MOV to MP4

How to convert MOV to MP4

1. Tap Choose a video and pick the MOV file.
2. Check the line under the settings to see whether the video will be copied or converted.
3. Press Convert to MP4.
4. Play the result, then press Save MP4 or Share.

Why MOV files cause trouble

MOV is Apple's QuickTime format. iPhones, Macs and many cameras save video as MOV, and Apple devices play it without complaint. Elsewhere it is hit and miss. Some Windows apps, Android phones, smart TVs and website upload forms either refuse MOV or play it without sound.

MP4 is the same idea in a standard form. It was developed from the MOV format, so the two are close relatives, and nearly every device and website accepts it. Converting is the reliable fix.

Where your MOV came from matters

iPhone and iPad

An iPhone records in one of two ways, set under Settings, Camera, Formats.

• Most Compatible records H.264 video. These files convert to MP4 instantly, with identical quality.
• High Efficiency records HEVC video, which takes about half the space. You can keep it as HEVC inside the MP4, which is instant, or convert it to H.264 so that older devices can play it.

Mac screen recordings

QuickTime Player and the Mac screenshot tool save H.264 MOV files. They convert instantly.

Cameras

Many Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm and Panasonic cameras record H.264 video with uncompressed sound. The video is copied and the sound is converted to AAC, which is what MP4 players expect. The file gets a little smaller as a result.

Video editors

MOV files exported in an editing format such as ProRes are very large and cannot be converted here. Export from your editor as H.264 instead.

Good to know

• Rotation is kept, so a video filmed upright stays upright.
• The date and location stored in the MOV file are not carried over.
• Slow-motion clips keep their recorded frame rate. The slow-down applied in the Photos app is not part of the file.
• Converting HEVC to H.264 works in Chrome and Edge, on devices that can decode HEVC.

Need a different format? The MP4 converter also takes MKV and WebM, and video to GIF makes a looping clip.

Questions

Will my video lose quality?

Not if it is H.264, which covers iPhones on the Most Compatible setting, Mac screen recordings and most cameras. The video is copied exactly. Only HEVC video that you choose to convert to H.264 is re-encoded.

Is MOV better quality than MP4?

No. They are containers, and the quality comes from the video inside. The same H.264 video looks identical in either one.

Why is my converted file slightly smaller?

If the MOV had uncompressed sound, converting it to AAC saves space. The picture is unchanged.

Can I stop my iPhone making MOV files that other devices cannot play?

Go to Settings, Camera, Formats and choose Most Compatible. The phone will record H.264 video, which plays almost everywhere, at the cost of larger files.

Can I convert several MOV files at once?

One at a time. Each conversion usually takes about a second, so a handful of files goes quickly.

Last reviewed 10 October 2026.