How to Convert MOV to MP4 on iPhone
· Updated · 5 min read · By Furkan Kaya
Quick answer
iOS has no built-in MOV-to-MP4 option, so you need a converter app. In ConvertEase, tap Video, select the MOV clip, choose MP4 and tap Convert. The video is converted on your iPhone — it isn't uploaded, and it works offline. The app is free to download; saving the MP4 requires a Premium subscription.
Your iPhone shoots gorgeous video — but it saves it as MOV, and that's where the trouble starts. Send a MOV to a Windows laptop, an Android phone or a website upload box, and it might not play. The universal fix is MP4, the format virtually every device and platform supports. Here's how to convert it right on your iPhone.
MOV vs. MP4: what's the difference?
MOV is Apple's QuickTime container; MP4 is the cross-platform standard. They often hold the same kind of video inside, but MP4 enjoys far wider support — YouTube, Instagram, Windows Media Player, Google Drive previews, video editors and most upload forms all prefer it. Converting MOV to MP4 simply rewraps (and optionally re-encodes) your clip so it plays everywhere.
Is there a built-in way?
Not really. Photos, Files and Shortcuts can't save a video as an .mp4 file. One setting helps going forward: Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible records H.264 instead of HEVC, so new clips play on more Windows and Android devices — but they are still saved as .mov. For an actual MP4 file, use a converter.
How to convert MOV to MP4 on iPhone (step by step)
- Download ConvertEase from the App Store and open it.
- Tap Video and select the MOV clip from your library or the Files app.
- Choose MP4 as the output format.
- Tap Convert — the MP4 is processed on your iPhone. Saving it requires a Premium subscription.
The app converts between MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI and 3GP — see the iPhone video converter page. Only need the soundtrack? The free MP4 to MP3 converter works in Safari with MOV files too.
Why convert on your iPhone instead of an online converter?
| Factor | ConvertEase app (on your iPhone) | Upload-based MOV-to-MP4 site |
|---|---|---|
| Upload time | None | Must upload the whole video |
| Privacy | Video is not uploaded | Uploaded to a third-party server |
| Cost | Free download; Premium to save results | Often free tiers with length caps or watermarks |
Videos are big files. Uploading a 2-minute 4K clip to a website can take longer than the whole conversion does on the phone — and you'd be handing your footage to a server you don't control.
Tip: shrink the file at the same time
If your MP4 still needs to be smaller (for a text message or upload cap), compress it afterward. See how to compress video on iPhone.
Convert MOV to MP4 on your iPhone
Free to download · video converted on the device · Premium to save
Download on the App StoreFrequently asked questions
iPhones record video in Apple's QuickTime MOV container by default. MOV plays perfectly on Apple devices, but some Windows programs, Android phones and upload forms prefer MP4 — so you often need an MP4 copy to share widely.
iOS has no built-in MOV-to-MP4 option, so you need a converter app. In ConvertEase, tap Video, pick your MOV clip, choose MP4 and tap Convert; the video is converted on your iPhone, not uploaded. Setting Camera → Formats to Most Compatible makes new videos easier to play elsewhere, but they are still saved as .mov.
Usually not noticeably. MOV and MP4 often hold the same kind of H.264 or HEVC video, so the change is mostly the container. Re-encoding at a lower size or bitrate will reduce quality, so only do that when you want a smaller file.
ConvertEase is free to download, and the conversion runs on your iPhone without uploading the video. Saving the converted MP4 requires a ConvertEase Premium subscription (weekly, 3-month or yearly; some plans include a 3-day trial).