FormatDrop
How-To Guide

How to Convert 3GP to MP4

3GP was the video format used by Nokia, Samsung, and other mobile phones in the 2000s and early 2010s. If you have old phone recordings from that era, they're probably in 3GP format — a format no modern device plays by default. Converting 3GP to MP4 makes these old videos playable everywhere and preserves memories before the files become inaccessible.

Open 3GP to MP4 Converter

Step-by-step instructions

  1. 1

    Method 1: Browser converter

    Go to formatdrop.com → Video Converter. Drop your 3GP file. Select MP4 as output format. Download the converted file. The browser handles the conversion locally using WebAssembly. Best for occasional single-file conversions.

    Go to converter
  2. 2

    Method 2: VLC

    VLC is particularly good for 3GP because it includes decoders for all the old codecs (H.263, MPEG-4 Part 2) used in 3GP files. Open VLC → Media → Convert/Save → Add 3GP file → Convert/Save → Profile: Video - H.264 + MP3 (MP4) → set output path → Start.

  3. 3

    Method 3: FFmpeg

    For H.263-encoded 3GP (older): ffmpeg -i input.3gp -c:v libx264 -crf 23 -c:a aac output.mp4. For MPEG-4 video 3GP: ffmpeg -i input.3gp -c:v libx264 -crf 23 -c:a aac output.mp4. FFmpeg automatically detects the input codec. The re-encoding step is necessary since 3GP's codecs (H.263, MPEG-4 Part 2) aren't natively supported in MP4 containers on modern devices.

  4. 4

    Recover timestamp and metadata

    Old 3GP files often have incorrect timestamps or missing metadata. After converting to MP4, you can correct the creation date with tools like ExifTool: exiftool -CreateDate='2008:06:15 14:30:00' output.mp4. This makes the video appear with the correct date in Photos apps and media libraries.

Why convert 3GP to MP4?

3GP was standardized by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) for use on 3G mobile networks. It used heavily compressed codecs (H.263 or MPEG-4 Part 2) to keep file sizes small enough to share over slow mobile data connections. Nokia, Sony Ericsson, and early Samsung phones created 3GP files as their primary video format. With the smartphone era and 4G+, 3GP was abandoned in favour of MP4. Modern phones and computers don't include 3GP decoders — converting your old 3GP files to MP4 is the best way to preserve them.

Your files never leave your device

FormatDrop runs the conversion engine entirely inside your browser using WebAssembly. No file upload. No server. Nothing stored. You can verify this by opening DevTools → Network tab and watching: zero upload requests.

Frequently asked questions

Why do old 3GP videos look blurry?
3GP used heavily compressed video codecs (H.263 at very low bitrates) designed for slow mobile networks and tiny screens. A typical 3GP from 2005–2010 is 176×144 or 320×240 resolution at 10-15 fps, with very low bitrate. The video quality was limited by the technology of the era — converting to MP4 doesn't improve the resolution or quality, it just makes the existing low-quality video playable on modern devices.
Can I play 3GP files on iPhone or Android?
Modern iPhones and Android phones don't play 3GP natively. VLC for iOS or Android plays most 3GP files. Alternatively, convert to MP4 first and then the file plays natively in the phone's built-in video player. Android's built-in player occasionally handles newer 3GP formats (3GP with AAC and MPEG-4 video) but not older H.263 variants.
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