Convert MOV to MP4
iPhone and Mac videos that play on Windows, Android and the web.
Convert MOV videos from your iPhone, iPad or Mac to MP4 so they play on Windows, on Android, on a TV or on any website that won’t accept MOV. You get a standard MP4 in H.264, with the right orientation and natural colours, with no sign-up and no watermarks.
How to convert MOV to MP4
- Select your MOV video (up to 100 MB).
- Click “Convert to MP4”.
- Wait while we prepare the MP4: a few seconds, or a little longer if it has to be re-encoded.
- Download the MP4.
Why a MOV from the iPhone doesn’t play everywhere
MOV is Apple’s QuickTime container. The problem isn’t so much the container as what it carries inside: in the default “High Efficiency” mode, the iPhone records video in HEVC (H.265), and often in HDR. Windows needs a paid extension to play HEVC, many Android phones and websites don’t support it, and HDR looks washed out on screens that don’t handle it.
What we do with your video
- HEVC and HDR: we re-encode the image in H.264 and convert HDR to standard range, so the colours look like they do on the iPhone instead of grey and dull.
- H.264 already: if the MOV was recorded in “Most Compatible” mode or comes from another camera in H.264, we copy the image as it is into the MP4. It is instant and loses no quality.
- Orientation: portrait videos stay portrait.
- Sound: kept in AAC, the format every device plays.
- Without your location: the MP4 doesn’t carry the date, the iPhone model or the GPS position of the recording.
Limitations
- One video at a time, up to 100 MB. The iPhone records at a very high bitrate (about 170 MB per minute in 4K at 30 fps, according to its camera settings), so 100 MB is roughly 35 seconds of 4K. Trim long videos in the Photos app first, or record in 1080p.
- Long re-encodes: if the video has to be re-encoded, it can’t be very long; the message will tell you the maximum.
- The extra audio tracks and the depth data of Cinematic mode aren’t kept. To keep just the sound, use MOV to MP3.
Frequently asked questions
How do I play an iPhone MOV video on Windows?
Windows can only play iPhone videos recorded in HEVC if you install the HEVC Video Extensions, which are paid in most cases. Converting the video to MP4 in H.264 makes it play in the Photos app, the Media Player or VLC without installing anything.
Why do my iPhone videos look grey after converting them elsewhere?
Because they were recorded in HDR and the converter didn’t adapt them to standard range. We convert HDR (HLG or PQ) to standard range so the colours look natural on any screen.
Do MOV and MP4 have the same quality?
They can: both are containers and the quality depends on the codec inside. If your MOV is already in H.264 we copy it without losing anything; if it is in HEVC, re-encoding to H.264 loses very little, but the file may be somewhat larger.
How do I make my iPhone record in a more compatible format?
Go to Settings › Camera › Formats and choose “Most Compatible”. Videos will be recorded in H.264 instead of HEVC, which plays on more devices, although they will take up more space on the iPhone.