Video conversion
Convert MOV to MP4
Updated Jul 2026
MOV is Apple's QuickTime video format, used by iPhones and Macs. MP4 is the format almost everything else expects, from Android phones to Windows PCs to social media sites. Converting MOV to MP4 usually just repackages the video without re-encoding it, and doing that on your own computer means the footage never leaves your machine.
- Extension
- .mov
- Type
- Video
- Typically
- iPhone / Mac recordings
- Compression
- Lossy
- Extension
- .mp4
- Type
- Video
- Typically
- The universal video format
- Compression
- Lossy
Convert MOV to MP4 on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert MOV to MP4
- Open Morphjet and drag in the MOV files you want to convert. Add a single clip or a whole folder of footage at once.
- Choose MP4 as the output format.
- Convert. The MP4s are written next to your originals, and nothing leaves your machine, even for a large video file.
MOV vs MP4: what actually changes
| MOV | MP4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Opens everywhere | Reliable only on Apple devices, hit or miss on Windows and Android | Yes, virtually every device, app, and platform plays it |
| File size | Set by the video codec inside, not the container itself | About the same, wrapping it in MP4 doesn't add or remove data |
| Quality | High, unchanged from the original recording | Identical if only the container changes, a small loss if the video also has to be re-encoded |
| Uploading to sites and social media | Often rejected or auto-converted by the site first | Accepted directly almost everywhere |
| Keeps recording date and device info | Yes | Yes, usually carried over |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert MOV to MP4 when you want to share a clip on a website, upload it to social media, send it to someone on Windows or Android, or drop it into an editor that doesn't fully support MOV.
Keep the MOV if you're staying entirely inside Apple's devices and apps, since they read MOV natively and there's nothing to gain from converting.
Why not just use an online converter?
Video files are often personal, home movies, screen recordings, clips you'd rather not hand to a stranger. An online converter means uploading that footage to a server you don't control and waiting for it to come back. Converting MOV to MP4 on your own computer keeps every frame local, so the file never has to leave your machine, no matter how large it is.
Questions
Does converting MOV to MP4 lose quality?
Not always. If the video inside your MOV file can be used as is, only the container changes and quality stays identical. If the codec has to change too, the video gets re-encoded and there's a small, one-time quality loss.
Why won't my MOV file play on Windows or Android?
MOV is Apple's QuickTime container, and some devices and apps don't have the software to open it. MP4 is more universal, so the same footage wrapped in MP4 plays almost everywhere without extra software.
Will converting to MP4 keep the recording date and other details?
Yes, typically. The date, time, and device information stored in the MOV file usually carry over to the MP4.
Can I convert MOV to MP4 without uploading the file anywhere?
Yes. Morphjet converts the file on your own computer, so nothing gets uploaded, even for a long video. It works with your wifi off too.
Morphjet converts MOV, MP4, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.