Video conversion
Convert MP4 to MOV
Updated Jul 2026
MP4 is the video format that plays almost everywhere, while MOV is the container Apple's editing tools, like Final Cut Pro and iMovie, expect natively. To convert MP4 to MOV, open the file in a converter and export it in the MOV container. Doing this on your own computer means the footage never has to leave your machine to make the switch.
- Extension
- .mp4
- Type
- Video
- Typically
- The universal video format
- Compression
- Lossy
- Extension
- .mov
- Type
- Video
- Typically
- iPhone / Mac recordings
- Compression
- Lossy
Convert MP4 to MOV on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert MP4 to MOV
- Open Morphjet and drag in the MP4 file, or a whole folder of clips at once.
- Choose MOV as the output format.
- Convert. The MOV files are written next to your originals, and the footage never leaves your machine.
MP4 vs MOV: what actually changes
| MP4 | MOV | |
|---|---|---|
| Opens everywhere | Yes, plays on nearly any device or platform | Best on Mac and iOS, needs extra software on Windows or Android |
| File size | Typically smaller for the same quality | Often larger, especially with ProRes or uncompressed audio |
| Quality | Lossy, but the same underlying video codec as MOV in most cases | Lossy, and converting is usually a repackage rather than a re-encode, so there's no extra quality loss |
| Editing software support | Works, but not always the native format | Native format for Final Cut Pro, iMovie, and QuickTime |
| Audio | Usually compressed AAC audio | Can hold AAC or uncompressed PCM audio |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert MP4 to MOV when you're bringing footage into Final Cut Pro, iMovie, or another QuickTime-based editor that works best with the format it was built for.
Keep the MP4 if you're mainly sharing the video online or playing it on Windows or Android devices, since MP4 has far broader support.
Why not just use an online converter?
Video files are often large and can carry the date, device, and sometimes the location of where they were recorded. Uploading one to an online converter means that footage, and whatever is attached to it, sits on a stranger's server while you wait for it to come back. Converting on your own computer keeps the video, and the trip through someone else's server, out of the picture entirely.
Questions
Does converting MP4 to MOV lose quality?
Usually not. MP4 and MOV are both containers that can hold the same H.264 or HEVC video, so the conversion is often just a repackaging step rather than a re-encode. Quality only drops if the video actually gets recompressed.
Why does Final Cut Pro or iMovie want MOV instead of MP4?
MOV is Apple's own QuickTime format, and its editing tools were built around it first. MP4 usually works too, but MOV tends to import and play back more smoothly in those apps.
Will the audio still work after converting?
Yes. The audio track carries over, whether it's the compressed AAC audio common in MP4 or the uncompressed PCM audio MOV can hold.
Can I convert MP4 to MOV without uploading the file anywhere?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet converts the file on your own computer, so a large video never has to travel over the internet to change format.
Will the MOV file be bigger than the original MP4?
Sometimes. If the video and audio codecs stay the same, the size is close to identical. It grows mainly if the audio switches to an uncompressed format.
Morphjet converts MP4, MOV, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.