Is this MP4 to MOV 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 MP4 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.

Is there any quality loss when converting MP4 to MOV?

No. MP4 to MOV is a container remux — the video and audio streams are moved into a new wrapper without re-encoding. Quality is identical to the source.

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.

MP4 to MOV — Free, QuickTime Ready, No Upload

How to convert MP4 to MOV online

1
Drop your MP4 file
Drag and drop your MPEG-4 Part 14 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 MPEG-4 Part 14 → QuickTime Movie entirely in your browser tab. Most files finish in 1–3 seconds.
3
Download your MOV
Your QuickTime Movie file is ready. Click Download, or grab a ZIP if you converted a batch. Close the tab and everything disappears — no copies kept anywhere.

MP4 vs MOV: format overview

MP4

MPEG-4 Part 14

Moving Picture Experts Group · 2001

Compression: lossy
Transparency: No

✓ Universal compatibility across all platforms
✓ Excellent compression with H.264/H.265
✗ H.264 has royalty implications

MOV

QuickTime Movie

Apple · 1991

Compression: lossy
Transparency: No

✓ High quality, preferred by Apple ecosystem
✓ Supports ProRes codec for editing

MP4 magic bytes: 00 00 00 xx 66 74 79 70

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

Why convert MP4 to MOV?

MP4 is the universal video format for cross-platform delivery, but Apple-native workflows frequently expect MOV. Final Cut Pro X performs best with ProRes MOV files dropped directly into its timeline. Older Mac applications, some professional broadcast tools, and certain Apple TV and QuickTime Player workflows have historically favored MOV as their primary container. When a video editor asks for footage in a format that Final Cut handles natively without transcoding, MOV is often the answer.

MOV is a container format developed by Apple that supports a wide range of codecs including H.264, H.265, and ProRes. Many iPhone and iPad videos are recorded natively as MOV files, making it the expected format for Apple-centric post-production pipelines. Submitting footage to an Apple-platform video editor, dropping clips into a Final Cut library, or archiving video in a macOS-native workflow are all situations where MOV is the preferred container over MP4.

For most MP4-to-MOV conversions using H.264 video, the operation is a container rewrap rather than a full re-encode, which means there is no quality loss and the process completes quickly. The audio and video streams are moved from the MP4 container into the MOV container without being decoded and re-encoded. File size will be similar to the original MP4. If the MP4 contains a codec that MOV does not support, a full transcode will occur, which takes longer and may involve a quality tradeoff depending on the target codec settings.

Quality & file size: MP4 to MOV

Typical file sizes: MP4 100–300 MB → MOV 150–500 MB.

Both MP4 and MOV use lossy compression. We transcode at high quality settings (equivalent to MOV's recommended web quality) to minimize generational loss.

Color depth: MP4 supports standard color, MOV supports standard color.

Transparency: MP4 does not support transparency. MOV does not support transparency — transparent areas become solid white.

Frequently asked questions

Privacy: how FormatDrop handles your files

Your MP4 files 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.