3GP file format (.3gp)
Compact mobile format for older handsets.
Last updated
What is a 3GP file?
In short: A 3GP file (.3gp) is a video file in the 3GP format. 3GP is a cut-down MP4 built for phones that had very little memory and networks that had very little bandwidth. It can be converted to MP4, MOV or GIF for free in a web browser with iHateFiles, without uploading it.
Defined around 2001 by the 3GPP telecoms body, for video on early third-generation mobile networks.
3GP is a cut-down MP4 built for phones that had very little memory and networks that had very little bandwidth. It uses low resolutions and heavily compressed audio, which is why old phone recordings are small, and why they look the way they do.
What 3GP is good at
- Very small files
- Works on genuinely old handsets
- Structurally an MP4, so conversion is straightforward
Where 3GP falls short
- Low resolution and low quality by design
- Speech-oriented audio codecs
- No reason to choose it on a modern network
When to use 3GP
Convert 3GP to MP4. Nothing made in the last decade needs the format.
How to open a 3GP file
VLC, most desktop players, and some browsers.
| Windows | VLC. Windows dropped 3GP support along with the old mobile codecs. |
|---|---|
| macOS | QuickTime opens most 3GP files; VLC opens the rest. |
| Linux | VLC and mpv. |
| Phone | Plays on most Android phones natively — it was designed for them. |
| In a browser | No browser plays 3GP reliably, despite it usually holding H.264. |
The thing that usually goes wrong
Converting a 3GP does not improve it. The detail was never recorded, and upscaling only makes the file bigger.
Questions
What is a 3GP file?
Compact mobile format for older handsets. Files use the .3gp extension.
How do I open a 3GP file?
Most video software opens 3GP directly. If yours does not, convert it here to something more common. It takes a few seconds and nothing is uploaded.
Can I convert 3GP for free?
Yes. Every conversion here is free and unlimited, because your own device does the work rather than a server we have to pay for.
Is 3GP lossless?
That depends on the codec inside the container rather than the container itself. Everything written here is re-encoded, so expect one generation of loss.