Is this MOV to MKV 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.

How large can my video files be?

Free accounts support files up to 10 MB — enough for short clips and GIFs. Pro raises that to 500 MB, which covers most 1080p videos. For files over 1 GB, a native app like HandBrake will be faster.

Will the video lose quality during conversion?

When only the container changes (e.g., MKV → MP4 where both use H.264), there's zero quality loss — it's a lossless rewrap. When the codec changes, we encode at CRF 23, which is near-transparent for most content.

What is MKV and why do media servers prefer it?

MKV (Matroska Video) is an open container format that supports multiple video, audio, and subtitle tracks, as well as chapter markers. Plex, Jellyfin, and Kodi have excellent MKV support and often prefer it to MOV.

Is MOV to MKV conversion lossless if I just remux?

If the video and audio codecs in the MOV are already MKV-compatible (H.264, AAC), the converter can remux without re-encoding, preserving exact quality. Otherwise, re-encoding occurs.

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 MKV Converter — Free, Online, No Upload

How to convert MOV to MKV 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 → Matroska Video entirely in your browser tab. Most files finish in 1–3 seconds.
3
Download your MKV
Your Matroska Video 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 MKV: 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

MKV

Matroska Video

Matroska.org · 2002

Compression: lossy
Transparency: No

✓ Supports virtually any codec combination
✓ Multiple audio tracks and subtitles per file

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

MKV magic bytes: 1A 45 DF A3

Why convert MOV to MKV?

You've got iPhone footage, GoPro clips in MOV, or Final Cut Pro exports, and you want to add them to your Plex, Jellyfin, or Kodi media library without transcoding on the server. These media servers have excellent MKV support and often struggle or refuse to play MOV files without transcoding — which burns CPU cycles on your server and degrades the viewing experience for everyone on the network.

MKV (Matroska Video) is the open container standard for home media libraries. Plex and Jellyfin are built around it. Unlike MOV, which is Apple's proprietary container, MKV is an open format that any application can implement without licensing fees. It also supports multiple audio tracks, subtitle tracks, chapter markers, and embedded metadata — all of which MKV-aware media players expose correctly. Converting your MOV files to MKV makes them first-class citizens in any media server library.

If your MOV file contains H.264 or H.265 video with AAC audio — the codec combination used by every iPhone, GoPro, and most consumer cameras — the conversion is a remux: the video and audio streams are transferred to the MKV container without re-encoding. This means zero quality loss and very fast processing. Only MOV files with ProRes, MJPEG, or other codecs not native to MKV will require actual transcoding.

Quality & file size: MOV to MKV

Typical file sizes: MOV 150–500 MB → MKV 200–800 MB.

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

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

Transparency: MOV does not support transparency. MKV 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.