MOV to MP4 — free online tool
MOV is Apple's QuickTime format: the one used by many iPhone and Mac recordings and some cameras. It can cause problems on Windows, on certain TVs or in an online form. This tool converts it to MP4, which is more widely accepted.
Drop a MOV file here, or click to choose one
تُعالج مؤقتًا ثم تُحذفDrop a MOV file here, or click to choose one
MOV
كيفية العمل
MOV and MP4 are cousins
Both containers share the same basic structure, derived from the QuickTime format. An iPhone MOV often contains H.264 or HEVC (H.265) video with AAC audio, codecs that MP4 can hold. Depending on what is in your file, the conversion can therefore be a simple container change, which is very fast, or a re-encode if the streams are not accepted as they are. The tool chooses automatically.
Usage
Drop the .mov file, start the conversion and download the MP4. A remux takes a few seconds, even for a large file, while a re-encode depends on the duration. Then check the result in your usual player. This tool accepts only MOV: for other formats such as MKV or AVI, use the general video converter.
Where it really helps
Sending an iPhone video to a contact on Windows who cannot open it, uploading a video proof to a site that only accepts MP4, importing a clip into editing software that handles QuickTime poorly, or embedding a file in a web page. MP4 is the reference format for all these exchanges.
About HEVC
For several iOS versions now, iPhones have recorded in HEVC by default, which is more efficient but less compatible: some browsers, older computers and programs cannot decode it. If your MOV is HEVC and the resulting MP4 opens poorly on an older device, the cause is the codec rather than the container. In that case, re-encoding to H.264 is the solution.
Quality, rotation and size
With a remux, the quality is strictly identical, and so is the size. With a re-encode, it stays very close. iPhone videos are shot in 4K or at 60 frames per second and are often large: after conversion, use the compressor or the resizer if you want a file to send by email. The video's portrait orientation is preserved.
Troubleshooting
If the conversion fails, check that the video plays properly on the original device, and that it is not a Live Photo exported as an incomplete .mov. A file that is still syncing with iCloud may also be truncated: wait for the download to finish before sending it. HDR videos may look slightly washed out on a non-compatible screen, which is not a conversion error.
القيود
Only .mov files are accepted here. Depending on the original codecs, the conversion is either a lossless remux or a re-encode with a slight loss. HDR videos may be rendered differently on non-compatible screens. The size is not reduced automatically.
الأسئلة الشائعة
Why won't my iPhone video open on Windows?
Often because of HEVC or the QuickTime container, which are not supported by every player. An MP4 with H.264 plays almost everywhere, hence the value of converting.
Is MOV to MP4 conversion lossless?
It is when the codecs are already MP4-compatible: only the container changes. If a re-encode is needed, the quality stays very close to the original without being strictly identical.
Is my MP4 file smaller than the MOV?
Not necessarily. With a remux, the size is almost the same. To lighten the file, use the video compressor afterwards.
Is the HEVC format a problem?
It can be, on older devices or programs that cannot decode it. If your MP4 remains unplayable, converting to H.264 generally solves the problem, at the cost of a slightly larger file.
Is my video's orientation kept?
Yes, the portrait or landscape orientation is preserved. If it was wrong in the original, it will stay wrong: this tool does not rotate.
Can I convert a MOV to MP3?
Yes, with the Video to MP3 tool, which accepts MOV files. It extracts only the soundtrack into a lightweight audio file.