Video & Image ConverterHow to Convert MOV to MP4 on iPhone — Without Losing Quality
Updated · 2 min read
Every video your iPhone records is a MOV file. That's fine inside the Apple world, but Windows PCs, Android phones, and plenty of upload forms — school portals, job applications, marketplaces — ask for MP4. The good news: an iPhone MOV and an MP4 usually hold exactly the same video. Only the wrapper is different, so converting can take seconds and lose nothing.
MOV vs MP4: what's actually different?
MOV and MP4 are both containers — boxes that hold a video stream and an audio stream. An iPhone MOV contains HEVC (or H.264) video and AAC audio, and MP4 can hold exactly the same streams. So turning MOV into MP4 doesn't require encoding the video again; the streams can simply be moved into a new box.
| Method | Speed | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| Re-encode (what most converters do) | Minutes for a long video | A little is lost every time |
| Copy the streams (Original quality) | Seconds | Identical picture |
How to convert MOV to MP4 on iPhone
- Get the app. Download Video & Image Converter — free to try, no account.
- Pick the MOV. Every video in your Photos library that was shot on an iPhone is a MOV. MOV files from a Mac or a camera can be picked from the Files app.
- Choose MP4 and turn on Original quality. It's offered whenever the video inside is H.264 or HEVC — which is how iPhones record unless you've switched on ProRes.
- Convert. Even a long video takes seconds. Save the MP4 to Photos or Files, or share it straight from the app.
Have a file to convert right now? It takes a few taps — and nothing is uploaded.
Download Free on the App StoreWhen should you re-encode instead?
- You need a smaller file. Turn Original quality off and pick a compression level — the app shows the estimated size before you convert.
- The other device is old. iPhones record HEVC by default. Some older Windows PCs and TVs only play H.264, so choose H.264 in More settings.
- You want a lower resolution or frame rate — 4K down to 1080p, or 60 fps down to 30 fps.
Do I even need to convert?
If you're sending the video to a Mac or another iPhone, no — MOV works fine there. Convert when the video is going to Windows, Android, or a website that says “MP4 only”.
You can also make your iPhone record H.264 instead of HEVC in Settings › Camera › Formats › Most Compatible. The files are still MOV, though, and roughly twice the size — so converting the few videos that need it is usually the better deal.