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MP4 vs MOV

MP4 vs MOV

MP4 and MOV usually contain exactly the same video, so quality isn’t the difference. MP4 plays on everything and is what websites and apps expect; MOV is Apple’s format, best kept for editing in Final Cut or iMovie.

By How we write these

MPEG-4 Part 14

Choose MP4 when

  • Sharing, uploading or posting anywhere
  • Playing on Windows, Android or smart TVs
  • You want one format that always works
More about MP4

QuickTime Movie

Choose MOV when

  • Editing in Final Cut Pro, iMovie or other Apple tools
  • ProRes or other pro codecs
  • The video stays in the Apple ecosystem
More about MOV

Side by side

MP4 and MOV compared
Property MP4 MOV
Full name MPEG-4 Part 14 QuickTime Movie
Compression Lossy Lossy
Usually contains H.264 or HEVC video with AAC audio H.264 or HEVC video with AAC audio, or ProRes from editors
Typical size 1080p phone video runs roughly 60–130 MB a minute A minute of 4K iPhone video is roughly 170–400 MB
Support Opens everywhere Mainly Apple devices
Opens on Every phone, browser, TV, editor, chat app and upload form Apple devices and most editors; some Windows PCs, Android phones and upload forms struggle with it
Best for Sharing video anywhere Recording and editing video on Apple devices
Introduced 2003 1991

Watch out with MP4

An MP4 that won’t play is rarely broken; it usually holds a newer codec such as HEVC or AV1 that the player doesn’t support.

Watch out with 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.

Need to switch?

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Questions

Is MP4 better than MOV?

MP4 and MOV usually contain exactly the same video, so quality isn’t the difference. MP4 plays on everything and is what websites and apps expect; MOV is Apple’s format, best kept for editing in Final Cut or iMovie.

Which is smaller, MP4 or MOV?

MP4 is usually smaller for the same content. MP4: 1080p phone video runs roughly 60–130 MB a minute. MOV: A minute of 4K iPhone video is roughly 170–400 MB.

How do I convert MP4 to MOV?

Use the free MP4 to MOV converter. It runs in your browser, so the file is never uploaded.

How do I convert MOV to MP4?

Use the free MOV to MP4 converter. It works the same way, entirely on your device.