MOV to MP4 Converter
How to Convert MOV to MP4 Online
Drag & drop or click Browse. Max 2 GB.
Choose bitrate for output quality.
Click Convert, wait for FFmpeg, then download. Auto-deleted within 4 hours.
MOV to MP4: what to expect
iPhones save video as MOV, often in HEVC (H.265). Windows, Android, older TVs and many websites play MP4 with H.264 more reliably. This converter makes exactly that: H.264 video and AAC sound in MP4.
What the MP4 contains
| File | Result | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Video | H.264 | 2.5 Mbit/s by default |
| Sound | AAC, 128 kbps | plays everywhere |
| Web playback | fast start | starts playing before the download ends |
| Size at default | about 19 MB per minute | Max (10 Mbit/s): about 75 MB |
Best settings
- Medium (2.5 Mbit/s) for sharing in messages and on social media.
- Choose High (5 Mbit/s) or Max for 1080p or 4K videos you want to keep sharp.
- For email or WhatsApp limits, try Low and check the size.
Common problems
- The video will not play on Windows or an old TV. The MOV is probably HEVC (H.265). The MP4 from this converter uses H.264, which plays almost everywhere.
- The MP4 is blurry. The bitrate was too low for 4K or fast motion. Convert again with High or Max.
- The file is too big for email. Use Low (0.8 Mbit/s, about 6 MB per minute) or trim the video first with the Video Trimmer.
Quick answers
Is MOV to MP4 lossless?
No — the video is encoded again in H.264. At High or Max the difference is hard to see.
Can I upload 4K iPhone videos?
Yes, files up to 2 GB.
Why Convert MOV to MP4?
Converting MOV to MP4 is essential for sharing Apple-recorded videos universally. iPhone and Mac recordings in MOV format can be played anywhere as MP4, with significantly smaller file sizes if the original uses ProRes.
About the MOV Format
MOV is Apple's QuickTime video container format, commonly used in macOS and iOS ecosystems. It supports high-quality video with various codecs including H.264, H.265 (HEVC), and Apple ProRes. MOV files from iPhones and professional cameras often contain high-bitrate video ideal for editing.
MOV was developed by Apple in 1991 for the QuickTime multimedia framework. It served as the basis for the MP4 format and remains the default recording format for Apple devices and professional video production.
Advantages
- Excellent quality, especially from Apple devices
- Supports professional codecs like ProRes
- Native macOS/iOS integration
- Good for video editing workflows
Disadvantages
- Large file sizes, especially ProRes recordings
- Less compatible on Windows and Android
- Not ideal for web streaming without conversion
- Some codecs require specific software to play
About the MP4 Format
MP4 is the most widely used video container format on the internet. It typically uses H.264 video compression and AAC audio, delivering excellent quality at relatively small file sizes. MP4 is universally supported across browsers, devices, streaming platforms, and social media sites.
MP4 was introduced in 2001 as part of the MPEG-4 standard by the ISO. It evolved from Apple's QuickTime format and became the dominant web video format thanks to its balance of quality, compression, and universal device support.
Advantages
- Universal playback support on all devices and browsers
- Excellent compression-to-quality ratio with H.264
- Supports subtitles, chapters, and multiple audio tracks
- Ideal for streaming, sharing, and social media uploads
Disadvantages
- Lossy compression means some quality is sacrificed
- H.264 encoding can be slow on older hardware
- Not ideal for professional lossless editing workflows
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my iPhone MOV files so large?
iPhones can record in HEVC (H.265) or ProRes, both producing large files. Converting to MP4 with H.264 offers a good balance of quality and file size for sharing.
Is MOV to MP4 lossless?
If both use compatible codecs (e.g., H.264), the conversion can be a simple remux with zero quality loss. When transcoding is needed, our high-quality settings minimize any difference.
Will Windows play my converted MP4?
Yes — MP4 is natively supported on Windows, Android, Linux, and every major platform. This is the main reason to convert from MOV.