M4V to MOV converter
Convert M4V to MOV in seconds, free and unlimited. No upload, no sign-up, no watermark: your video never leaves your device.
Last updated
Quick answer: To convert M4V to MOV, add the M4V file to the iHateFiles M4V to MOV converter and press Convert. The conversion runs in your browser, so the file is never uploaded, and it is free with no sign-up, watermark or size limit. Re-encodes the picture and sound into a MOV container.
Should you convert M4V to MOV?
Do this when something specifically needs MOV. The picture is re-encoded, so it costs a little quality; if all you need is a file that plays everywhere, MP4 is usually the better target.
The picture is re-encoded
An M4V usually holds H.264 video with AAC sound, exactly as an MP4 does, sometimes with Apple copy protection. This writes H.264 video with AAC sound into the MOV. Both sides are compressed with loss, so this is a second generation: leave the quality at its default or higher, because the encoder is working from M4V artefacts rather than the original.
Extra tracks may not survive
An M4V can carry several audio tracks and subtitle tracks. MOV is more limited, so this conversion keeps the main video and the first audio track. If you need the subtitles, save them first with Extract Subtitles.
Where the MOV will play
MOV plays on every Apple device, Windows 10 and later, and most editors.
M4V and MOV side by side
| M4V | MOV | |
|---|---|---|
| Inside the file | H.264 video with AAC sound, exactly as an MP4 does, sometimes with Apple copy protection | H.264 video with AAC sound |
| Compression | Lossy | Lossy |
| Carries sound | Yes | Yes |
| Plays on | Apple devices, iTunes, VLC and most players, unless it is copy-protected | every Apple device, Windows 10 and later, and most editors |
| Here | Read only | Read and write |
What usually goes wrong
About the M4V. Two MP4 files can behave completely differently depending on the codecs inside. A file that will not play is usually an unusual codec in an ordinary container, not a broken file.
About the MOV. 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.
How to convert M4V to MOV
- Add your M4V file. It is read from your disk and stays there.
- Check the settings. The output format is already set to MOV.
- Press convert and the MOV file is saved back to your device.
Questions
How do I convert M4V to MOV?
Open this page, add your M4V file, and press convert. The file is decoded and re-encoded by your own browser and saved back to your device. Nothing is uploaded.
Is this M4V to MOV converter free?
Yes, completely. There is no account, no sign-in, no watermark and no daily limit, because there is no server doing the work. Your own device does it.
Are my files uploaded anywhere?
No. There is no upload endpoint. The conversion runs inside this browser tab, so your file never leaves your device. You can open your browser's network panel and watch: nothing carrying your file is sent.
Is there a file size limit?
No fixed limit. Because the work happens on your machine there is no server quota. The only ceiling is your own device's memory, which for video means very large files may be slow.
Will converting to MOV lose quality?
MOV is a lossy format, so some detail is discarded. The quality control on this page decides how much. The default is set high enough that most people cannot see the difference.
Can I convert several M4V files at once?
Yes. Add as many as you like and they are converted one after another, then offered as a single ZIP.