This page provides instructions on how to convert MOV files using iMovie (MacOS).
Overview (MP4 files are much smaller than MOV files)
A couple of years ago, Apple introduced MOV as the go-to format for videographers or anyone using QuickTime. Today, most people consider MOV files an outdated format, and it’s more convenient to use MP4 files.
Unfortunately, you might still have a large collection of old MOV files taking up space on your Mac. With a little bit of patience, you can convert them into an MP4 file format by following these step-by-step instructions.
Step 1: Launch iMovie
Step 2: Click the large Import Media button.
Step 3: This will open the media browser. Click on the file you want to import, then click Import Selected in the bottom-right corner.
Step 4:
Now that the file has been imported, click on it and a yellow border will appear around it (see the snapshot below). Then, click the File menu in the app toolbar and select Share from the resulting drop-down, then click File.
Step 5: Adjust the export settings if you want, then click Next.
Step 6: Save it
Finally, choose a name for the file and where you want to save it, then click Save. You can see the export progress as a small circle in the top-right corner of iMovie; when the export has finished, you’ll see a desktop notification. Your MOV file has now been converted to an MP4 file.
You can click the right circle in the top-right corner (the one to the left of the upload symbol in the snapshot below) to see the details how long the expert might take.
