Video conversion
Convert AVI to MOV
Updated Jul 2026
AVI is an older Windows video container that many Mac apps and modern editing tools don't fully support. MOV is the format Apple systems use natively. To convert AVI to MOV, open the file in a converter and export it as MOV. Doing this on your own computer means the video stays put instead of being uploaded somewhere first.
- Extension
- .avi
- Type
- Video
- Typically
- Legacy Windows video
- Extension
- .mov
- Type
- Video
- Typically
- iPhone / Mac recordings
- Compression
- Lossy
Convert AVI to MOV on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert AVI to MOV
- Open Morphjet and drag in the AVI file, or a whole folder of them, that you want to convert.
- Choose MOV as the output format.
- Convert. The MOV file is written next to your original, and nothing leaves your machine.
AVI vs MOV: what actually changes
| AVI | MOV | |
|---|---|---|
| Opens everywhere | Yes on Windows, but many Mac apps and phones can't open it directly | Yes on Mac and iPhone, but Windows often needs a separate player |
| File size | Often larger, since AVI is commonly stored uncompressed or lightly compressed | Often smaller, since MOV usually holds a compressed video track |
| Quality | Lossless, no compression artifacts from the container itself | Slightly lossy, because export re-encodes the video into a new codec |
| Editing software support | Inconsistent, some Mac based editors won't import it without a plugin | Native, works directly in Mac editing and playback apps |
| Keeps original metadata | Yes | Mostly, though re-encoding can drop some embedded details |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert AVI to MOV when you need the video to play smoothly on a Mac or iPhone, or when you're bringing old footage into a Mac based editing app that expects MOV.
Keep the AVI original if it's your only lossless copy of the footage, since converting to MOV re-encodes the video and loses a small amount of quality you can't get back.
Why not just use an online converter?
Old AVI footage sitting on a hard drive might be home videos, security camera recordings, or old family clips, none of which you'd want handed to a stranger's server just to change the format. Uploading a video to an online converter means it's copied onto someone else's computer for the conversion to happen. Converting on your own machine keeps that footage exactly where it already is.
Questions
Does converting AVI to MOV lose quality?
A little. MOV export re-encodes the video, so there's a small, one-time quality loss. For everyday playback it's not noticeable. For preserving the exact original, keep the AVI.
Why won't my AVI file play on my Mac or iPhone?
AVI is a Windows container format, and depending on which codec is packed inside it, Mac and iPhone video apps often can't decode it without extra software. MOV is the format those devices expect natively.
Will the MOV keep the video's original metadata?
Most of it. Details like the creation date usually carry over, though re-encoding can drop some of the more specific information embedded in the original AVI.
Can I convert AVI to MOV without uploading the file anywhere?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet converts the video on your own computer, so the footage never travels over the internet, even with your wifi off.
Is AVI or MOV better quality?
AVI can be lossless when stored uncompressed, but that comes at the cost of a much larger file. MOV trades a small amount of quality for a smaller, more practical file size.
Morphjet converts AVI, MOV, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.