Convert MP4 to MOV
Settings
No file yet
Settings appear after you choose a file.
Editors on a Mac often ask for MOV, the container QuickTime uses. The converted file holds the same clip as a MOV.
MP4 or MOV?
Keep MP4 when
- It is the original. The encode lines make a lossy copy; only the copy line keeps every detail.
Pick MOV when
- A program or an editor asks for MOV files.
About MP4 and MOV
MP4
The most widely used video format. It plays on most phones, computers and platforms, and is the usual way video is shared.
MOV
Apple's QuickTime video format. What iPhones and Macs record and edit in; other devices often need it converted first.
Questions
Does the MOV look worse?
Not with the copy line, which keeps the picture and the sound exactly. The encode lines use lossy H.264 and AAC, so they drop a little detail; a lower CRF loses less.
What does the copy line do?
It moves the picture and the sound into the MOV as they are, without encoding them again, so nothing is lost and it takes seconds. It works when the MP4 holds H.264 video and AAC sound, the pair an MOV takes; for any other codec use the first line. -c copy means that.
Which CRF should I pick?
The commands use CRF 23, a common middle ground between size and quality. Change -crf 23 to a lower number for a better picture and a larger file, or a higher one for a smaller file, 0 to 51.
Can I convert a whole folder at once?
Yes. Drop them all here. In Terminal, one line converts every MP4 in the folder.