Join multiple video files into one

Martin Brinkmann
Nov 11, 2006
Updated • Aug 28, 2018
Music and Video, Video
|
18

Websites sometimes split video files into smaller parts to make it easier for users with low bandwidth access to the Internet to download the videos without facing issues such as timeouts or interrupted downloads. Once downloaded it is rather tiresome to watch these movies because you have to click on each part which naturally means a short pause between the current and the next part of it, or add them all to a playlist.

The following trick allows you to join multiple videos files into one big file so that it is much easier afterwards to watch the full video in one go and without having to rely on playlists or loading videos manually one after each other. The method depends largely on the file type of the video files. If you have multiple mpg files for instance, you can use the command line to easily join them together. The copy trick won't work for container file types such as mkv for instance.

Mpg and mp4 work definitely as I tested the copy command with those file types.

Join multiple video files

Start the command line with the shortcut Windows-R to to bring up the run box. Type cmd and hit the enter key, this will load the command prompt window.

Enter the following line on the command line, make sure you enter the right filepath to the movie. I suggest you move the files to the top of a hard drive to ease the amount of typing that needs to be done or use the CD (change directory) command to navigate to the folder the videos are stored in.

copy /B "C:\movie1.mpg" + "C:\movie2.mpg" + "C:\movie3.mpg" "C:\completemovie.mpg"

merge video files

This joins movie1.mpg, movie2.mpg and movie3.mpg into completemovie.mpg. You can add more movies to join more parts without any issues.

You need additional programs if the video files are in a different format. For avi files, use the freeware VirtualDubMod instead and unpack it to your hard drive. Run the tool and select File > Open Video File. Browse to the first part of the avi video and select it. Select no if a "VBR audio stream detected" is displayed on the screen.

Click on File, append Segment and select all other parts of the movie here. Once this is done click on File, Save As and save the newly merged movie file to your hard drive.

You may also want to check out our guide on joining video files using freeware programs and our review of the free Cut Video Audio Merger which provides similar functionality.

Closing Words

 

Summary
Join multiple video files into one
Article Name
Join multiple video files into one
Description
Find out how to join multiple video files on Windows using the copy command that the Windows operating system comes with by default.
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Ghacks Technology News
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Comments

  1. daveclark966 said on October 18, 2019 at 11:02 am
    Reply

    Avdshare Video Converter can Merge as many as TS files no matter from what source you get the TS files into one single TS file without any quality loss.

  2. Vishal said on August 1, 2016 at 10:58 am
    Reply

    Command runs, i file(s) copied. Output video contains content of only first video not second. It is merged by size only but length is that of first only. Could you please suggest?

  3. giluish said on December 13, 2014 at 4:11 am
    Reply

    Faasoft’s great “Video Converter” is not only a free video player, but also a video converter and editor. It can join and split files with fast speed.

  4. Someone said on April 19, 2010 at 8:41 pm
    Reply

    To split them again use hjsplit

    Download it here:http://hjsplit.en.softonic.com/universaldownloader-launch

  5. hobo said on January 18, 2009 at 9:24 pm
    Reply

    “Or instead of typing each individual filename, if you have say 100 small vid files you want to join, (or big ones!)

    open notepad and paste the following without the ”

    “copy /b *.avi CombinedFilm.avi”

    simply save the file as .bat, and copy it to the folder where all the files are you want to merge.

    …you can change *.avi to whatever the filetype your merging… .ts, .mpeg etc – CombinedFilm is the name of the video of the merged file.

    I find this comes in handy all the time, and saves messing around with filenames…”

    Big help :) Thanks

  6. Hijuna said on January 8, 2009 at 11:44 am
    Reply

    “Or instead of typing each individual filename, if you have say 100 small vid files you want to join, (or big ones!)

    open notepad and paste the following without the ”

    “copy /b *.avi CombinedFilm.avi”

    simply save the file as .bat, and copy it to the folder where all the files are you want to merge.

    …you can change *.avi to whatever the filetype your merging… .ts, .mpeg etc – CombinedFilm is the name of the video of the merged file.

    I find this comes in handy all the time, and saves messing around with filenames…”

    AWESOME!! THANKS.

  7. help said on January 3, 2009 at 1:11 am
    Reply

    there has to be a website or something that a none computer genius can use

  8. A.Samet said on July 4, 2008 at 1:03 pm
    Reply

    i tried this method for .mp4 files.but video length is stiill same and video size is right.i want to split these files again.how can i do?

    (My English is bad.so you can’t understand easily.i’m sorry)

  9. udaykhan said on December 14, 2006 at 1:17 am
    Reply

    i tried this method for .rm files and .asf files individually. it goes thru fine, shows the right combined size, but the video length is still the same as the first part only. what could be wrong?

    1. EdBarbs said on April 17, 2022 at 11:06 am
      Reply

      Finally I’ve found the answer why the CMD or DOS prompt command in merging video files won’t work anymore in Windows 10:

      https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/command-line-video-merging-not-working-in-windows/33254b55-60c2-44ad-a8de-4f36058a17e6

      It says: “The /b flag on the Copy command can be used to merge binary files, but that only works with certain files types, not complex files like video files, because each video file with have other data like a file header, data structures and metadata.”

      But further reading implies that MS Windows simply restricts the CMD or DOS prompt merging capability so Windows users will be forced to use its Photos app that comes with the Windows program.

      Isn’t it a bit of a shortchange for us Windows users?

    2. EdBarbs said on April 17, 2022 at 10:49 am
      Reply

      Same here. The file size of the merged version did increase, though, but when it was played the video showed only the first file; the rest of the files didn’t show up at all. This method of merging video files is found a million times in the net but all failed. HELP, anyone?

  10. someone said on November 21, 2006 at 5:03 pm
    Reply

    An even easier method using a UI we’re all familiar with is to add each of the files to a zip file using WinZip with NO COMPRESSION! Be sure the files are added in the correct order and rename the final .zip file to a .mpg and there you go… your single movie with no cutting and pasting!

  11. Anonymous said on November 11, 2006 at 10:13 pm
    Reply

    Or instead of typing each individual filename, if you have say 100 small vid files you want to join, (or big ones!)

    open notepad and paste the following without the ”

    “copy /b *.avi CombinedFilm.avi”

    simply save the file as .bat, and copy it to the folder where all the files are you want to merge.

    …you can change *.avi to whatever the filetype your merging… .ts, .mpeg etc – CombinedFilm is the name of the video of the merged file.

    I find this comes in handy all the time, and saves messing around with filenames…

  12. Martin said on November 11, 2006 at 7:51 pm
    Reply

    pr0n ? what is that, never heard that word.. :)

  13. hereje said on November 11, 2006 at 7:44 pm
    Reply

    we are talking about pr0n right? :D

    very useful thanks.

  14. Everton said on November 11, 2006 at 1:07 pm
    Reply

    I can’t tell you how useful this post is – Thank You. I’ve searched high and low for this a way to do this in the past.

    Link on its way ASAP from my site;-)

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