Updated By Cameron On Jul 1, 2025, 9:59 pm
VLC Media Player is a popular open source media player that supports multiple platforms (including Windows, macOS, Linux, etc.). In addition to the well-known functions of playing various multimedia files (such as audio CDS, video CDS, DVDS and streaming media protocols), it also has a powerful video conversion function. If you are using VLC to play media files and want to learn about its conversion capabilities, don't miss this article. We will detail how to convert MOV files to MP4 format using VLC and explore its advantages and disadvantages as well as alternatives.
In fact, VLC is not only a media player, but can also be used as a video converter. It supports converting multiple video formats to MP4, including MOV files. Here are the detailed steps to convert MOV files to MP4 format with VLC:
Step 1 Install and start VLC on your computer.
Download VLC official website: http://www.videolan.org/
Step 2 After starting VLC Media Player, choose Media > Convert/Save... .
Step 3 In the displayed window, click the Add button and sel ect the MOV file that you want to convert. Alternatively, drag and drop the MOV file directly into the VLC file sel ection box.
Step 4 Choose Convert/Save > Browse, sel ect a location for saving the converted file, and name the file.
In the Configuration File drop-down list, sel ect Video-H.264 + MP3 (.mp4) as the output format.
Step 5 Click the "Start" button and VLC will start converting MOV file to MP4 format. After the conversion is complete, you can view the converted MP4 file in the specified save location.
Advantages and disadvantages of VLC conversion:
Advantages:
- Free and open source: VLC is completely free and requires no additional plug-ins or software.
- Cross-platform support: Applicable to Windows, macOS, Linux and other operating systems.
- Easy to use: The conversion process takes only a few simple steps and is suitable for beginners.
Disadvantages:
- Limited output options: VLC offers fewer output profiles to meet the needs of advanced users.
- Does not support batch conversion: VLC cannot convert multiple files at the same time, which is low efficiency.
- Does not support batch conversion: VLC cannot convert multiple files at the same time, which is low efficiency.
- Quality may not be ideal: In some cases, converted video quality may not be as good as professional tools.
As mentioned above, if you are looking for a higher quality Video conversion experience, faster conversion speeds, or need bulk conversion capabilities, consider using a professional third-party video conversion tool such as Geekersoft Video Converter. Geekersoft Video Converter has the following first-class features and is well received by users fr om all over the world.
- Support a variety of file formats: Support MP4, MOV, AVI, WMV, MKV, MTS, H.264 and other video formats, as well as MP3, WAV, WMV and other audio formats.
- High quality output: Provides higher video conversion quality, supports user-defined resolution and bit rate.
- Batch conversion: Supports simultaneous conversion of multiple files, which is fast and efficient.
- Built-in editing function: Provides comprehensive video editing functions, such as cropping, rotating, adding watermarks, etc.
- User-friendly: Simple interface, simple operation, suitable for all users.
On how to convert MOV files to MP4 using Geekersoft Video Converter, you can refer to the following steps.
Step 1 Install and start Geekersoft Video Converter on your computer.
Step 2 Click the Add File button, sel ect the MOV file to be converted, or drag and drop the file directly into the interface.
Step 3 In the Configuration File drop-down list, sel ect MP4 as the output format. At the same time, adjust the resolution, frame rate and other parameters as required.
Step 4 Click Convert and Geekersoft Video Converter will start converting MOV file to MP4 format. After the conversion is complete, you can view the converted file in the specified location.
There is no doubt that VLC is a powerful multimedia tool capable of converting MOV files to MP4 format. But if you are looking for higher quality, more efficient Video conversion tools, professional video conversion tools are your ideal choice, such as Geekersoft Video Converter. Professional video conversion tools offer more output options and support batch conversion and video editing, making it easier to play or share videos on your Mac or PC.