MOV in everyday life
MOV is the QuickTime format by Apple. You get MOV files from three main places: iPhones and iPads, which save every video as MOV; macOS, which saves screen recordings as MOV; and many cameras, which record MOV for its editing-friendly structure. The files work perfectly on Apple devices and in professional editors, but they are often a problem elsewhere: on older Windows PCs, Android phones, smart TVs, upload forms and learning platforms.
What is inside your MOV
| Source | Video | Sound |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone, High Efficiency setting | HEVC (H.265), sometimes HDR | AAC |
| iPhone, Most Compatible setting | H.264 | AAC |
| Mac screen recording | H.264 or HEVC | AAC, if a microphone was used |
| Photo and video cameras | H.264 or HEVC | Often uncompressed PCM |
After you add a file, the tool shows these details, so you know what you are working with.
Fast copy or full conversion
MOV and MP4 share the same structure. If you convert a MOV to MP4 or MKV and the codecs fit, the streams are simply copied into the new container. This is remuxing: it takes seconds, even for long 4K clips, and the quality does not change. If a camera recorded PCM sound, only the audio is converted to AAC for MP4.
Other targets need re-encoding. WEBM uses VP9, VP8 or AV1; GIF is an image format with 256 colours; and the older formats AVI, FLV, WMV, 3GP and MPEG are written by a built-in converter engine that runs in your browser. It handles these legacy formats reliably but is slower than the modern encoders. Changing the resolution, quality or frame rate also triggers re-encoding.
Choosing a target
- MP4 for sharing with anyone, on any device. Pick H.264 if the receiver may not support HEVC. See MOV to MP4.
- WEBM for websites and web apps.
- MKV for Plex, Kodi, Jellyfin and smart TVs.
- GIF for silent loops from screen recordings and Live Photos, see MOV to GIF.
- AVI, WMV, MPEG, FLV, 3GP for old players, DVD software, legacy Windows programs, streaming tools and basic phones.
To get only the sound, use the audio pages such as MOV to MP3 or MOV to M4R for an iPhone ringtone.
Common MOV problems
- Plays on Mac but not on Windows. The video is probably HEVC. Convert to MP4 with H.264.
- Colours look washed out. Recent iPhones record HDR. On screens without HDR support it can look pale.
- The file is huge. Lower the resolution here, or use the MOV compressor.
- Sound drifts out of sync in an editor. Mac screen recordings change their frame rate as the screen changes. Set a fixed rate, such as 30 fps, in the options.
- A portrait clip lies on its side on an old TV. Phones store a rotation note that older players ignore. Rotate the video before converting it to an old format.
All conversions run on your device. Your videos are not uploaded, and the page keeps working offline after it has loaded.