MKV vs MOV
Use MOV for anything going to Apple devices or a video editor, and MKV for archiving or a media server. Both can hold the same H.264 video; what differs is where they open. MOV plays natively on iPhone and Mac; MKV needs VLC or similar, but holds several audio and subtitle tracks in one file.
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Choose MKV when
- A film with several audio languages and subtitle tracks in one file.
- Archiving a Blu-ray or DVD rip without re-encoding it.
- A media server such as Plex, Jellyfin or Kodi.
Choose MOV when
- Editing in Final Cut, iMovie or Premiere.
- Anything played on an iPhone, iPad or Mac.
- ProRes footage from a camera or screen recorder.
What MKV actually is
Matroska will hold essentially any combination of video, audio and subtitle streams, in any codec, in unlimited numbers, with chapters and attachments alongside. That is why it is the format of choice for archived films with several language tracks and subtitle sets.
MKV and WEBM share a signature because WEBM is a restricted Matroska, so tools sometimes report one as the other. What matters is the codecs inside.
What MOV actually is
MOV and MP4 are structurally almost the same format, which is why converting between them is usually a matter of relabelling rather than re-encoding. MOV allows Apple-specific codecs such as ProRes and Animation that MP4 does not, which is why editing workflows stay in it.
A MOV recorded on an iPhone is usually H.264 or HEVC and plays anywhere. A MOV exported from an editor may be ProRes, ten times larger, and rejected by the same places.
MKV and MOV side by side
| MKV | MOV | |
|---|---|---|
| Extension | .mkv | .mov |
| Media type | video/x-matroska | video/quicktime |
| Inside the file | H.264 video with AAC sound | H.264 video with AAC sound |
| Compression | Lossy | Lossy |
| Carries sound | Yes | Yes |
| Plays on | VLC, Plex, most smart TVs and Android, but not the iPhone Photos app or QuickTime | every Apple device, Windows 10 and later, and most editors |
| We can write it | Yes | Yes |
Questions
Can I convert MKV to MOV without losing quality?
Often, yes. If the video inside is H.264 or HEVC it can be moved into MOV without re-encoding, which is quick and loses nothing. Other codecs have to be re-encoded.
Why won’t my Mac play MKV?
QuickTime does not support the Matroska container at all. VLC and IINA play it, or convert it to MOV or MP4.