Converting .MOV files to a more universal format like .MP4, .M4V or .MKV can be very handy because .mov is the default format for most Apple products like the iPad, iPhone, and Canon Cameras. Today I’ll show you how to convert .mov to .mp4 easily. using a free tool called Handbrake. To start, download Handbrake and install it using the defaults. After installing, launch it and set the default output path when prompted. Be sure to choose a folder or drive with plenty of space. Now it’s time to find the .MOV file you want to convert. Click Source, Video File.
Navigate to your .MOV file, select it and click Open.
Handbrake has many out-of-the-box Presets you can select depending on the device you want to watch your video on. I’ll use the setting Regular- High Profile as it’s a universal format for my example.
Confirm the filename and location are correct.
If everything looks good, Click Start.
Your wait time depends on the size of the file you’re converting and the speed of your system.
Finished!
Navigate to the Output Folder you configured earlier, and your newly transcoded/converted file should be waiting for you. Your files should be half the size and playable. Test it using VLC Player or any other modern Video Player.
MP4 vs. M4V
The .m4v file is a MPEG-4 video and is the standard for most Apple Quicktime or any QT-based App. There is no difference between .MP4 and .M4V, so feel free to rename the file with a .MP4 extension if needed for your application. Thanks for the comment and I hope to see you around the comments on my blog. -Steve Comment Name * Email *
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