This article includes the world record progression for the 4×200 metres freestyle relay, and it shows the chronological history of world record times in that competitive swimming event.
The world records are recognized by and maintained by FINA ("Fédération Internationale de Natation"), the international competitive swimming and aquatics federation that oversees the sport in international competition.
FINA amended its regulations governing the recognition of world records in 1956; specifically, FINA mandated that only record times that were contested in 50-metre (or 55-yard) pools were eligible for recognition after that time.
[1] The short-course world records have been separately recognized since 1991.
The men's 4×200-metre event was first contested at 1908 Summer Olympics in London, but the women's 4×200-metre event didn't appear until the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.