What is an MOV file?
MOV is what an iPhone and most Apple video software record to. It plays beautifully on a Mac and inside editors, but it is heavier than MP4 and less welcome on the web, which is why people convert it. You can convert MOV files here, both into the format and out of it.
Specification
| Full name | QuickTime File Format |
|---|---|
| Extensions | .mov, .qt |
| Media type | video/quicktime |
| Compression | Lossy or lossless, depending on the mode |
| Transparency | Supported |
| Animation | — |
| Multiple pages | — |
| Colour depth | — |
| Size limits | — |
| Introduced | 1991 |
| Developed by | Apple |
| Standard | Proprietary |
| Browser support | Some browsers only |
What MOV is used for
- iPhone, iPad and Apple camera recordings
- Editing masters kept at the highest quality
- Footage handed between Final Cut and other Apple tooling
- Video with a transparent background for compositing
Strengths and limitations
What MOV does well
- Carries the high quality footage professional editing tools expect
- Supports timecode, several tracks and transparency for editing
- Native throughout the Apple ecosystem
Where MOV falls short
- Windows and Android often need extra software, or a conversion
- Browser support outside Safari is unreliable
- ProRes masters are very large compared to delivery formats
Convert MOV to
Every target this format can be written out as, each on its own page.
Convert to MOV
Everything that can be turned into a MOV file.
Tools that accept MOV
Questions about MOV
What is a .mov file?
MOV is what an iPhone and most Apple video software record to. The extension .mov or .qt identifies it, and its media type is video/quicktime.
How do I open an MOV file?
Browsers do not display MOV natively, so you either need software that understands it or you convert it to something more common first. Converting is usually the faster route when you only need to look at the contents once.
Is MOV lossy or lossless?
Lossy or lossless, depending on the mode. Check which mode a particular file used before assuming anything about its quality.
What is MOV good for?
Carries the high quality footage professional editing tools expect. Supports timecode, several tracks and transparency for editing. Native throughout the Apple ecosystem. In practice that makes it a good fit for iPhone, iPad and Apple camera recordings, and Editing masters kept at the highest quality.
What are the drawbacks of MOV?
Windows and Android often need extra software, or a conversion. Browser support outside Safari is unreliable. ProRes masters are very large compared to delivery formats.