Video Compressor

Convert MOV to MP4

Turn a MOV from your iPhone, Mac or camera into an MP4. The video is copied as it is, so it takes seconds and keeps every detail.

MOV and MP4: the same video in a different box

MOV is Apple’s QuickTime format, and MP4 is the international standard that grew out of it. Both are containers. The video inside a MOV from an iPhone or a Mac is H.264 or HEVC, exactly what an MP4 holds too, so converting doesn’t have to touch the picture at all: the video and the sound are moved into an MP4 as they are. The name changes from .mov to .mp4, and the apps, phones and upload forms that refused the MOV now take it.

That makes the MP4 identical to the MOV, frame for frame, and about the same size. It takes seconds even for long videos, because nothing is encoded again. Portrait videos stay portrait, and the location and other details the iPhone recorded are left out. The sound is kept as it is when it’s AAC, as iPhones and Macs record it; the uncompressed sound some cameras write becomes AAC, which every player reads.

Need it smaller? That’s compressing, not converting: our MOV compressor makes an MP4 too. Need it to play on an older PC or TV? iPhones usually record HEVC, so choose Make it H.264 above. ProRes, from professional cameras and some screen recorders, can’t go into an MP4 as it is, so it’s always made H.264. Either way, you end up with one MP4 you can send, upload or edit anywhere.

Why convert MOV to MP4 here

  • Done in seconds

    Nothing is encoded again, so a ten-minute iPhone video converts about as fast as your device can read it, often in a few seconds.

  • The identical picture

    The video inside the MP4 is the very same data as in the MOV: no loss from compressing it again, HDR included.

  • Portrait stays portrait

    Vertical iPhone videos keep their orientation in every player, the same as the original, without being turned or cropped.

  • Location left out

    iPhone videos record where they were filmed. The MP4 carries no location and no details about the phone.

How to convert MOV to MP4

  1. 01

    Add the MOV

    Drop it on the page, or pick it from your files or photo library.

  2. 02

    Keep the video

    Leave Keep the video on for a perfect copy, or choose Make it H.264 for older devices, TVs and Windows PCs.

  3. 03

    Download the MP4

    Play it on the page, then save it.

Questions

Can’t find your answer? Write to feedback@videocompressor.xyz.

Is converting MOV to MP4 lossless?

Yes, with Keep the video: the H.264 or HEVC video is copied into the MP4 untouched. Only Make it H.264, or a ProRes source, encodes the video again, at a high quality close to the original.

What’s the difference between MOV and MP4?

For the video itself, very little. Both hold H.264 or HEVC video and AAC sound; MOV is Apple’s own container and MP4 the open standard based on it. More players, websites and upload forms accept MP4, which is why people convert.

Will the MP4 play on Windows?

If the MOV holds H.264, yes. iPhones usually record HEVC, which Windows plays only with Microsoft’s HEVC Video Extensions. Choose Make it H.264 and the MP4 plays on any PC.

How do I convert MOV to MP4 on a Mac?

Open this page in Safari or Chrome and drop the MOV on it. QuickTime Player only exports MOV files, and encodes the video again when it does; here the video is copied, so it’s faster and loses nothing.

How do I convert MOV to MP4 on an iPhone?

Open this page in Safari, tap the drop area and pick the video from your photo library. The MP4 is ready in seconds; download it to the Files app.

Does the MP4 keep HDR?

Yes, with Keep the video: an HDR iPhone video stays HDR and still looks right on HDR screens. Made H.264, it’s converted to standard colors, which look right on any screen.

Can I make the MP4 smaller at the same time?

Not on this page, which keeps the quality. Our MOV compressor turns a MOV into an MP4 of the size you choose, for email, chat apps and upload limits.

Is my MOV uploaded?

Almost never: copying needs no special support from your browser, so iPhone and Mac videos are converted on your device. ProRes your browser can’t decode goes to our server, where it’s deleted 2 hours later.

More ways to convert and compress

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