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M4V to MOV converter

Convert M4V to MOV in your browser. No upload and no account: the file never leaves your device, so the only size limit is your device’s memory.

I want MOV
Quality

Applies only when the video has to be re-encoded. A straight copy keeps the original quality.

Advanced 2
Always re-encode Rebuilds the picture as H.264 (VP9 for WebM) even when it could be copied. Fixes files that won’t play on older TVs and PCs.

Bytes of your files sent anywhere: 0 B

Related conversions

Other ways to convert M4V

Convert other formats to MOV

Read more about the M4V format and the MOV format, or see every video tool and all video conversions.

Should you convert M4V to MOV?

Usually a quick, safe conversion. MOV can carry H.264 or HEVC (H.265), which is what M4V files normally contain, so the video can often be copied across without re-encoding: fast, and with no loss at all.

M4V is an MP4 video with Apple’s extension; MOV is Apple’s video container, usually H.264 or HEVC from an iPhone. Keep MOV for editing on a Mac; convert a copy to MP4 for sharing.

M4V and MOV compared
Property M4V MOV
Usually contains H.264 video with AAC audio H.264 or HEVC video with AAC audio, or ProRes from editors
Support Mainly an Apple format Mainly an Apple format
Plays on Apple apps and VLC; some Windows apps and upload forms reject the extension Apple devices and most editors; some Windows PCs, Android phones and upload forms struggle with it
Best for Apple TV and iTunes libraries Recording and editing video on Apple devices
Introduced 2003 1991

How to convert M4V to MOV

  1. 01

    Add your M4V

    Drop your M4V video onto the box, or click to choose it. It is read from your disk and stays there.

  2. 02

    Check the settings

    The output is already set to MOV. Change the quality if you want to; the defaults suit most files.

  3. 03

    Save the MOV

    Press convert and save the MOV. Several files come back together as a ZIP.

What changes when M4V becomes MOV

Often a straight copy

When the M4V holds H.264 or HEVC (H.265) video, the stream is moved into the MOV container untouched, so the conversion takes seconds even for long files. If the codec inside is something MOV can’t hold, the picture is re-encoded instead and you’ll see a progress bar that takes longer.

The size stays about the same

M4V and MOV are close in size for the same content, so do this for compatibility rather than to save space. M4V: The same as the equivalent MP4. MOV: A minute of 4K iPhone video is roughly 170–400 MB.

This page is put together from our notes on each format, choosing only what is true of M4V and MOV, so every pairing states the same facts the same way. How these pages are made.

Why it doesn’t upload

Video files are big, and uploading one just to change its container can take longer than the conversion itself. Your browser can read and write these formats, so the file never has to leave your device.

How to check for yourself

Worth knowing

  • About the M4V. Films bought from the iTunes Store are copy-protected and can’t be converted by any tool; your own M4V exports convert in seconds.
  • About the MOV. A MOV from an iPhone is usually an ordinary H.264 or HEVC video that can move into MP4 without re-encoding; a MOV exported from an editor may be ProRes and ten times larger.
  • MP4, MOV, MKV and WebM are handled by your browser’s own video engine, often with hardware help. AVI, WMV, FLV, MPG and the other older formats use the FFmpeg engine, a one-time 31 MB download, and are slower.

Questions

Does converting M4V to MOV lose quality?

Not when the video can be copied, which is the case for most M4V files: the stream moves into MOV untouched. If it has to be re-encoded, the default quality keeps the difference invisible.

Will a MOV play on my phone?

MOV mainly an Apple format: Apple devices and most editors; some Windows PCs, Android phones and upload forms struggle with it. QuickTime and Photos on a Mac, VLC anywhere; Windows needs HEVC support for iPhone recordings.

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