Den første verdensrekorden på 400 meter fri for menn på langbane (50 meter) svømming ble anerkjent av Det internasjonale svømmeforbundet (FINA) i 1908. For svømmeøvelser på kortbane (25 meter) ble rekorder anerkjent fra 3. mars 1991.

Menn

Langbane NRTIDSVØMMERDATOSTEVNESTED0115.36,85.36,8Taylor, Henry Henry Taylor16. juli 1908Sommer-OL 1908 London, Storbritannia?0225.35,85.35,8Battersby, Thomas Thomas Battersby21. september 1911? London, Storbritannia?0335.29,05.29,0Kenyery, Alajos Alajos Kenyery21. april 1912? Magdeburg, Tyskland?0445.28,45.28,4Las-Torres, Béla Béla Las-Torres5. juni 1912? Budapest, Ungarn?0555:24.45:24.4Hodgson, George George Hodgson14. juli 1912Sommer-OL 1912 Stockholm, Sverige?0665:21.65:21.6Hatfield, Jack Jack Hatfield26. september 1912? London, Storbritannia?0775:14.65:14.6Ross, Norman Norman Ross9. oktober 1912? Los Angeles, USA?0885:14.45:14.4Ross, Norman Norman Ross25. september 1921? Brighton Beach, USA0995:11.85:11.8Borg, Arne Arne Borg9. april 1922? Stockholm, Sverige?10105:06.65:06.6Weissmuller, Johnny Johnny Weissmuller22. juni 1922? Honolulu, USA?11114:57.04:57.0Weissmuller, Johnny Johnny Weissmuller6. mars 1923? New Haven, USA?12124:54.74:54.7Borg, Arne Arne Borg9. desember 1924? Stockholm, Sverige?13134:50.34:50.3Borg, Arne Arne Borg11. september 1925? Stockholm, Sverige?14144:47.04:47.0Taris, Jean Jean Taris16. april 1931? Paris, Frankrike?15154:46.44:46.4Makino, Shozo Shozo Makino14. august 1933? Tokyo, Japan?16164:38.74:38.7Medica, Jack Jack Medica30. august 1934? Honolulu, USA?17174:38.54:38.5Smith, Bill Bill Smith13. mai 1941? Honolulu, USA?18184:35.24:35.2Jany, Alex Alex Jany12. september 1947? Monte Carlo, Monaco?19194:34.64:34.6Furuhashi, Hironoshin Hironoshin Furuhashi24. juli 1949? Tokyo, Japan?20204:33.34:33.3Furuhashi, Hironoshin Hironoshin Furuhashi18. august 1949? Los Angeles, USA?21214:33.14:33.1Marshall, John John Marshall11. mars 1950? New Haven, USA?22224:29.54:29.5Marshall, John John Marshall1. april 1950? New Haven, USA?23234:26.94:26.9Marshall, John John Marshall24. mars 1951? New Haven, USA?24244:26.74:26.7Konno, Ford Ford Konno3. april 1954? New Haven, USA?26254:27.04:27.0Rose, Murray Murray Rose27. oktober 1956? Melbourne, Australia?25264:25.94:25.9Rose, Murray Murray Rose12. januar 1957? Sydney, Australia?27274:25.94:25.9Konrads, John John Konrads15. januar 1958? Sydney, Australia?28284:21.84:21.8Konrads, John John Konrads12. januar 1959? Melbourne, Australia?29294:19.04:19.0Konrads, John John Konrads7. februar 1959? Sydney, Australia?30304:16.64:16.6Yamanaka, Tsuyoshi Tsuyoshi Yamanaka26. juli 1959? Osaka, Japan?31314:15.94:15.9Konrads, John John Konrads23. februar 1960? Sydney, Australia?32324:13.44:13.4Rose, Murray Murray Rose17. august 1962? Chicago, USA?33334:12.74:12.7Schollander, Don Don Schollander31. juli 1964USA Summer Nationals Los Altos, USA34344:12.24:12.2Schollander, Don Don Schollander15. oktober 1964Sommer-OL Tokyo, Japan?35354:11.84:11.8Nelson, John John Nelson18. august 1966? Lincoln, USA?36364:11.64:11.6Schollander, Don Don Schollander18. august 1966? Lincoln, USA?37374:11.14:11.1Wiegand, Frank Frank Wiegand25. august 1966? Utrecht, Nederland?38384:10.64:10.6Spitz, Mark Mark Spitz25. juni 1967? Hayward, California, USA?39394:09.24:09.2Mosconi, Alain Alain Mosconi4. juli 1967? Monaco, Monaco?40404:08.84:08.8Spitz, Mark Mark Spitz7. juli 1967Santa Clara International Invitation Swim Meet Santa Clara, California, USA41414:08.24:08.2Charlton, Greg Greg Charlton28. august 1967? Tokyo, Japan?42424:07.74:07.7Spitz, Mark Mark Spitz23. juni 196816th Annual Swimming Relays Haywood, USA?43434:06.54:06.5Hutton, Ralph Ralph Hutton1. august 1968AAU National Swimming Championships Lincoln, Nebraska, USA?44444:04.04:04.0Fassnacht, Hans-Joachim Hans-Joachim Fassnacht14. august 1969AAU National Swimming Championships Louisville, Kentucky, USA?45454:02.84:02.8Kinsella, John John Kinsella20. august 1970AAU National Swimming Championships (elec. 4:02.81) Los Angeles, USA?46464:02.64:02.6Larsson, Gunnar