Convert MOV to MP4
Turn iPhone and Mac MOV files, and any other clip that refuses to play, into a standard H.264 MP4 that works on every phone, computer, TV and website. The conversion happens on your device with a genuine FFmpeg engine, so your footage is never uploaded.
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Results
How to convert MOV to MP4
- Drop the MOV file, or any other video that will not play where you need it.
- Leave quality on High for a like-for-like conversion, or pick a lower resolution to make it smaller.
- Click convert. The engine downloads once (~32 MB), then encodes on your device.
- Download the MP4.
Why MOV files cause trouble
MOV is Apple's video container, and iPhones, iPads and Macs record to it by default. On an Apple device it plays perfectly. Send it to a Windows PC, an Android phone, a smart TV, a web page or many editing and upload tools and it may refuse to play, play without sound, or show a green screen. Since 2017 the problem has been worse, because iPhones default to recording in HEVC (H.265) inside the MOV, a codec that many devices cannot decode without paid extensions or additional software.
MP4 with H.264 video and AAC audio is the one combination that plays on effectively everything made in the last fifteen years. Converting to it is the fix for almost every "this video will not play" complaint.
What the converter does
The clip is decoded on your device by an FFmpeg engine running in your browser, then re-encoded as H.264 video and AAC audio in an MP4 container, with the file laid out for instant web playback. On the default High setting the quality is not visibly different from the original. Highest is for clips that will be edited again; Balanced makes a smaller file at a slight quality cost. If you mainly want a much smaller file, use the Compress video tool, which is tuned for that.
Other formats it handles
| Input | Where it comes from | Why it needs converting |
|---|---|---|
| MOV (HEVC or H.264) | iPhone, iPad, Mac, some cameras | HEVC will not play on many Windows and Android devices |
| WebM | Screen recorders, browser-based tools, Android | Not supported by iPhones, Apple TV, most editors |
| MKV | Downloads, OBS recordings | Not supported by phones, TVs or upload forms |
| AVI, WMV, FLV | Older cameras, Windows software | Legacy formats with patchy support |
| 3GP | Old feature phones, WhatsApp on some devices | Low compatibility outside phones |
Speed and size expectations
Encoding video in a browser is slower than a desktop application: expect roughly real-time to three times real-time on a laptop, so a two-minute clip takes two to six minutes. Phones are slower and may run out of memory on long 4K files; clips of a few minutes are fine, an hour of 4K is not. Output size is usually similar to or a bit smaller than the original at High quality, since H.264 at a sensible setting is more compact than camera-original footage.
Typical situations
- An iPhone video sent to a colleague on Windows shows only audio, or nothing.
- A MOV will not upload to a course platform, job application or CMS that only accepts MP4.
- A WebM screen recording needs to go into PowerPoint, iMovie or Premiere.
- Footage for a website background needs to be MP4 for the video element.
- An MKV recording from OBS has to play on a TV or a phone.
Because the conversion runs entirely in your browser, family videos, client footage and anything else private never leave your device.
Frequently asked questions
Why will my iPhone video not play on Windows or Android?
Recent iPhones record in HEVC (H.265) inside a MOV container, which many Windows machines and older Android phones cannot decode without extra software. Converting to H.264 MP4 solves it everywhere.
Does converting lose quality?
The video is re-encoded, but on the High setting the difference is not visible at normal viewing size. Use Highest if the clip is going to be edited again.
Will the file be smaller?
Usually somewhat smaller, since H.264 at a sensible quality is more compact than camera-original footage. For a big reduction, use the Compress video tool instead.
Is my video uploaded?
No. The conversion runs entirely inside your browser and the file stays on your device.
Your files never leave your device
Every tool on Squishly Tools is 100% free and runs entirely inside your browser. Your images and documents are processed on your own computer and are never uploaded to a server. There are no accounts, no watermarks and no catch.