Is this MOV to AAC converter really free?

Yes. Up to 5 files at a time, no signup, no catch. The free tier adds a small watermark to image output — Pro ($9.99/mo or $49/yr) removes it, raises the file size limit to 500 MB, and unlocks unlimited batch conversion.

Are my files uploaded to a server?

No — and you can verify it yourself. Open DevTools → Network tab, then convert a file. You'll see zero upload requests. Everything runs right in your browser. We never see your files.

How long does conversion take?

Usually 1–3 seconds for a typical file. The very first conversion on a fresh page load may take 5–20 seconds while the converter engine loads — after that it's instant. Your CPU does all the work locally.

What is the file size limit?

Free: up to 10 MB per file, 5 files per batch. Pro: up to 500 MB per file, unlimited batch. If you're working with large videos or RAW photos, Pro is built for that.

Can I batch convert multiple MOV files at once?

Yes — drop multiple files at once (or Ctrl/Cmd+click to select them) and they all convert in parallel. Free accounts handle up to 5 files per batch; Pro has no limit.

What bitrate will the converted audio use?

We default to 192 kbps for MP3, 128 kbps for OGG/Opus, and 320 kbps for M4A/AAC. These settings are perceptually transparent — most listeners can't tell the difference in a blind test.

Will my metadata (ID3 tags, album art) be preserved?

Yes, when both formats support it. Tags carry over on conversions like MP3→M4A or FLAC→MP3. WAV has limited tag support, so some metadata may not transfer.

Does extracting AAC from MOV reduce quality?

No — MOV files from Apple devices always contain an AAC audio track. Extraction is a direct copy of the audio data, not a re-encode, so quality is bit-for-bit identical to the source.

Can I use the AAC from a MOV in a podcast or YouTube upload?

Yes — extracted AAC is immediately usable for podcast uploads (most hosts accept AAC/M4A) and video platforms. Rename to .m4a if your tool prefers that extension.

How private is this converter?

Completely private — by design, not policy. There is no upload endpoint. Files are processed right inside your browser tab and disappear the moment you close it. We collect only anonymous page-view counts; your file content is never seen or stored.

MOV to AAC Converter — Free, Online, No Upload

How to convert MOV to AAC online

1
Drop your MOV file
Drag and drop your QuickTime Movie file onto the converter, or click to browse your files. You can select up to 5 at once. Nothing leaves your device — conversion happens right here in the browser.
2
Hit Convert — it happens locally
Click Convert and watch it go. There's no upload, no server queue, no waiting. The converter runs QuickTime Movie → Advanced Audio Coding entirely in your browser tab. Most files finish in 1–3 seconds.
3
Download your AAC
Your Advanced Audio Coding file is ready. Click Download, or grab a ZIP if you converted a batch. Close the tab and everything disappears — no copies kept anywhere.

MOV vs AAC: format overview

MOV

QuickTime Movie

Apple · 1991

Compression: lossy
Transparency: No

✓ High quality, preferred by Apple ecosystem
✓ Supports ProRes codec for editing
✗ Poor Windows/Android compatibility without QuickTime

AAC

Advanced Audio Coding

Dolby, Fraunhofer, Sony, Nokia · 1997

Compression: lossy
Transparency: No

✓ Successor to MP3 — better quality at same bitrate
✓ Native support across Apple, Android, YouTube

MOV magic bytes: 00 00 00 xx 66 74 79 70 71 74

AAC magic bytes: FF F1 (ADTS) / 00 00 00 xx 66 74 79 70

Why convert MOV to AAC?

Your iPhone or Mac records video as MOV, and that MOV contains an AAC audio track — the same high-quality codec used by iTunes, Apple Music, and every streaming platform. But if all you need is the audio (for a podcast, a voice note upload, a background music clip), carrying the video track around is wasteful. MOV files are accepted by few upload forms and are rejected by most podcast platforms entirely.

Extracting the AAC from a MOV is a direct container-level operation. The AAC audio stream already inside the MOV is copied into a standalone AAC file without any re-encoding — which means the operation is fast and the audio quality is exactly identical to what was inside the video. No generation loss, no additional compression. Apple devices, Android phones, Spotify, SoundCloud, and every streaming platform that accepts audio will play or accept AAC without issues.

The output file will be a fraction of the MOV's size — typically 5–15× smaller, since the video track (which holds the bulk of the data) is discarded. The AAC file can be renamed to .m4a if your destination app prefers that extension; both are the same format.

Quality & file size: MOV to AAC

Typical file sizes: MOV 150–500 MB → AAC 2–5 MB.

Both MOV and AAC use lossy compression. We transcode at high quality settings (equivalent to AAC's recommended web quality) to minimize generational loss.

Color depth: MOV supports standard color, AAC supports standard color.

Transparency: MOV does not support transparency. AAC does not support transparency — transparent areas become solid white.

Frequently asked questions

Privacy: how FormatDrop handles your files

Your MOVfiles are converted 100% inside your browser. They are never uploaded to our servers, never stored, and never seen by anyone other than you. This isn't a privacy policy claim — it's an architectural guarantee: our server has no endpoint that receives file bytes.