How to convert MOV to MP4 on Mac, Windows and iPhone

MOV is the video format of iPhones, Macs and many cameras. It plays perfectly in Apple’s world — and then refuses to open on a Windows laptop, a smart TV, an Android phone or a website’s upload form. MP4 is the universal alternative. This guide explains the difference, shows the free ways to convert on every device, and explains why some “converted” videos still won’t play.

MOV vs MP4: what’s the difference?

Both are containers — boxes holding a video track, an audio track and metadata. MOV was created by Apple for QuickTime; MP4 is the international standard derived from it. They’re cousins, which is why conversion can often be done without touching the video itself.

What really determines compatibility is the codec inside:

So there are two kinds of “conversion”:

• Remux (repackage): move the same video and audio from a MOV box to an MP4 box. Fast, no quality loss, the file size barely changes.
• Re-encode: decode and compress the video again, for example from HEVC or ProRes to H.264. Slower, slightly lossy, and the only way to change the codec.

Method 1: in your browser (Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Linux)

MOV to MP4 converts in your browser — the video stays on your device:

1. Open MOV to MP4 and click Choose files. MOV, M4V and QT files up to 1 GB are accepted; you can add several.
2. Click Convert.
3. The MP4 downloads automatically (several files can be downloaded as a ZIP).

When the codecs inside the MOV can go into an MP4 as they are, the video is repackaged without re-encoding — fast and lossless. Otherwise it is re-encoded to H.264 video with AAC audio, which takes longer and depends on your computer’s speed. The first use downloads the FFmpeg engine (about 31 MB, then cached). A desktop or laptop is recommended for long videos.

Note: repackaging keeps the original codec. An iPhone video recorded in HEVC becomes an HEVC MP4, which plays on most modern devices but not on Windows without the HEVC extension.

Method 2: on a Mac, built in

Finder: “Encode Selected Video Files”

1. Select one or more MOV files in Finder.
2. Control-click and choose Encode Selected Video Files (under Quick Actions or Services, depending on your macOS version).
3. Choose a resolution and H.264 for maximum compatibility (or HEVC for smaller files), then Continue.

You get an .m4v file — an MPEG-4 video that plays anywhere MP4 does. Rename it to .mp4 if a website insists on the extension.

iMovie: true MP4 export

Import the clip into iMovie (free on every Mac), then File > Share > File, choose resolution and quality, and save. iMovie exports .mp4 files with H.264.

What about QuickTime Player?

File > Export As in QuickTime Player lets you change resolution, but the result is still a .mov file — not what you want here.

Method 3: on Windows

Clipchamp (included with Windows 11)

1. Open Clipchamp (it’s installed with Windows 11, or free from the Microsoft Store), sign in and create a new video.
2. Import the MOV and drag it onto the timeline.
3. Click Export and choose a resolution (up to 1080p on the free plan). The output is MP4.

Clipchamp re-encodes the video, so it’s slower than a remux, but it produces H.264 MP4s that play everywhere.

VLC media player

Media > Convert / Save > Add, select the MOV, click Convert / Save, choose the profile Video – H.264 + MP3 (MP4), set a destination ending in .mp4 and click Start. Free and offline, but the interface is unforgiving.

HandBrake (Windows, Mac, Linux)

The free, open-source HandBrake is the most flexible re-encoder: choose a preset such as Fast 1080p30, make sure the format is MP4, and click Start Encode. Ideal for converting many large files with consistent settings.

Method 4: on iPhone

• Prevent the problem: Settings > Camera > Formats > Most Compatible records H.264 video. Files still have a .MOV extension, but they play on Windows and nearly everywhere. Downside: larger files, and some modes (such as 4K at 60 fps) require High Efficiency.
• Convert an existing video: open MOV to MP4 in Safari and pick the video from your library. For long videos, AirDrop or copy them to a computer first.
• Sharing apps often convert for you: messaging and social apps usually re-encode videos on upload, so you rarely need to convert before posting.

Quick comparison

Troubleshooting

The MP4 plays without sound. Rare with iPhone videos (AAC audio), but some cameras record PCM or other audio formats. Re-encode the audio to AAC — the browser tool does this automatically when needed.

The MP4 still won’t play on Windows or the TV. The video is probably HEVC. Re-encode to H.264 with Finder (choose H.264), iMovie, Clipchamp or HandBrake, or install the HEVC Video Extensions on Windows.

The file is too big to send. Converting doesn’t shrink it much. Use Compress Video and pick a maximum resolution (1080p, 720p or 480p). See how to compress a video for email and WhatsApp for the limits of each app.

You only need part of the clip. Cut it first with Trim Video — a shorter video converts faster.

It’s a WebM or MKV, not a MOV. Use WebM to MP4 or MKV to MP4, which work the same way.

You want just the audio. MP4 to MP3 accepts MOV files directly — see how to extract audio from a video.