MOV to MP4 Converter

MOV is Apple's QuickTime movie format, and it is what an iPhone, an iPad and the Mac's screen recorder save by default. Many mirrorless cameras and video editors also export MOV. On Apple devices the files simply play, so the format only becomes a problem when the video leaves that world: a colleague on Windows, a school portal, a TV that reads a USB stick, or an Android phone in the family chat.

The container is rarely the real issue, though. Since iOS 11, iPhones record video in HEVC, also called H.265, which stores the same picture in less space than the older H.264 codec. Apple's HEIF and HEVC support page describes the saving and also notes that support for HEVC on older devices depends on resolution and frame rate. A computer, TV or website without an HEVC decoder shows a black screen, only plays the sound, or refuses the upload.

Converting to MP4 with H.264 fixes both sides at once: the container becomes the most widely supported one, and the video inside uses the codec that almost every device has been able to decode for well over a decade.

MOV and MP4 are close relatives. The MP4 file format was based on Apple's QuickTime design, as MDN's guide to media containers explains, and both can hold the same kinds of video and audio. The difference is in who supports what: MP4 is an ISO standard that every browser, phone and smart TV reads, while MOV support outside Apple software varies.

Because the video is re-encoded to H.264, expect the MP4 to be somewhat larger than an HEVC original of the same length. That is the price of compatibility. If the size matters more, lower Resolution to 1080p, which is usually plenty for a phone screen or a laptop, or run the result through the Compress Video tool.

MP4 was standardized by ISO as part of MPEG-4 and later registered as the video/mp4 media type. That combination of an international standard and a registered web type is why upload forms, video players and social networks list MP4 first. When a service says it accepts video, MP4 with H.264 is the safest thing to give it.

MOV has its own published specification, Apple's QuickTime File Format reference, and it remains a strong choice inside Final Cut Pro and other editing tools, where it can carry professional codecs. For sharing a finished clip, though, the wider support of MP4 usually wins.

The defaults suit most clips. Codec is fixed to H.264 because that is the reason most people convert. Resolution stays at the recorded size, so a 4K video stays 4K. Frame rate stays as recorded too, which keeps slow-motion and 60 fps clips smooth.

Two options are worth knowing. Start at and End at under Trim cut the clip while converting, which saves a separate step when you only need a moment from a long recording. Remove audio drops the sound track for background loops or silent clips. Changing only those leaves the picture quality untouched.

Converting on the computer that holds the clips is usually the quickest route. On a Mac, AirDrop or the Photos export puts the original MOV files in a folder; on Windows, the iCloud Photos app or a cable import does the same. Drop that folder's files here in one go.

Add up to 20 MOV files at once, each up to 95 MB, and download the MP4s individually or together. Uploaded files are removed after processing and the converted videos 30 minutes later, with no account needed. For other targets, such as WebM for a website or GIF for a short loop, the Video Converter has every format in one place, and MOV to MP3 keeps only the sound when that is all you need.