MOV to MP4 Converter
Make videos from iPhones, Macs and many cameras play everywhere. Most MOV files can be turned into MP4 in seconds without re-encoding; when they use HEVC, convert them to H.264 for full compatibility with Windows, Android and the web.
- Files stay on your device
- No sign-up
- Free to use
Conversion
Quality
Processing happens on your device with FFmpeg. Keep this tab open; long or high-resolution videos can take several minutes.
How to use MOV to MP4
- Drop a MOV file onto the upload area.
- Keep Fast to remux without quality loss, or choose Compatible to convert to H.264 and AAC.
- For Compatible, pick the quality and an optional maximum resolution.
- Select Convert to MP4 and download the result.
MOV to MP4 features
Lossless remux by default
MOV and MP4 are closely related, so the video can usually be moved across in seconds with no quality loss.
HEVC to H.264
Convert iPhone videos recorded in High Efficiency format to H.264 for devices and apps that cannot play HEVC.
Audio to AAC
Audio is converted to AAC, the standard for MP4, keeping it in sync.
Size options
Reduce resolution to 1080p or 720p to make large 4K iPhone videos easier to share.
Fast start
The MP4 is arranged to start playing quickly on websites.
Local conversion
Your personal videos stay on your device.
When to use MOV to MP4
- Sharing iPhone videos with Windows or Android users.
- Uploading iPhone recordings to websites and learning platforms that only accept MP4.
- Importing QuickTime screen recordings into editing software.
- Converting camera MOV clips for playback on TVs and media players.
- Reducing the size of 4K MOV videos for email or messaging.
MOV to MP4 FAQ
Is MOV the same as MP4?
They are close relatives: MP4 was developed from Apple’s QuickTime MOV format. Both are containers that can hold the same codecs, which is why most MOV files can be converted to MP4 without re-encoding.
Why won’t my iPhone video play on Windows?
Recent iPhones record in HEVC (H.265) by default. Windows needs an extra codec to play it, and some older devices cannot play it at all. Choose Compatible to convert to H.264, which plays everywhere.
Does Fast mode reduce quality?
No. The video stream is copied exactly. Only the audio is converted to AAC, which is visually irrelevant and audibly transparent at the bitrate used.
How do I stop my iPhone recording in HEVC?
In Settings → Camera → Formats, choose Most Compatible. New videos are then recorded in H.264 and saved as MOV files that remux quickly to MP4.
Can I convert Live Photos?
Live Photos are a still image plus a short MOV clip. Export the clip from the Photos app first, then convert the MOV here.
Why iPhone videos sometimes need converting
Apple devices save videos in the QuickTime MOV container. In 1998 the MP4 standard was built on QuickTime’s file structure, so the two formats are siblings: they organise data in the same kind of boxes and can carry the same compressed streams. For many files, converting is simply a matter of rewriting the wrapper, which is what the fast option does.
The complication is the codec inside. Since iOS 11, iPhones record in HEVC (H.265) by default, which produces files roughly half the size of H.264 at similar quality. HEVC is widely supported on new devices but still causes problems on some Windows PCs, older Android phones, smart TVs and web browsers. Converting to H.264 removes that uncertainty at the cost of a larger file.
Screen recordings, camera footage and exports from editing apps may also arrive as MOV. Professional cameras sometimes use ProRes inside MOV, an editing codec with very large files. Converting such clips with the Compatible option produces much smaller MP4 files suitable for sharing, while keeping the originals for editing.
For videos shared on the web, the fast-start layout used here places the file’s index at the beginning, so playback can start while the rest of the file is still downloading.