How to Convert MOV to MP4 (Windows, Mac and iPhone)
To convert a MOV file to MP4, open it in a converter, choose MP4 as the output and save the result. The quickest way is the MOV to MP4 converter in your browser, which does the job without uploading the video. On a computer, VLC and HandBrake do the same thing. This guide covers why iPhone videos are MOV files in the first place, how to convert on each device, and what to check when the MP4 still won't play.
Why convert MOV to MP4
MOV is Apple's QuickTime container, and every video an iPhone records is saved in it. MP4 is the container nearly everything can open: Windows, Android, smart TVs, web browsers, social apps and video editors. Converting makes sense when:
- A video from an iPhone or Mac won't open on a Windows PC or an Android phone.
- A website, form or app asks for MP4 and rejects MOV.
- You want one format for everything you share.
A MOV file is not broken, and plenty of services accept it. Convert when something refuses the file, not out of habit. The MP4 vs MOV post covers the differences in detail.
In your browser
- Open the MOV to MP4 converter.
- Drop your .mov file onto the page, or choose it from your device.
- Start the conversion and wait for it to finish. Long, high resolution videos take longer.
- Download the MP4.
The conversion runs on your own device, so the video is never uploaded. It works the same in Safari on an iPhone, which is useful because the phone is where most MOV files come from.
On Windows
- VLC. Choose Media, then Convert / Save, add the file, and click Convert / Save. Pick the profile Video - H.264 + MP3 (MP4), set a destination file name ending in .mp4, and click Start.
- HandBrake. Free and open source. Open the file, choose a preset such as Fast 1080p30, set the format to MP4, and click Start Encode.
Windows can often play a MOV without converting it. If a file won't open, the video is usually HEVC, which needs extra support. See H.264 vs H.265 for why.
On a Mac
QuickTime Player exports QuickTime movies, so File, then Export As is not a way to get an .mp4 file. It is still handy for making a MOV smaller or more compatible. For a real MP4:
- Use the browser converter above.
- Use HandBrake or VLC, with the same steps as on Windows.
On iPhone and iPad
There is no built-in MOV to MP4 option, but two things help:
- Open the MOV to MP4 converter in Safari, pick the video from your library and save the MP4 back to your phone.
- To make new videos easier to play elsewhere, go to Settings, Camera, Formats and choose Most Compatible. New videos then use H.264 instead of HEVC. They are still saved as .mov files, but they play on far more devices.
On Android
Android phones record MP4, so you usually receive MOV files from someone else. Open the browser converter in Chrome and pick the file from your storage, or install VLC for Android, which plays most MOV files directly.
What is inside the MOV matters
A container is a wrapper. What the video inside is encoded with decides how well the converted file behaves.
| Inside the MOV | What to expect after converting |
|---|---|
| H.264 video, AAC audio | Plays almost anywhere as MP4. This is the easy case. |
| HEVC (H.265) video | MP4 can hold HEVC, but older PCs and some apps still can't play it. |
| ProRes or other professional video | Very large files, and many browser tools can't read them. Use an editor or HandBrake. |
If the video inside is already H.264, converting is mostly a change of wrapper and the picture should look the same. If a file has to be re-encoded, a single pass at a sensible quality is rarely noticeable.
Common problems
- The MP4 won't play on Windows. The video is probably HEVC. Convert it to H.264, or play it in VLC, which handles HEVC itself.
- The converted file is much bigger. Re-encoding can pick a higher bitrate than the original used. Run it through the video compressor, or read how to compress a video.
- The browser can't open the MOV. Reading HEVC depends on your device and browser. Safari on a Mac or iPhone handles it. If another browser refuses the file, try Safari or an up to date Chrome or Edge on a computer with a recent graphics chip.
- Can I just rename .mov to .mp4? Sometimes the file then plays, because both formats share the same structure and the video inside is H.264. It is not a conversion, some players reject the result, and HEVC inside is still HEVC. Convert properly.
Everything stays on your device
The conversion runs in your browser, so your video is never uploaded to a server.