Free Online Video Converter
Switch a video into MP4, MOV, AVI, MKV, WebM or FLV.
Up to 50 MB per file. Sign up free to convert files up to 100 MB.
| File name | Size | Convert to |
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Checking files and selected output formats.
About Video Converter
A video conversion involves two separate decisions. The container is the wrapper around everything: MP4, MOV, MKV, WebM. The codec is the algorithm that encodes the pixels: H.264, H.265/HEVC, VP9, AV1. The wrong choice on either produces a file that will not open on the target device, or one many times larger than it needs to be.
What follows covers both, along with the bitrate and resolution settings that determine the size of the result.
Containers and codecs
A file named video.mp4 says little about its contents. An MP4 container can hold H.264, H.265 or AV1 video, and those three differ substantially in quality per byte. MOV usually holds H.264 or ProRes, MKV holds anything, WebM usually holds VP9 or AV1.
The codec is almost always the reason a video refuses to play, and almost always the reason one is unexpectedly large. Converting MP4 to MP4 and ending up 60% smaller means the file was re-encoded with a more efficient codec inside the same container.
Format reference
| Container | Typical codec | Playback | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| MP4 | H.264 (AVC) | Universal | Web, mobile, social |
| MP4 | H.265 (HEVC) | Modern devices only | 4K, streaming, small files |
| MOV | H.264 / ProRes | Apple + editors | iMovie, Final Cut, source video |
| MKV | Anything (H.264, H.265, AV1) | VLC, most players | Archival, multi-track subtitles |
| WebM | VP9 / AV1 | Web browsers | HTML5 <video> YouTube |
| AVI | Legacy codecs | Older Windows | Legacy content only |
| GIF | N/A (image sequence) | Universal | Short animations, memes |
| FLV | H.264 / VP6 | Nearly dead | Legacy Flash content only |
Bitrate and file size
Bitrate affects file size more than the codec or container does. It sets how many bits per second the encoder may spend on the picture. A 1080p clip at 8 Mbps looks clearly better than the same clip at 2 Mbps, while the same clip at 12 Mbps looks about the same as 8 Mbps and takes half again as much space.
For H.264 at 30 fps, 3-5 Mbps suits 720p, 6-10 Mbps suits 1080p and 25-40 Mbps suits 4K. H.265 and AV1 reach the same quality at roughly 60% of those numbers, which is why streaming services moved to them.
Which format to convert to
- For YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn or a website: MP4 with H.264. It plays everywhere without extra software.
- For editing in Final Cut, Premiere or DaVinci: MOV / ProRes. The editor re-encodes on export anyway.
- For an efficient modern web player: WebM/VP9 or MP4/H.265, both around 40% less bitrate at the same quality.
- For archiving a collection: MKV with H.265, which carries multiple audio tracks and subtitles at a reasonable size.
- For a short clip: MP4/H.264 rather than GIF. GIF is roughly ten times the size at lower quality.
- For an older Windows machine: MP4/H.264, which has the widest support of anything here.
Resolution - framerate and audio
Converting a 4K master to 720p for delivery removes about 75% of the file size on its own. Exporting 30 fps content at 60 fps doubles the frames and the storage without adding anything, so match the source. Audio matters less: AAC at 128-160 kbps is indistinguishable from lossless for most material, though converting a 5.1 surround track to stereo saves more.
How to convert a video - step by step
The same flow works for every video tool below, MOV to MP4, MKV to MP4, WebM to MP4, and everything in between.
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1
Pick the tool by source and target
Start with what you have. If your file is an iPhone recording, look for MOV to MP4. If it's a WhatsApp clip that won't play in your editor, MP4 to MOV. Each dedicated tool page is tuned for that pair, codec choice, container settings, and reasonable defaults are already dialled in.
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2
Upload your file
Drag your video into the drop zone. Free-tier uploads are capped at 100 MB; long-form video needs Pro. Pro handles files up to 1 GB and batch jobs of up to 20 videos. Because video conversion is compute-heavy, sign-in is required on the free plan for anything longer than a minute of source.
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3
Adjust quality and resolution if you need to
The defaults produce a broadly-compatible MP4 at the source's original resolution. If you're preparing for the web, drop the resolution to 720p or 1080p, 4K is almost never needed for delivery. If you're re-encoding a clip that's already been through Instagram or WhatsApp, use a higher-quality preset; the source is already generation-lossed, and low presets will compound the damage.
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4
Convert and download
Video conversion takes proportionally longer than image or PDF work, typically a few seconds per second of source video on a mid-range clip, longer for 4K. The result downloads immediately once ready. Both the upload and the converted file are permanently deleted from our servers within 1 hour.
Common mistakes
- Re-encoding always costs quality. If your goal is just a different container (say, MP4 to MKV without changing the codec), pick a "remux" option where offered, it swaps the container without touching the codec, in seconds, with zero quality loss.
- Don't upscale in a conversion. If your source is 720p, exporting at 1080p just makes a bigger file with the same visual information. Upscaling belongs in a dedicated AI upscaler, not a converter.
- Watch out for audio drift on long clips. When converting between wildly different framerates (say, 24 fps film to 60 fps display), audio can slowly desync. Keep the framerate consistent with the source unless you have a specific reason to change it.
- H.265 files won't play on old devices. A Windows 7 machine or an older Android phone will refuse to open H.265. If you're not sure who's watching, stick with H.264.