MOV is a video container format developed by Apple for the QuickTime media player. Introduced in 1991, it has become one of the most common formats for video recorded on iPhones, iPads, and Mac-based editing software like Final Cut Pro.
A MOV file is a container - it holds one or more tracks of video, audio, and sometimes subtitles or timecode data. The video inside is typically encoded with H.264 or HEVC (H.265), the same codecs used in MP4 files.
MOV and MP4 are closely related. Both are derived from the MPEG-4 standard and often contain the same underlying video and audio data. The main difference is compatibility: MP4 is a universal standard supported on virtually every device and platform, while MOV is optimized for Apple's ecosystem and can cause playback issues on Windows or Android.
If you recorded a video on an iPhone and want to share it or upload it somewhere, converting from MOV to MP4 is usually the right move - the quality stays the same and compatibility improves significantly.
MOV is the default recording format on iPhones and many digital cameras. It's also the preferred format for video editing on macOS, since QuickTime and Final Cut Pro handle it natively with full metadata support.
MOV files are often larger than equivalent MP4 files because they may use less aggressive compression or store additional metadata. Converting to MP4 with H.264 typically reduces file size without a visible loss in quality.
You can convert MOV to MP4 directly in your browser - no software to install, no upload required. Your file never leaves your device.