the target disk space is sufficient. Video files are usually large, and batch conversion will generate new result files, so insufficient remaining disk space might cause task failure or incomplete output.
Step 5: Start Processing and Wait for Batch Conversion to Complete
After setting the save location, proceed to the "Start processing" stage according to the interface flow. At this point, the software will execute batch conversion on the added videos based on the task list, converting the source videos to MKV format. During the batch conversion process, it is recommended not to frequently move source files or modify the output directory, to avoid affecting task execution.
The advantage of batch processing is most apparent at this stage: the user does not need to repeatedly select the format, confirm the save path, or click convert for each video. As long as the task list is prepared beforehand, the software can process the list uniformly, reducing the number of manual operations.
Step 6: Open the Output Folder and Check the MKV Conversion Results
After processing is complete, open the save location you set and view the generated MKV files. Combining this with the processed effect screenshot, you can see that the file extensions should be uniformly .mkv after conversion, e.g., Video test 23.mkv, Video test 24.mkv, Video test 26.mkv, etc.
When checking, focus on three main points: First, is the number of files consistent with the record count in the task list? Second, has the file extension indeed changed from mp4 to mkv? Third, spot check several videos to see if they play normally. For important project materials, it is advised not just to look at the file names; it is best to randomly open a few result files to confirm the playback effect.
Frequently Asked Questions and Precautions
1. Will batch conversion change the file names?
From the example effect, the main body of the file name remains consistent before and after processing. The main change is the extension from .mp4 to .mkv. For example, Video test 23.mp4 corresponds to Video test 23.mkv after conversion. This naming convention makes it easy to correspond result files with source files. However, software behavior might vary slightly depending on settings or versions; the actual output results shall prevail.
2. Can I import an entire folder of videos at once?
The operation interface provides an "Import Files from Folder" entry, so when videos are centrally located in the same directory, you can batch import them this way. Compared to adding files one by one, folder import is more suitable for organizing large amounts of video material, especially for training courses, meeting recordings, asset library files, etc.
3. Do I need to back up the source files before conversion?
If the source videos are very important, it is recommended to keep a backup of the original files. Although batch conversion typically generates new target format files, backing up before processing large amounts of material is always safer. Particularly for project deliverables, client materials, course masters, and similar files, it is not advisable to perform large-scale operations directly without a backup.
4. Why check the list first before starting processing?
The efficiency of batch processing comes from "set once, execute for multiple files," but this also means that if the task list is wrong, the error will be magnified across the batch. Therefore, before clicking next, checking the file name, path, extension, and record count is crucial. The task list in the screenshot clearly displays this information, and users should make full use of these columns for confirmation.
5. Is the MKV format suitable for all scenarios?
MKV is suitable for many archiving and playback scenarios, but different platforms have different requirements for video formats. If uploading to certain systems or sending to specific devices for playback, it is recommended to first confirm whether the other party supports MKV. If the other party requires MP4, AVI, MOV, or other formats, you should select the corresponding video conversion function.
Summary: Using Batch Processing to Reduce Repetitive Work in Video Format Conversion
Batch converting many video files to MKV format essentially solves the problem of "many files, many repetitive operations, and a need for a unified format." Using HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , you can first enter "Convert Video to MKV" in the video tools, then add files or import files from a folder, check the task list, set the save location, and finally start processing uniformly.
Compared to manual one-by-one conversion, the value of batch processing lies in a clearer process, more centralized operation, and a lower probability of errors. For office users who need to organize a large number of MP4 videos and uniformly output them in MKV format, this method can significantly save time. It is recommended that you organize the source folder well before formal processing, confirm the videos to be converted are correct, and then follow the steps in this article to complete the batch conversion.