Fix a MOV file that won't play on Windows
iPhones save video in Apple's High Efficiency format, usually as MOV files. Windows needs a paid extension to play those. Convert the file to MP4 here and it plays everywhere, with nothing to buy or install.
- Never uploaded
- No size limit
- No watermark
- Free
Keep this tab open and in front. Browsers slow down background tabs.
Quick answer: To make a MOV play on Windows, drop the file into the tool at the top of this page and press "Convert to MP4". iLoveAudioVideo does the work in your browser, so the file is never uploaded. It is free, with no sign-up and no watermark.
Updated
How it works
- Drop your videoThe file is read on your computer, never uploaded.
- ConvertMany videos convert in seconds with no quality loss; the rest are converted at high quality.
- Download the MP4Plays on Windows, Android, iPhone, Mac and every website.
Why Windows will not play it
Since 2017, iPhones record in a High Efficiency video format to save space. Windows can only play it after you buy a video extension from the Microsoft Store, so the file either does not open or shows sound with a black picture.
The fix, in your browser
Drop the MOV above and press Convert to MP4. You get a standard MP4 that plays in the Windows apps, PowerPoint, browsers and every phone. The video is converted on your own computer and never uploaded.
On Windows it takes a while: the browser cannot read this format quickly there either, so the video goes through a slower backup path. In our tests on a 4-core Windows PC, each minute of video took about 2½ minutes, and the backup path handles results up to about 1 GB. On a Mac it is much faster.
Stop it happening on new videos
On the iPhone, open Settings → Camera → Formats and choose Most Compatible. New videos are then saved in a format Windows plays as it is; the files are larger.
Measured, not promised
From our tests on a 2019 Intel MacBook, an Apple M1 and a Windows PC without a graphics card. See all results.
Why your video never leaves your computer
Online video tools upload your file to their servers, process it there, and send it back. That is slow for big videos and costs them money for every minute, so free plans cap your file size or add watermarks, and your video sits on someone else's computer.
Here your own computer does the work, inside this tab. Nothing is uploaded, so there is nothing to cap: no file size limit, no daily limit and no watermark.
Questions
Does converting lose quality?
High Efficiency videos are converted at high quality, so the difference is very hard to see. MOV files already in the common format are copied unchanged.
Is there a size limit?
On Windows, about 1 GB for the converted video. On a Mac there is no limit.
Can I convert several files at once?
Yes. Choose or drop several files together. They are converted one after another with the same settings, and you can download each one or all of them in one ZIP.
Is it really free?
Yes. Your computer does the work, so a video costs us nothing to process. No account, no watermark, no limits.
Is my video uploaded?
No. It is processed inside this browser tab and saved straight back to your computer.
Which browsers work?
Recent Chrome, Edge and Safari on a computer. Chrome and Edge are fastest on most machines. Phones work for short videos.
How long does it take?
In Chrome, a one-minute 1080p video took 13–19 seconds on the laptops we tested and about 40 seconds on a computer without a graphics chip. Safari can be slower.
Can I close the tab while it works?
Keep the tab open and in front until it finishes. Browsers slow down background tabs.