How the free online video converter works
Most video conversions are really one of two jobs. The first is changing the container: MOV, MKV and MP4 can all hold the same H.264 video, and moving it between them is fast and lossless. The second is re-encoding, which is needed when the target format uses a different codec, such as WebM or AVI. Re-encoding in a browser is several times slower than the length of the video for HD footage: in our tests a 6 second 1080p clip took about 30 seconds on a recent laptop. Container changes take seconds regardless of length.
The converter engine is about 32 MB and is only downloaded when you press Convert for the first time. Your browser caches it, so later conversions start immediately. Very large videos, over about 2 GB, can exceed what a browser tab is allowed to hold in memory, especially on phones.
Which video format should you use?
Choosing a video format is mostly about where the file is going. For anything that has to play everywhere, including phones, smart TVs, social networks and messaging apps, MP4 with H.264 video and AAC audio is the answer. It is the format this converter uses by default, and the one every major platform recommends for uploads.
For editing on a Mac, MOV fits Apple tools such as iMovie and Final Cut Pro. For archiving films with several audio tracks or subtitles, MKV keeps everything in one file. For embedding on a website, WebM is royalty free and plays in every current browser. AVI, WMV, FLV and MPEG are older formats that still matter when a particular program or device insists on them.
If you only need the sound, converting video to MP3 or M4A drops the picture and keeps the soundtrack, which is how people turn lectures, interviews and music videos into audio files.
Video formats compared
| Format | Compression | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 3G2 | Lossy | videos from CDMA phones on Verizon and Sprint |
| 3GP | Lossy | videos from older feature phones and early smartphones |
| 3GPP | Lossy | Android voice recordings and MMS video messages |
| ASF | Lossy | security cameras, DVRs and old Windows streams |
| AVI | Lossy | older camcorders, digital cameras and legacy video libraries |
| DivX | Lossy | films shared in the 2000s and DivX-certified DVD players |
| DV | Lossy | MiniDV camcorder tapes captured over FireWire, and old iMovie and Final Cut projects |
| F4V | Lossy | later Flash-era streams and Adobe Media Encoder exports |
| FLV | Lossy | old YouTube downloads and Flash-era video sites |
| M2TS | Lossy | Blu-ray discs and AVCHD camcorder folders |
| M4V | Lossy | iTunes films and TV shows and HandBrake exports |
| MKV | Lossy | films and TV rips, OBS recordings and anime releases |
| MOD | Lossy | standard-definition hard-disk and memory-card camcorders such as the JVC Everio |
| MOV | Lossy | iPhone recordings, Final Cut Pro and screen recordings on Mac |
| MP4 | Lossy | phone videos, YouTube uploads, social media and streaming |
| MPEG | Lossy | DVD-era video, Video CDs and older camcorders |
| MPG | Lossy | camcorder footage, Video CDs and DVD extracts |
| MPV | Lossy | video tracks split out of DVDs and TV recordings, and the output of MPEG encoders |
| MTS | Lossy | Sony, Panasonic and Canon HD camcorders |
| MXF | Lossy or lossless | professional Sony, Canon and Panasonic cameras and broadcast workflows |
| OGV | Lossy | Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons video and open-source projects |
| PSP | Lossy | watching videos on a PlayStation Portable |
| QT | Lossy | QuickTime movies from older Macs, CD-ROMs and early web video |
| RM | Lossy | video and radio streamed on the web in the late 1990s and 2000s |
| RMVB | Lossy | TV episodes and films shared in the 2000s, especially in Asia |
| TS | Lossy | TV recordings, IPTV streams and HLS video segments |
| VOB | Lossy | the VIDEO_TS folder of a DVD |
| WebM | Lossy | web video, screen recorders and browser-based recordings |
| WMV | Lossy | Windows Movie Maker exports and older corporate video |
| XVID | Lossy | films and TV episodes shared in the 2000s, and DVD players that play Xvid discs |
Tips for converting video files
- Convert from the original recording rather than from a copy that has already been compressed.
- If a video only needs a different container, such as MOV to MP4, leave the settings at their defaults so the tool can copy the streams without re-encoding.
- To make a file smaller, lower the resolution first: 720p looks sharp on phones and laptops and is much smaller than 1080p or 4K.
- Very long or very large videos, over about 2 GB, are better converted on a computer than a phone, because browsers limit how much memory a tab may use.
Is it safe to convert video files online?
With most online tools, "online" means your file is uploaded to a company's server, processed there and kept for a while before it is deleted. Here it is not. The page downloads the converter code to your browser, and your file is read and processed inside the tab on your own device. It is never sent to TapToConvert or anyone else.
You can check this yourself: once the page and, for audio and video, the converter engine have loaded, turn off Wi-Fi and the tool still works. That also means there is no queue, no daily limit and no size cap set by a server. The only limit is the memory your browser gives a single tab.
Video Converter FAQ
What is the best video format?
For compatibility, MP4 with H.264 video and AAC audio. It plays on virtually every device and is accepted by YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, WhatsApp and email.
Can I convert a video to MP3?
Yes. Choose MP3 in the Convert to menu. The picture is dropped and the soundtrack is saved as an MP3 at 192 kbps by default.
Why is converting video slower than converting images?
Re-encoding video means compressing every frame again, and here that work runs on your own processor. Container changes such as MOV to MP4 are fast; changing the codec takes longer.
Is there a file size limit?
Not from us, because nothing is uploaded. The practical limit is the memory your browser allows one tab, around 2 GB on a computer and less on a phone.
Is the video converter free?
Yes, with no sign-up, no watermark and no limit on the number of files. It is supported by advertising, and because files are converted on your device there is no server cost per conversion.
Does the video converter work on phones?
Yes. It works in Safari on iPhone and iPad and in Chrome on Android. Converted files are saved to your Downloads folder.