Video Converter

A video that plays fine on your machine can refuse to open on someone else's, fail a platform upload check, or come out the wrong size after export. Format mismatches are one of the most common video problems and usually the easiest to fix: convert the file.

Which format to convert to

MP4 works everywhere. Phones, browsers, editing software, social platforms. If you are not sure what to pick and just need it to play, MP4 is the answer. WebM is for web embedding. Browsers handle it natively and file sizes are smaller than MP4 at comparable quality. MOV is Apple's format, common output from iPhones and Final Cut Pro. AVI is the Windows equivalent, still required by some older tools and hardware. MKV is a container that holds high-quality video with multiple audio and subtitle tracks, common in archiving and media server setups. FLV shows up in older streaming workflows and is occasionally still required by specific platforms.

Resolution and file size

Dropping from 1080p to 720p roughly halves the file size. Going from 4K to 1080p cuts it to around a quarter. For social uploads, 1080p is the practical ceiling because platforms re-encode anyway and the difference above that is invisible after compression. For email or messaging apps, 720p or lower gets the file small enough to send without hitting attachment limits. If you are only changing the container format and do not need to resize, leave resolution set to the original.

When the source format causes problems

Editing software is picky about input formats. Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, and Final Cut all have formats they handle cleanly and formats they struggle with, especially AVI and FLV files from older cameras or capture cards. Converting to MP4 or MOV before importing usually eliminates frame drop, sync issues, and proxy generation errors. The same applies when a client sends footage in a format your project is not set up for.

Audio codec options

The audio codec matters separately from the video container. AAC is the safest choice for broad compatibility. MP3 works in most players but is not ideal inside MP4 containers. FLAC is lossless and used when audio quality must be preserved exactly. OGG Vorbis is open-source and common in web games. If audio is irrelevant to the output (a looping background clip, a silent export), you can strip the track entirely to keep the file smaller.