How to Convert MOV to MP4 on Mac — 5 Free Methods
MOV is Apple's native video format. Your iPhone records in MOV, iMovie exports MOV by default, and every screen recording on Mac saves as a MOV file. The problem: most non-Apple apps, websites, and devices expect MP4 — not MOV.
The good news is you already have everything you need to convert MOV to MP4 on your Mac, for free. This guide covers five methods, from the 30-second QuickTime trick to zero-quality-loss Terminal remuxing.
Method 1 — QuickTime Player Export As (Built Into Every Mac)
- Open your .mov file in QuickTime Player (double-click, or right-click → Open With → QuickTime Player).
- From the menu bar, click File → Export As.
- Choose your resolution: 4K, 1080p, or 720p. Higher resolution = larger file, same quality as original up to that resolution.
- In the Save dialog, give the file a name. QuickTime automatically saves it as .mp4.
- Click Save. A progress bar appears; conversion takes roughly 30–60 seconds per minute of video on a modern Mac.
This method re-encodes the video. The quality is excellent but not bit-for-bit identical to the original. For true lossless conversion, use Method 4 (Terminal).
Method 2 — Convertlo Browser Converter (Any Mac, Batch Support)
- Open convertlo.pro/mov-to-mp4.html in Safari or Chrome on your Mac.
- Drag and drop one or multiple MOV files onto the converter, or click Browse to select them.
- Conversion runs entirely in your browser using FFmpeg.wasm — the video never leaves your Mac.
- Click Download to save each MP4 to your Downloads folder, or download all as a ZIP.
Works on all macOS versions including older ones that can't run updated apps. Supports files up to several GB. Converts multiple files in parallel.
Method 3 — iMovie Export to MP4 (For Video Projects)
- Open your project in iMovie (free from the App Store if not already installed).
- If you haven't imported the MOV yet: drag the file into iMovie's Media pane, then drag it into the timeline.
- Click File → Share → File…
- In the export dialog, set Format to Video and Audio, choose your Resolution (1080p recommended) and Quality (Best — ProRes or Better — H.264).
- Click Next, name the file, choose a save location, then click Save.
iMovie always exports as MP4 (H.264 or HEVC). Use this method when you need to trim, add music, or apply color correction before exporting.
Method 4 — Terminal with ffmpeg (Zero Quality Loss)
This is the best quality method. It repackages the video stream into an MP4 container without touching a single pixel. Requires a one-time ffmpeg install.
- Install Homebrew if you haven't: paste this in Terminal and press Return:
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)" - Install ffmpeg:
brew install ffmpeg - Navigate to your file:
(or drag the folder from Finder into Terminal to paste the path)cd ~/Desktop - Remux a single file — no re-encoding, identical quality:
ffmpeg -i input.mov -c copy output.mp4 - Batch convert an entire folder:
for f in *.mov; do ffmpeg -i "$f" -c copy "${f%.mov}.mp4"; done
The -c copy flag copies audio and video streams without re-encoding. Output file size is nearly identical to the original MOV. Takes just seconds regardless of file size.
Method 5 — HandBrake (Best Quality Control)
- Download HandBrake free from handbrake.fr and open it.
- Click Open Source and select your MOV file.
- Under Presets, select Fast 1080p30 (or your preferred resolution).
- Ensure the Format (under Summary tab) is set to MP4.
- Under the Video tab, set RF Quality to 18–22. Lower = better quality, larger file. 20 is a safe default for most videos.
- Click Start Encode.
Use HandBrake when you need to control bitrate, crop, add subtitles, or compress a large MOV significantly. Best choice for archiving home videos from an iPhone or GoPro.
Method Comparison
Which method should you use? Here's a quick comparison:
| Method | Install required | Quality | Batch | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QuickTime Player | ✓ None (built-in) | Excellent (re-encoded) | ✗ One file | Quick single-file conversion |
| Convertlo browser | ✓ None | High | ✓ Yes | Batch, no Terminal, any macOS |
| iMovie | ✓ Free (App Store) | Excellent | ✗ Project-based | Editing before export |
| ffmpeg (Terminal) | Homebrew + ffmpeg | ✓ Lossless remux | ✓ Yes (loop) | Zero quality loss, power users |
| HandBrake | Free download | Configurable | ✓ Queue | Quality control, compression |
Convert MOV to MP4 free — no install, no upload
Drop your MOV files in the browser. Conversion runs entirely on your Mac via FFmpeg.wasm. Batch-convert multiple files at once.
Why Does Mac Record in MOV Instead of MP4?
Apple introduced the MOV container format in 1991 as part of QuickTime. It became the default format for all Apple recording tools — iPhone camera, screen recording in macOS, iMovie, Final Cut Pro, and QuickTime Player itself.
MOV and MP4 are technically very similar — both are based on the MPEG-4 ISO standard (ISO 14496-12). A MOV file recorded on iPhone often contains the same H.264 or HEVC video stream that an MP4 would. The main difference is just the container: MOV files use features like Apple-specific metadata, timecode tracks, and edit lists that some non-Apple players choke on.
That's why a -c copy remux in ffmpeg works so well — you're not re-encoding anything, just changing the wrapper.
Common Problems and Fixes
QuickTime won't export — "Export As" is grayed out
This usually happens with DRM-protected content or screen recordings made with a third-party tool. Try opening the file in VLC first, or use the Convertlo browser converter instead.
Audio out of sync after conversion
This is a known ffmpeg issue with variable frame rate (VFR) MOV files from iPhone. Fix it by adding -vsync vfr to the command, or use HandBrake which handles VFR automatically.
MP4 file won't play on older Samsung or Android TV
The MOV likely used HEVC (H.265) encoding, which older Android devices don't support. Re-encode to H.264 with HandBrake (choose the H.264 codec in the Video tab), or use the Convertlo converter which outputs H.264 by default.
File size is much larger after QuickTime export
QuickTime re-encodes at a higher bitrate than the original. For a smaller output, use HandBrake with RF 22–24, or ffmpeg with -crf 23 -preset slow instead of -c copy.
Frequently Asked Questions
ffmpeg -i input.mov -c copy output.mp4 to remux without re-encoding. Install ffmpeg with brew install ffmpeg. This produces an MP4 identical in quality to the original MOV because no re-encoding occurs — it just repackages the video stream into a new container.for f in *.mov; do ffmpeg -i "$f" -c copy "${f%.mov}.mp4"; done — this remuxes every MOV in the current folder to MP4 without re-encoding. Alternatively, Convertlo's browser tool supports batch upload: drop multiple MOV files and download them all as MP4.ffmpeg -i input.mov -c copy output.mp4. This copies the video stream without re-encoding, so quality is identical. QuickTime Player's Export As re-encodes, but at high quality settings the difference is imperceptible.