MPV File

What are MPV files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a MPV file or are you simply curious about its contents? We're here to explain the properties of these files and provide you with software that can open or handle your MPV files.

What is a MPV file?

MPV files have multiple uses, and Microsoft Project View is one of them. Read more about the other uses further down the page.

Microsoft Project View

We have not yet analyzed in detail what these files contain and what they are used for. We're working on it.

How to open MPV files

Important: Different programs may use files with the MPV file extension for different purposes, so unless you are sure which format your MPV file is, you may need to try a few different programs.

While we have not verified the apps ourselves yet, our users have suggested ten different MPV openers which you will find listed below.

Last updated: August 10, 2026

All known file formats using extension .MPV

While Microsoft Project View is a popular type of MPV-file, we know of 2 different uses of the .MPV file extension. Different software may use files with the same extension for different types of data.

MPEG-2 Video File

MPEG-2 Video File (.mpv) A .mpv file is a raw MPEG-2 video elementary stream. It holds only video data compressed using the MPEG-2 codec - with no audio, subtitles, or container structure around it. This format is typically produced by video-capture or recording equipment, or by ripping MPEG-2 video streams, when only the video portion is saved.

Such files are not meant for standalone viewing in many players without the corresponding audio stream or being wrapped in a container. They commonly serve as intermediate files in editing or authoring workflows: for instance, a user would import a .mpv video stream into video editing software, sync it with separate audio, and export or wrap the result into a full video file format.

The MIME media type for these files is video/MPV, registered under RFC 3555 for MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 elementary streams. A .mpv file begins with standard MPEG-video start codes such as 00 00 01 B3 (sequence header), 00 00 01 B8 (group of pictures header), and 00 00 01 00 (picture header).

MPV opener for Windows

We have identified one MPV opener that is compatible with this specific type of MPV file.

Various apps that use files with this extension

These apps are known to open certain types of MPV files. Remember, different programs may use MPV files for different purposes, so you may need to try out a few of them to be able to open your specific file.

Help us help others

File.org helps thousands of users every day, and we would love to hear from you if you have additional information about MPV file formats, example files, or compatible programs. Please use the links below or email us at submit@file.org to discuss further.