Gunnar Larsson7. september 1970European Swimming Championships Barcelona, Spania?47474:02.14:02.1McBreen, Tom Tom McBreen25. august 1971AAU Nationals (elec. 4:02.08) Houston, USA?48484:01.74:01.7Cooper, Brad Brad Cooper12. februar 1971AUS Nationals & Olympic Trials Brisbane, Australia?49494:00.114:00.11Krumpholz, Kurt Kurt Krumpholz4. august 1972USA Olympic Trials Chicago, USA?50503:58.183:58.18DeMont, Rick Rick DeMont9. september 1973FINA World Championships Belograd, Jugoslavia?51513:56.963:56.96Shaw, Tim Tim Shaw22. august 1974AAU National Swimming Championships Concord, California, USA52523:54.693:54.69Shaw, Tim Tim Shaw22. august 1974AAU National Swimming Championships Concord, California, USA53533:53.953:53.95Shaw, Tim Tim Shaw19. juni 1975USA World Championship Trials Long Beach, California, USA?54543:53.313:53.31Shaw, Tim Tim Shaw20. august 1975AAU National Swimming Championships Kansas City, USA?55553:53.083:53.08Goodell, Brian Brian Goodell18. juni 1976USA Olympic Trials Long Beach, California, USA56563:51.933:51.93Goodell, Brian Brian Goodell22. juli 1976Sommer-OL Montréal, Canada?57573:51.563:51.56Goodell, Brian Brian Goodell27. august 1978Duellmøte USA-Øst-Tyskland Vest-Berlin?58583:51.413:51.41Salnikov, Vladimir Vladimir Salnikov6. april 1979URSvGDR Junior meet Potsdam, Øst-Tyskland?59593:51.403:51.40Salnikov, Vladimir Vladimir Salnikov18. august 1979Duell SovjetvCanada Moskva, Sovjetunionen?60603:51.203:51.20Salnikov, Vladimir Vladimir Salnikov29. februar 1980URS Winter Nationals Potsdam, Øst-Tyskland?61613:50.493:50.49Szmidt, Peter Peter Szmidt15. juli 1980Canadian Nationals & Olympic Trials Etobicoke, Canada?62623:49.573:49.57Salnikov, Vladimir Vladimir Salnikov12. mars 1982Duell SovjetvØst-Tyskland Moskva, Sovjetunionen?6262=3:49.573:49.57Salnikov, Vladimir Vladimir Salnikov14. juli 1982Sovjetiske mesterskapet Kyiv, Sovjetunionen?63633:48.323:48.32Salnikov, Vladimir Vladimir Salnikov19. februar 1983Sovjetiske vintermsterskapet Moskva, Sovjetunionen?64643:47.803:47.80Gross, Michael Michael Gross27. juni 1985Vesttysk mesterskap & kvalifisering til EM Wuppertal, Vest-Tyskland?65653:47.383:47.38Wojdat, Artur Artur Wojdat25. mars 1988USA Spring Nationals Orlando, Florida, USA66663:46.953:46.95Dassler, Uwe Uwe Dassler23. september 1988Sommer-OL 1988 Seoul, Sør-Korea?67673:46.473:46.47Perkins, Kieren Kieren Perkins3. april 1992Australske olympiske kvalifisering Canberra, Australia?68683:45.003:45.00Sadovyi, Yevgeny left|22x15px Jevgenij Sadovji29. juli 1992Sommer-OL 1992 Barcelona, Spania?69693:43.803:43.80Perkins, Kieren Kieren Perkins11. september 1994VM i svømming 1994 Roma, Italia?70703:41.833:41.83Thorpe, Ian Ian Thorpe22. august 19991999 Pan Pacific Championships Sydney, Australia?71713:41.333:41.33Thorpe, Ian Ian Thorpe13. mai 2000Australske olympiske kvalifisering Sydney, Australia?72723:40.593:40.59Thorpe, Ian Ian Thorpe16. september 2000Sommer-OL 2000 Sydney, Australia?73733:40.173:40.17Thorpe, Ian Ian Thorpe22. juli 2001VM i svømming 2001 Fukuoka, Japan?74743:40.083:40.08Thorpe, Ian Ian Thorpe30. juli 2002Samveldelekene 2002 Manchester, Storbritannia?75753:40.073:40.07Biedermann, Paul Paul Biedermann26. juli 2009VM i svømming 2009 Roma, Italia?

Kortbane NRTIDSVØMMERDATOSTEVNESTED0113.40,463.41,74Lamberti, Giorgio Giorgio Lamberti13. februar 1988German Invitational Bonn, Tyskland?0123.40,463.40,81Holmertz, Anders Anders Holmertz4. februar 1990Paris Open Paris, Frankrike?0133.40,463.40,46Loader, Danyon Danyon Loader11. februar 1995World Cup Sheffield, Storbritannia?0243.39,823.39,82Thorpe, Ian Ian Thorpe25. september 1998AUS SC Nationals Perth, WA, Australia?0353.35,013.35,01Hackett, Grant Grant Hackett2. april 1999Kortbane-VM Hong Kong?0463.34,583.34,58Hackett, Grant Grant Hackett18. juli 2002Grand Prix Sydney, Australia?0573.34,583.32,77Biedermann, Paul Paul Biedermann14. november 2009World Cup Berlin, Tyskland 0683.32,773.32,25Agnel, Yannick Yannick Agnel15. november 2012French Nationals Angers, Frankrike

Kvinner Langbane