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Which video format should you choose?
Most conversion failures are format choices, not file problems. A plain-English guide to MP4, WEBM, MOV and MKV — what each is for, and which one to pick for phones, web, TV and archiving.
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Step by step
- Ask where the file has to play: a phone gallery, a website, a TV, or an archive.
- Pick MP4 for anything that must "just play" — it is the universal answer.
- Pick WEBM for websites where file size matters and the audience is on modern browsers.
- Pick MKV for archiving multi-track files; pick MOV when an Apple editing workflow expects it.
- Convert once, from the best original you have.
Tips from people who do this a lot
- If a form or app rejects your video, it almost always wants MP4 with the standard codec pairing — convert to MP4 first, debug later.
- WEBM files are often 30-40% smaller than the same MP4, which is real money on a busy website.
- Never convert a small lossy file "up" to a bigger format expecting quality; you only get a bigger file.
FAQ
Is MKV better quality than MP4?
They are containers, not quality levels — the same video stream can live in either. MKV holds more track types; MP4 plays in more places.
What format do iPhones record, and what should I send Android friends?
iPhones record MOV/HEVC; MP4 is the safe format to send anyone, anywhere.
Is this really free?
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