MKVToolNix

Free, open source

Price checked at source September 18, 2026.

Free, open-source toolset for creating, altering, and inspecting Matroska (MKV) files.

Our take

Not a general video converter — MKVToolNix is the specialist tool for working with the Matroska container itself: remuxing tracks in or out, editing chapters and metadata, and splitting or merging MKV files without re-encoding. If your job is "get this video into a different codec," HandBrake or Permute are the right tools; if your job is "restructure this MKV’s tracks/chapters without touching the video data," this is it. One maintainer (Moritz Bunkus) has run the project since 2003; per the project’s own 2026 changelog, macOS builds briefly lapsed and were revived by two community contributors, then a January 2026 news post said macOS support would be dropped again later in the year due to Apple discontinuing Rosetta — worth checking the current downloads page for up-to-date Mac availability before relying on it.

Visit mkvtoolnix.download ↗

Price: Free, open source
License: Proprietary
Requires: macOS; per the project’s own January 2026 news post, macOS binary support is being phased out in 2026 due to Apple discontinuing the Rosetta x86-to-ARM translation layer — confirm current Mac availability on the downloads page before installing.
Get it via: Homebrew · Direct
Developer: Moritz Bunkus

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Who made this

Moritz Bunkus

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What it does

Remux without re-encoding

Add, remove, or reorder audio/subtitle/video tracks inside an MKV container without touching the underlying video data.

Chapter and metadata editing

Edit chapter markers and file metadata directly.

Split and merge

Split large MKV files or merge multiple files into one.

The deal

Free and open source, no paid tier

Worth knowing: This is a Matroska (MKV) remuxing/inspection toolset, not a format-conversion transcoder like HandBrake or Permute. The project’s own site flagged in January 2026 that macOS binary support may be discontinued later in 2026; verify the downloads page is still shipping a Mac build.

MKVToolNix — questions people ask

Does MKVToolNix convert video formats?

No — it works with the Matroska (MKV) container (remuxing, chapters, metadata) rather than re-encoding video. For format conversion, see HandBrake or Permute.

Is MKVToolNix still supported on macOS?

As of this listing’s verification, yes — but the project’s own January 2026 announcement said macOS binaries may be discontinued later in 2026 as Apple drops Rosetta. Check the current downloads page.

Is MKVToolNix free?

Yes — MKVToolNix is free.

Does MKVToolNix work alongside a notch app like Alcove?

Yes — MKVToolNix lives in the screen, so it runs happily alongside any Dynamic Island hub or notch app.

Where can I download MKVToolNix?

MKVToolNix is available via Homebrew, Direct.

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Listing hand-verified September 18, 2026 from the developer's site and public sources.