Convert an MKV File into Text
MKV (Matroska Video) is a container format that can hold video, several audio tracks, and subtitles in one file, which is why screen recordings, downloaded shows, and some camera or streaming software save to it. ScreenApp accepts MKV directly: upload the file and it comes back as a transcript, no conversion step first.
MKV is one of the formats ScreenApp accepts for upload (MP4, M4V, MOV, AVI, WEBM, MKV, FLV, TS, MTS, M2TS, 3GP, 3GPP, 3G2, WMV, ASF, VOB, OGV, RM, RMVB, MPG, MPEG, M2V, F4V, MXF), with no set file size limit, so there is nothing to convert before you start.
What you get:
- A transcript in 100+ languages
- speaker identification, useful when a recording has more than one voice
- Export as PDF, DOCX, TXT, SRT and VTT
- AI chat with any recording, so you can ask a question about the recording instead of scrubbing back through the video
- Free plan: 2 transcriptions of recordings up to 45 minutes each
How to Convert MKV to Text
- Upload your MKV file: Drag it into ScreenApp or select it from your computer. No conversion to MP4 is needed first.
- Let the AI transcribe it: ScreenApp processes the audio track and returns a transcript with speaker labels and timestamps.
- Review and export: Check the transcript against the video in the online editor, then export it as PDF, DOCX, TXT, SRT and VTT.
Accuracy depends on the recording itself, not the container format. An MKV file can hold a clean studio audio track or a noisy phone recording; a close-mic, low-noise track transcribes more cleanly than a distant or noisy one. See how we measure accuracy.
MKV to Text vs Other Tools
| Feature | ScreenApp | HappyScribe | UniScribe | Descript |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier | 2 transcriptions, up to 45 min each | 10 min (one-time trial) | 120 min/month | 60 min/month |
| MKV upload support | Yes (MP4, M4V, MOV, AVI, WEBM, MKV, FLV, TS, MTS, M2TS, 3GP, 3GPP, 3G2, WMV, ASF, VOB, OGV, RM, RMVB, MPG, MPEG, M2V, F4V, MXF) | Yes (MP4, MOV, AVI, MKV, and more) | Yes (3gp, aac, amr, awb, flac, m4a, mka, mkv, mov, mp2, mp3, mp4, mpg, oga, ogg, opus, ts, wav, weba, webm, wma and wmv) | Not stated |
| Export formats | PDF, DOCX, TXT, SRT and VTT | TXT, SRT (free/basic) | Word, CSV, PDF, TXT, SRT, and VTT | Not stated |
| Languages | 100+ | 60+ | 63 | 25 |
| Speaker identification | Yes | Yes | Yes (paid plans) | Not stated |
| Paid plan | $19/month annual | $8.50/month annual | $6/month annual | $16/month annual |
Sources, checked 2026-09-29: screenapp.io/help/supported-file-types, screenapp.io/accuracy#languages, ScreenApp pricing, happyscribe.com/pricing, uniscribe.co/pricing, descript.com/pricing, happyscribe.com/video-to-text, uniscribe.co
- vs HappyScribe: HappyScribe’s video-to-text tool accepts MKV among MP4, MOV, AVI, MKV, and more and gives a 10-minute one-time trial before you need a paid plan. ScreenApp’s free plan is not time-limited: it covers 2 transcriptions of recordings up to 45 minutes each and 3 uploads to try.
- vs UniScribe: UniScribe accepts MKV as part of 3gp, aac, amr, awb, flac, m4a, mka, mkv, mov, mp2, mp3, mp4, mpg, oga, ogg, opus, ts, wav, weba, webm, wma and wmv and includes 120 minutes a month on its free plan, capped at three files a day. Speaker identification is a paid-plan feature there; ScreenApp includes it on every plan.
- vs Descript: Descript is built around editing video by editing its transcript, but its pricing page does not list which video formats it imports and does not mention MKV. ScreenApp publishes its accepted formats on the supported file types page.
Who Converts MKV to Text
Screen recorders and streamers whose capture software saves to MKV need a written record of a walkthrough, stream, or recorded call without re-encoding the file first.
Video archivists and downloaders who keep a library of MKV files from rips, downloads, or recording software want a searchable transcript alongside the video.
Students and researchers with lecture or interview recordings saved as MKV need an accurate transcript for notes or citations without learning a video editor first.
Podcasters and video creators who export raw footage as MKV before editing use the transcript to find a line or write captions before touching the final cut.
Support and training teams recording internal sessions in MKV need a text version to search, share, or paste into documentation.