Often there’s nothing to re-encode
MOV and MP4 are containers: wrappers that hold the actual video and audio. When a MOV contains H.264 video and AAC audio, which is common, ClipFit copies those streams straight into an MP4 wrapper. That takes seconds even for long files, and the picture is bit-for-bit identical.
If the MOV holds something MP4 players struggle with, such as HEVC from a recent iPhone or ProRes from a camera, ClipFit re-encodes it to H.264 so the result plays everywhere.
iPhone videos and HEVC
iPhones record in HEVC (H.265) by default when the camera format is set to High Efficiency. HEVC files are small, but many Windows PCs, older Android phones and web upload forms can’t play them. Converting to H.264 MP4 fixes that, at the cost of a larger file.
To skip the conversion for future recordings, set Settings → Camera → Formats to Most Compatible. Your iPhone will then record H.264 directly.
What about resolution?
When a file has to be re-encoded, the Resolution setting caps the size of the output. 1080p is a good default; choose 2160p to keep 4K footage at full size, or 720p for a smaller file.
Private by design
ClipFit processes your video inside your browser using FFmpeg compiled to WebAssembly. The file is never uploaded, so there’s no waiting for transfers and no copy left on a server. Once you close the tab, nothing remains.
Questions
Does converting MOV to MP4 lose quality?
Not when the streams can be copied, which is the case for most H.264 MOV files. HEVC or ProRes files are re-encoded at high quality, which is visually close to the original.
Will metadata like the recording date be kept?
Basic metadata may not carry over. If you rely on capture dates or location for organising photos, keep the original file as well.
Can I convert many iPhone videos at once?
Yes. Select up to 20 files. Each is converted in turn and gets its own download button.