Video to MP4 converter that plays on any device.
To convert a video to MP4, choose your MOV, WebM or MKV file, check the plan and click convert. If the video is already H.264, HEVC or AV1 with AAC audio, we only swap the container, in seconds and with no quality loss. If not, we re-encode it to H.264 and AAC, the pair that plays everywhere.
Free, no sign-upEverything fits MP4: we only swap the container. It takes seconds and the quality stays identical.
This video is HDR. When it is re-encoded, colors may look different from the original.
For Windows PCs without the HEVC extension, older TVs and iPhones or Macs without AV1. Takes longer.
How to convert a video to MP4
- 01
Choose the video
Drag your MOV, WebM, MKV or M4V file onto the area above or pick it from your device. We read the container, codecs, resolution and length right away.
- 02
Check the plan
We show what happens to each track: copied without re-encoding or re-encoded, and why. If anything is re-encoded, choose the quality.
- 03
Convert and download
The button turns into a bar with the percentage and time left. At the end, watch the preview, read the report and download the MP4 with the original name.
How to convert video to MP4 without losing quality
A video file has two layers. On the outside is the container, the wrapper: MOV, WebM, MKV or MP4. Inside are the codecs that compress picture and sound: H.264, HEVC, VP9, AAC, Opus. When a video won't open somewhere, the cause may be the wrapper, the codec or both.
If the codecs inside are already accepted in MP4, there is no reason to compress again. We copy the tracks exactly as they are and only swap the wrapper. That takes seconds for most videos, the picture stays identical to the original, and the HDR color tags and the rotation flag of phone videos come along.
When a codec doesn't fit MP4, we re-encode only that track. A WebM with VP9 video and Opus audio, for example, becomes H.264 with AAC. The plan shows up before you click, and the final report repeats which path was taken.
| What's inside | What we do | Time |
|---|---|---|
| H.264 + AAC (MOV, MKV) | Copy into MP4 | Seconds |
| HEVC + AAC (iPhone) | Copy into MP4 | Seconds |
| AV1 + AAC or MP3 | Copy into MP4 | Seconds |
| VP8 or VP9 (WebM) | Re-encode to H.264 | Minutes |
| Opus, Vorbis, FLAC or PCM | Re-encode to AAC | Fast |
| AC-3 or E-AC-3 | Copy as is | Seconds |
Why do some videos need re-encoding?
VP9 is technically allowed inside MP4, but QuickTime, the iPhone Photos app, several editors and many TVs won't open the file. VP8 can't go into MP4 at all. That's why these videos become H.264, the most widely supported codec there is. On the audio side, Opus and Vorbis inside MP4 play silent in several players, and uncompressed PCM takes too much space; all three become AAC.
Re-encoding takes longer than copying, because every frame is decoded and compressed again. The time depends on the length and the resolution. You choose the quality: high for editing or archiving, balanced for sending and posting, smaller file for messaging apps. The bitrate is adjusted to the source, so the MP4 doesn't end up much bigger than the original.
| Quality | H.264 video at 1080p30 | Stereo AAC audio |
|---|---|---|
| High | about 7.5 Mb/s | 192 kb/s |
| Balanced | about 4.7 Mb/s | 160 kb/s |
| Smaller file | about 2.8 Mb/s | 128 kb/s |
Will the converted MP4 play on any device?
H.264 with AAC plays on practically everything: phones, computers, TVs, editors and social networks. HEVC (H.265), the iPhone's default, plays on Apple devices, most recent Android phones and current browsers. On Windows 10 and 11, the built-in video apps need the HEVC extension from the Microsoft Store, and old PCs and TVs may not play it.
AV1 plays in current browsers and on Android, but on Apple devices it only works from iPhone 15 Pro and Macs with an M3 chip onward. If the video is going to someone with an older device, tick maximum compatibility: HEVC and AV1 become H.264 too. The file gets a bit bigger and the conversion takes longer, but it plays everywhere.
- Every audio track comes along, including the separate tracks of a stream recording.
- Subtitle tracks embedded in the file are not carried into the MP4. Keep the SRT separately.
- ProRes and codecs we can't read show a clear message, never a broken file.
More than an MP4 converter. Your converted video becomes text and clips.
See also
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert a video to MP4 for free?
Choose the video on this page, check the plan and click convert to MP4. When the codecs already fit, we only change the container, in seconds. When they don't, we re-encode to H.264 and AAC. It's free, with no sign-up, no watermark and no usage limit.
Does converting to MP4 lose quality?
When it's only a container change, no: we copy the tracks without recompressing and the picture stays identical. When re-encoding is needed, as with VP9 WebM files, there is a new compression. At high quality the difference is hard to see, and the report always says which path was taken.
What's the difference between a format and a codec?
The format, or container, is the file's wrapper: MP4, MOV, WebM or MKV. The codec is how picture and sound are compressed inside it: H.264, HEVC, VP9 or AAC. An MP4 with HEVC and an MP4 with H.264 share a wrapper but don't play on the same devices.
Why won't my HEVC MP4 play on Windows?
The built-in apps on Windows 10 and 11 need the HEVC extension, sold in the Microsoft Store, to play HEVC. Without it the video may play with sound only, or not at all. Tick maximum compatibility before converting and the video comes out as H.264, which needs no extension.
How long does the conversion take?
When we only change the container, seconds, even for long videos. When we re-encode, it depends on the length and the resolution: a short 1080p video usually takes a few minutes. The button shows the percentage and the time left while it works.
Does the MP4 have a watermark?
No. The MP4 has no watermark, needs no sign-up and keeps the original file name. You can convert as many videos as you like.
From MP4 to captioned clips. We do the slow part.
Upload the video or paste a YouTube link. We transcribe it, find the best moments and deliver vertical captioned clips, ready to review and download.
See the result on your own recording before adding a card.