MOV to MP4

How to use MOV to MP4

1. Choose one or more .mov files from your phone, Mac screen recordings or camera.
2. Press Convert to MP4; the H.264 settings are preset for compatibility.
3. Keep the tab open while the progress bar runs. HEVC and 4K clips take longest.
4. Download the MP4, or a ZIP when you converted several.

Why iPhone MOV files cause trouble

MOV is Apple's QuickTime container. Recent iPhones record into it with HEVC (H.265) when the camera is set to High Efficiency, and that codec is not reliably playable on many Windows PCs, older Android phones, smart TVs or upload portals. Converting to MP4 with libx264 at CRF 23 and 8-bit yuv420p colour gives a file that virtually every device opens.

Audio is converted to AAC at 128 kbps and the MP4 is written with faststart, so it starts quickly when shared online. This is useful when an exam or job portal accepts only MP4, or when a friend on Windows cannot play a clip you AirDropped to your laptop.

Limitations

• iPhone HDR (Dolby Vision or HLG) footage is converted to standard 8-bit without tone-mapping, so colours may look flatter or slightly washed out.
• HEVC 4K files are slow to decode in a browser; trim or resize them first if the conversion takes too long.
• The H.264 MP4 is usually larger than the HEVC original at similar quality.

Frequently asked questions

Why not just rename .mov to .mp4?

Renaming only changes the label. If the video inside is HEVC, devices that cannot decode HEVC still fail. Re-encoding to H.264 fixes that.

Will the converted file be bigger?

Often, yes, because H.264 needs more bits than HEVC for the same picture. Use Compress Video afterwards if size matters.

Can I stop my iPhone from recording MOV in HEVC?

In Settings, Camera, Formats, choosing Most Compatible makes the iPhone record H.264 instead, though the file is still a MOV.

Are my phone videos uploaded for conversion?

No. The conversion is carried out in the browser, so personal footage stays on your device.