Convert MOV to MP4 On Mac: 4 Tested Ways With Pictures
MOV is the file format developed by Apple. If you have MOV files on your Mac, you can play it on QuickTime. However, you might discover that they are incompatible with other programs or that your editor is unable to modify them. In this situation, you need to convert MOV files to MP4 to have better compatibility. This article will walk you through the process of converting MOV to the more popular MP4 on Mac.
Part 1. MOV vs MP4: Why We Convert
MOV video is an audio and video file format developed by Apple, also known as QuickTime video format. It is widely used to store commonly used digital media types and supports a variety of codecs, which makes the MOV format ideal for storing high-quality video and audio content.
MP4 is a container format used to store digital audio and video information. It supports extra data, such as JPEG or PNG images, subtitles, and other material stored in the Extensible Metadata Platform (EDP) standard. The MP4 format is popular for its good compatibility, small file size, and high video quality.
So why do we convert MOV to MP4? The primary video file format for Apple products is MOV, however, not all digital destinations support MOV. Converting your MOV videos to MP4 files can improve video compatibility, reduce file size, optimize transfer efficiency, and meet the requirements of more platforms and editing tools. MP4 is the most often used video format on the internet.
Part 2. Ultimate Tool to Convert MOV to MP4 on Mac
4Videosoft Video Converter Ultimate for Mac is a professional video converter that allows you to convert MOV to MP4 on Mac. It supports converting video to more than 1000 formats, including MP4, MKV, WMV, etc. With GPU acceleration, MOV files can be converted at a 30X faster speed.
Features
• Supports batch converting MOV to MP4.
• Additional video editing tools to improve video effects.
• Intuitive and simple interface.
Step 1Visit the official 4Videosoft website and download and install 4Videosoft Video Converter Ultimate for Mac on your computer.
Run it and click Add to load one or several MOV files you want to convert.
Step 2Choose MP4 from the Output Format and it provides many profiles for you to choose from, such as Same as source, 4K video, 3D Red-Blue, etc., which you can choose as you need.
To maintain the original resolution, click Same as source, while other parameters, like Bitrate, Frame Rate, etc., are close to the original video parameters.
Step 3Click the Save to drop-down option to select the converted file destination and tap Convert All to begin the conversion. Within seconds, the MOV file is successfully converted to MP4.
With 3 steps, you can easily convert one or more MOV files to MP4. The maximum time length for the free trial is 5 minutes. Its batch conversion function can greatly accelerate the conversion speed. Further, it has many tools for you to enhance the video, like Noise Remove, Volume Booster, etc. If you want to convert MOV files and need to edit videos, 4Videosoft Video Converter Ultimate is suitable for you.
Part 3. Three Other Methods to Convert MOV to MP4 on Mac
Besides 4Videosoft Video Converter Ultimate, there are 3 other tools on Mac for you to convert MOV to MP4.
3.1 VLC Media Player
VLC Media Player is a free and open-source cross-platform multimedia player, which has the function that enables you to convert MOV to MP4 on Mac. It supports multiple video input and output formats, such as MOV, MKV, WMV, etc. Besides, it offers batch conversion that allows you to convert multiple MOV files to MP4 at a time, which can greatly improve conversion efficiency.
Step 1Download and install VLC Media Player on your Mac, and launch it.
Step 2In the main menu bar, click Media and Convert/Save in its drop-down options.
Step 3In the pop-up window, click Add to input one or more MOV files you want to convert to MP4. Then, click Convert/Save to enter the next interface.
Note: You can click Remove under the Add button to remove the imported video file.
Step 4Choose Profile as MP4, and click Browse to select the converted MP4 file Destination file.
Finally, click Start to initiate the conversion process.
The MOV to MP4 conversion with VLC Media Player is quick and intuitive. It is totally free software and no pro versions, and you can freely use it. The only shortcoming is that its interface is old and not attractive to people.
3.2 iMovie
iMovie is a professional video editor on Mac and it doesn't have a direct setting to convert MOV files to MP4. You can convert MOV to MP4 in iMovie because its default export video format is MP4. It supports batch input and export video files, while you are allowed to batch convert MOV to MP4.
Step 1Open iMovie on your Mac. Click File in the top menu and choose New Movie in the drop-down options to open a new iMovie project page.
Step 2Click Import Media to add the MOV file you want to convert to MP4.
Step 3Once the MOV file is uploaded, select the MOV file, and click File > Share > File to share the video file.
Step 4A window pops up and you can edit the export settings, including quality, resolution, etc. Then, click Export.
Step 5Change the file name and destination folder regarding your needs, and click Save to export the video. iMovie default export video format is MP4. You successfully converted the input MOV file to MP4.
With the simple input and output operation, the MOV file can be converted to MP4 easily. The shortcoming is that you can't adjust the specific output parameters when converting. If you want to do some editing before conversion, iMovie is no doubt a good choice.
3.3 Adobe Express Online MOV to MP4 Converter
Adobe Express Online MOV to MP4 Converter, just as its name, is a free online converter that specifically supports converting MOV to MP4 format. What you just need to do is upload the MOV file you want to convert and the conversion will be done. After conversion, you can download the MP4 file directly or select Open in Adobe Express to further edit the video effect.
Here are the easy steps to convert MOV to MP4.
Step 1Search Adobe Express Online MOV to MP4 Converter on your browser and open it.
Step 2Click Upload your video to enter the operation interface.
Step 3You can click the + button or drag the MOV file to the square area to add the MOV file. Further, the file size can be up to 1 GB and the maximum time length of the video is 1 hour.
Step 4The uploaded MOV file will be automatically converted to MP4 format, and tap Download to save the converted MP4 file.
Using Adobe Express online converter to convert MOV to MP4 on a Mac is very easy with simple 4 steps. It doesn't support batch conversion and the uploaded speed is not quick. If you just occasionally convert several MOV to MP4, it is a good choice.
Conclusion
After reading this article, you have learned how to convert MOV to MP4 on Mac with 4 efficient tools. If you want to make MOV to MP4 batch conversion, 4Videosoft Video Converter Ultimate and VLC Media Player are the best choices. If you want to further edit the videos, 4Videosoft Video Converter Ultimate and iMovie are both supported.
Try them, and you are welcome to share your user experience with us.