How to Convert MOV to MP4 on a Mac

1. Launch iMovie, click the File menu and select New Movie from the drop-down menu.
2. Click the Import Media button to import the MOV video you want to convert to MP4.
3. Once the file’s been imported, click on it, and click the File menu, select Share, then click File.

Convert MOV File to Mp4 on Mac

1. How to Convert MOV to MP4 Files Using iMovie

The first app that you can use to convert your MOV files to MP4 files is Apples proprietary movie editing software—iMovie. iMovie should have been installed on your Mac when you purchased it. If not, you can download it for free from the Mac App Store. iMovie currently supports macOS Big Sur and later, so make sure your system is compatible.

Once youve installed and launched iMovie, simply follow the steps below to convert the files:

From the top-left menu, select File > New Movie.

Click on the Import Media button. This will open the media browser, from where you can import media into iMovie.

Find and click on the file you want to convert, then click Import Selected in the bottom-right corner.

Now that the file has been imported, click on it, and a yellow box should appear around it. Now click File in the top menu, and select Share > File.

Adjust the export settings as required (we suggest a 1080p resolution for most uses). Click on Next, and then select a file name and location to save the converted file. You should see the export progress as a small circle in the top-right corner of iMovie. Once the export is finished, youll see a desktop notification, and your video will have converted to an MP4 file.

The iMovie method to convert a MOV to an MP4 file is quite easy. However, it has its limitations of only converting one file at a time. If you want to convert multiple files together and save time, we recommend trying out the HandBrake method described below.

2. How to Convert MOV to MP4 Files Using HandBrake

HandBrake is a free and open-source tool that you can use to convert your file formats to high quality. The app basically functions as a video encoder and has many out-of-the-box presets that you can use for file conversions. You can it for free from the HandBrake website.

Once installed, launch HandBrake and follow the steps below to convert your MOV files to MP4:

From the top of the HandBrake window, select Open Source.

Select the file you want to convert.

Once the file opens up in HandBrake, choose the file format you want to convert it to from the Preset menu. Similarly, choose the exported file location from the Save As an option at the bottom of the window.

If you want to batch-convert files, select the Add to Queue option. Once the file has been added to the queue, simply open up and add another file to the queue using the steps above.

Once youve imported all of your files into HandBrake, click on the Start button to start the encoding.

The progress bar for the encodings will be visible at the bottom of the window. Once the conversions are done, youll be able to view and use your newly encoded MP4 files.

The HandBrake method is beneficial for batch MOV to MP4 conversions on your Mac, as it allows you to import multiple files, add them to a queue and convert them together. This can save quite some time as compared to the individual file conversions using iMovie.