How to Use VLC to Convert MOV to MP4

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Edited by Ben Jacklin
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VLC media player is open-source freeware created by VideoLAN. VLC supports a large variety of multimedia file formats. Unlike most media players, VLC happens to have a built-in conversion tool, so it can be used as both player and a video converter. This article covers ways to convert MOV to MP4 in VLC on Macintosh and Windows computers.

Supported operating systems

Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and others

Container format

MPEG-2, 3GP, MP4, FLV, VOB, RM, Raw DV, SVCD, QuickTime File Format, VCD, DVB, MXF, Matroska(MKV), DVR-MS, DVD-Video, PSV, PS, TS, ES, ASF, AVI, DVD-Video

We've all used VLC, or at least had it installed on our computers without knowing that it's more than just a media player. It's also a converter that allows you to adjust advanced parameters, such as video and audio codec, resolution, bit rate and compression, and even supprots batch conversion. Although its interface is not modern, you can use VLC to convert MOV files to MP4.

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No wonder such a powerful tool can be used as a .mov-to-.mp4 converter. Read on to learn how to convert MOV to MP4 using VLC on both Windows PC and Mac.

If you need to preserve the highest possible video quality when converting, consider adjusting the video bitrate and frame rate settings in VLC. These options allow you to maintain better control over the output quality, ensuring that you don’t lose too much detail during the conversion process.

How to convert MOV to MP4 in VLC on a Windows PC

Own a computer running Windows 10? MOV is probably not the most friendly format for a Windows PC. But if you have VLC, .mov videos can be easily converted with the help of this software. Follow these instructions to learn how to use VLC to convert MOV to MP4 on a PC.

1. Import your MOV file

First, launch VLC for Windows. Open the Media menu, then select the Convert/Save option.

In the new window that appears, click the Add button and import your MOV file.

2. Convert MOV to MP4

Click the Convert/Save button. In the Profile drop-down menu, select Video – H.264 + MP3 (MP4). Specify the output folder and the file name (you’d want to change the file extension to “.mp4” manually, as the program doesn’t do that), click Save, then Start. Once the process is complete, you will find the new video in the specified export folder.

This is it! Now you know how to convert MOV to MP4 in VLC on your Windows computer.

Although VLC is quite well-known and offers good performance for both playing and converting video files, its interface already looks somewhat outdated and unintuitive for new users, which is why it's better to look for equally or more efficient alternatives.

How to use VLC Media Player to convert MOV to MP4 on a Mac

Although MOV is an Apple-friendly file format, Mac users might want to convert their files to MP4, too. To make the VLC media player convert MOV to MP4 on a Macintosh, follow the instructions below.

1. Import your file

Click File and select the Convert/Stream option. In the Convert & Stream window that opens, click the Open media button and import the .mov file you want to convert to MP4. Alternatively, you can simply drag and drop your file directly to the VLC window.

2. Convert your MOV video to MP4

In the Choose Profile section, select Video – H.264 + MP3 (MP4) as the output format.

Finally, click the Save button, specify the file name and destination for your .mp4 file, and click Save once again. You’ll find the converted file in the specified folder.

This is how you can use VLC for MOV files conversion on a Mac. In fact, you can use these instructions to convert with VLC any media file to MP4. Read on to learn some helpful VLC MOV-to-MP4 conversion tips that you don’t want to miss if you’re going to become an advanced VLC user!

VLC conversion tips

We’ve already described how you can convert .mov to .mp4 with VLC on a Mac and PC, but there is really much more to it. VLC also offers features that advanced users can take advantage of to tweak conversion settings. Here are some tips on using advanced features provided by the VLC developers.

  • If you want VLC to play the output video during the conversion process, select the Display the output option.

  • If you want to convert videos of interlaced formats (1080i and 720i), enable the Deinterlace option.

  • If you have files with data streams in different containers, you can use the Dump raw input option. Once this option is enabled, VLC will pack all data streams into one file without reprocessing the data itself.

VLC has other features you might find helpful:

  • Playback of corrupted, incomplete, and unfinished files

  • Access to ISO files, even on operating systems that don’t support ISO images

  • Video filters and effects: distortion, rotation, trimming, mirroring, and more

  • Logo overlays

  • Video-to-ASCII conversion

  • Live streaming

  • Display of a video as the desktop wallpaper (on Windows PCs only)

  • Screencasting (desktop recording only)

You can tell by now that VLC is no ordinary media player. When it comes to converting MOV to MP4 in VLC, this freeware might come in very handy. Still, it wasn’t created to serve as a converter, so sometimes, it’s good to have an alternative program. If, for some reason, you couldn’t use the VLC player, MOV files can be converted with another program designed specifically for media conversion.

VLC fails to convert to MP4? Try a VLC alternative!

If you tried to put into practice our step-by-step guide on how to use VLC to convert MP4 to MOV, but something went wrong, you can always use an alternative .mov-to-.mp4 converter. Movavi Video Converter supports a large number of media formats and can process your files in no time.

Movavi Video Converter is a powerful tool that has numerous advantageous features:
  • Support of more than 180 formats

  • No quality loss conversion

  • Compression tool

  • Support of HD videos

  • Video-editing tool

  • Conversion of audio and images

  • Subtitles finder

  • Batch conversion

  • Sound level adjustment

  • Device-targeted conversion

You can learn more about the Movavi tool for fast-speed file conversion using the link below.

Learn more about Movavi Video Converter

To convert your MOV file to MP4, follow these steps:

  1. Install Movavi Video Converter: launch the installation file and follow the instructions on the screen.

  2. Import your files to the program: click Add Media, then Add Video, and select the MOV file you want to convert to MP4.

  3. Select MP4 as the target format: open the Video tab, choose MP4, and choose a preset.

  4. Save the result: click Save to at the bottom of the program window and specify the output folder. Finally, hit the Convert button to start transforming your MOV file to MP4.

It’s as simple as that. Now you know that if for some reason you couldn’t use VLC to convert to MP4, you can always do it with Movavi Video Converter.

VLC vs. Movavi Video Converter comparison

Versions for both Windows and Mac

Сonverter functionality

Editing tools

Ad-free

Fast conversion

Simple interface

As you can see from the table above, the VLC media player and Movavi Video Converter have a lot in common: they are ad-free, can be installed on both Windows and Mac, and can convert video and audio files. However, these programs were initially meant to be used for different purposes. VLC’s primary task is media playback, whereas Movavi Video Converter was designed for media file conversion. Still, both programs can perform more than you would expect.

Frequently asked questions

Can VLC play MOV files?

Why did VLC convert MOV to MP4 with no audio?

How do I convert MP4 to MOV in VLC?

Does converting MOV to MP4 reduce quality?

MOV vs. MP4 – which one is better?

MOV or MP4 – which one is better for YouTube?

Why did VLC convert MOV to MP4 with no video?

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