Where to Download MakeMKV

Where to get MakeMKV

Download MakeMKV from its developer, GuinpinSoft, through the official MakeMKV website. Its download page lists the Windows and macOS installers and the Linux release, together with the current version number and release notes. If you find the program through a search engine, make sure the result is the developer's own site and not a mirror or software catalog before you download anything.

The developer's official forum is the other first-party source. Linux build instructions, announcements and the current beta key are posted there, so use it alongside the download page rather than as a separate download location.

What MakeMKV does and how it is distributed

MakeMKV reads DVD and Blu-ray discs, along with some disc backups stored as folders or image files, and saves the titles you select as MKV files. It remuxes rather than re-encodes. The original video and audio streams, subtitles and chapter markers are copied into the MKV container unchanged, so the picture and sound match the disc. The trade-off is that the output files are large.

DVD conversion is free. Blu-ray support is available free while the program is in beta, using a temporary key that the developer publishes on the forum. That key expires and is periodically replaced. A purchased registration key removes the need to update it. The developer can change these terms, so check the current conditions on the official site rather than relying on older guides.

Windows and macOS users get ready-made installers. On Linux, the developer distributes source packages that you compile yourself by following the forum instructions. Some Linux distributions and package builders offer their own MakeMKV packages, but these are maintained by other people and may lag behind the official release.

Choosing the right download

• Windows: get the Windows installer from the official download page and run it.
• macOS: get the macOS disk image from the same page, open it and move the app into your Applications folder.
• Linux: download both source packages listed for the current version, the open-source part and the binary part, then build and install them as described on the official forum.
• Already installed: compare your installed version with the one on the download page. Older beta builds can stop working after they expire, and updating is the usual fix.

If you want to make an MKV file from video you already have, such as a webcam or screen recording, MakeMKV is the wrong tool because it is built for discs. Container tools such as MKVToolNix can combine existing video, audio and subtitle files into an MKV. Many recording and editing programs, including OBS Studio, can also record or export directly to MKV.

Limits and related questions

Third-party download sites may host outdated versions or wrap the installer in extra software. An old copy from such a site also won't solve beta expiry problems. If you already downloaded MakeMKV from somewhere else, replace it with the official release.

Copying commercially protected discs, or bypassing their copy protection, is restricted by law in some countries. Check the rules where you live before converting discs, even ones you own.

Reading Blu-ray discs requires a Blu-ray drive. Some 4K Ultra HD discs work only with certain drives and firmware. The developer's forum is the place to check drive compatibility before buying hardware for this purpose.

MakeMKV runs on your computer and writes the output files to a folder you choose. The program may still connect to the internet, for example to check for updates or fetch disc-related data. If network access or file handling matters to you, review the developer's own documentation and your firewall settings rather than assuming the program works fully offline.