Skip to content

SWF to FLV Converter

Convert SWF to FLV online for free. Fast, secure, and high-quality conversion with no sign-up or software required.

  • Free to use
  • No file stored beyond 1 hour
  • Encrypted over TLS 1.2/1.3
  • No watermarks

Drag and drop your files here or click to upload.

Maximum file size is 1GB

Like RunConvert? Set us as a preferred source on Google.

Add to Preferred Sources

How it works

Three steps to your converted file

Everything happens in your browser tab - upload, pick a format, download. The heavy lifting runs on our servers.

  1. 01

    Upload your file

    Drag and drop, click to browse, or paste a URL. Batches take up to 20 files at once - 230+ input formats across video, audio, image, document, and archive types.

  2. 02

    Choose an output format

    Pick from over a hundred output formats. Filter by category or search by name - every option is open to everyone, no account needed.

  3. 03

    Convert & download

    Hit Convert and grab your download link moments later. Originals are erased when the job completes; results are cleared within about an hour.

What is an SWF file?

Small Web Format

Developed By
FutureWave / Macromedia / Adobe
Initial Release
1996
MIME Type
application/x-shockwave-flash

SWF (Small Web Format, originally Shockwave Flash) is a binary file format for multimedia, vector graphics, and ActionScript execution, originally developed by FutureWave Software and later acquired by Adobe Systems. It serves as the compiled delivery format for Adobe Animate (formerly Flash) and relies on the SWF file structure specification to define tags for display lists and control bytes. Adobe officially ended support (End of Life) for the Flash Player runtime on December 31, 2020, rendering SWF files obsolete for web use due to security vulnerabilities and the shift to HTML5 standards.

How to open an SWF file

Modern web browsers (Chrome, Edge, Safari) strictly block SWF execution. To open legacy SWF files, users must rely on the standalone Adobe Flash Player Projector (content debugger) or open-source emulators like Ruffle, which runs Flash content via WebAssembly. For video-only SWF files not relying on complex ActionScript interactivity, VLC media player can often decode the embedded video streams.

What is an FLV file?

Flash Video

Developed By
Adobe Systems
Initial Release
2002
MIME Type
video/x-flv

The FLV (Flash Video) format is a container file format defined by Adobe Systems for delivering synchronized audio and video over the internet via the Adobe Flash Player. It supports various codecs, historically Sorenson Spark and VP6, and later H.264 (MPEG-4 AVC) and AAC audio. FLV files were the dominant standard for web-based streaming video (YouTube, Hulu) during the 2000s, utilizing the RTMP (Real-Time Messaging Protocol) for transmission before being superseded by HTML5 standards.

How to open an FLV file

Since the End-of-Life (EOL) of Adobe Flash Player in 2020, browsers no longer support FLV natively. To play local FLV files, users must utilize third-party media players that maintain legacy codec support, such as VLC Media Player, MPC-HC, or MPV. For editing or conversion, tools like OBS Studio and HandBrake utilize the FFmpeg library to decode and process the container.

More tools

More free video tools

All video conversions

Why RunConvert

The fastest way to convert any file

Purpose-built for speed, privacy, and breadth of format support.

  • Convert SWF to FLV in seconds

    Every SWF to FLV conversion runs on our servers, so your device stays fast and the output quality stays intact.

  • Fast, cloud-powered

    No queue, no waiting. Files are processed on high-performance servers and returned in seconds, even for large files.

  • Secure & private

    Encrypted in transit and never shared with anyone. Uploads are erased the moment your job completes, and results shortly after.

  • Free - no account needed

    Convert without creating an account - no credit card, no trial clock. Sign in only if you want history and higher daily limits.

Developer API

Convert SWF to FLV via API

Automate SWF to FLV conversions in three steps: create a job, upload your file, then poll for the result.

Replace YOUR_API_KEY with your RunConvert API key. Get your free API key at runconvert.com/api.

# 1. Create job
curl -X POST https://api.runconvert.com/v3/jobs \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "tag": "swf-to-flv",
    "tasks": {
      "upload-file": {
        "operation": "import/direct/upload"
      },
      "convert": {
        "operation": "convert",
        "input": "upload-file",
        "input_format": "swf",
        "output_format": "flv"
      },
      "export-result": {
        "operation": "export/url",
        "input": "convert"
      }
    }
  }'

# 2. Upload your file (upload_url of the upload-file task in the response)
curl -X PUT "$UPLOAD_URL&filename=input.swf" --upload-file input.swf

# 3. Poll for result
curl https://api.runconvert.com/v3/jobs/$JOB_ID?include=tasks \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

Like RunConvert? Set us as a preferred source on Google.

Add to Preferred Sources