MOV → HLS

Convert Your MOV to HLS documents smoothly

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How to convert MOV to HLS

Step 1: Transfer your MOV files using the button above or by slide and deposit.

Step 2: Click the 'Convert' button to start the conversion.

Step 3: Retrieve your converted HLS files.

MOV to HLS Conversion FAQ

How do I re-encode MOV to HLS without losing video quality?

Upload your MOV file and set Quality to High Quality in the conversion options. That re-encodes the video at the highest quality setting (CRF 18 for H.264 and VP9 output), which keeps the most detail at the cost of a larger file. The default, Balanced, uses the standard setting. The HLS output gets a codec its container supports: H.264 for MP4, MOV and MKV, VP9 for WebM. A MOV normally carries H.264 or HEVC for delivery, or ProRes when it is an editing master, alongside AAC or uncompressed PCM audio. An HLS stream is an .m3u8 manifest pointing at a ladder of H.264 or HEVC segments at several bitrates, so the player can switch quality mid-playback.

Will the HLS play in a browser when the MOV would not?

Yes, and that is usually the whole reason for the conversion. An MOV embedded in a web page either shows a broken player or forces a download, because browsers ship no decoder for it. HLS plays inline through the native HTML5 video element with no plugin and no external application. HLS adapts to the viewer’s bandwidth in real time and is the only streaming format Safari and iOS support natively.

Is HLS a container or a codec, and does that change what I get back?

It changes what to expect from the output file. One side of this conversion names an encoding rather than a wrapper, so what comes back is that bitstream inside whichever container suits it best — normally MP4 or MKV. The extension reflects the container; the codec is what actually determined the file size and where it will play.

Which video codec does the HLS output use?

It depends on the HLS container. MP4, MOV and MKV output use H.264, which plays on practically every phone, browser and TV. WebM output uses VP9. AVI, WMV and MPEG output use the older codecs those formats were designed for. HLS is Apple’s HTTP Live Streaming — not a file but a playlist plus a folder of short media segments.

Will my audio track survive MOV to HLS conversion?

Yes, the main audio track comes through, re-encoded to a codec the HLS container plays, for example AAC in MP4 and MOV or Opus in WebM. Most conversions keep only that one track (the one with the most channels), so alternate languages and commentary are dropped. MP4 to MOV, and AVI, WMV, MPEG, FLV, VOB or M4V to MKV, keep every audio track.

Can I keep the original framerate when converting MOV to HLS?

Yes. The frame rate is kept unless you change it: a 24 fps MOV stays 24 fps in the HLS. The Frame Rate setting can also convert to 60, 30 or 24 fps. It changes the rate only; it does not deinterlace the video or remove 3:2 pulldown.

How much will the file size change going from MOV to HLS?

It depends on what happens to the video. MKV to MP4 or MOV with the default settings copies the video stream unchanged, so the size stays close to the source. Most other pairs re-encode it: a high-bitrate MOV usually comes out smaller, while an already heavily compressed one can grow. Smaller File under Quality gives the smallest output, and H.265 in the Codec setting (MP4, MOV and MKV) is usually smaller than H.264 at similar quality but plays on fewer devices.

Will the HLS file play on iPhone, Android, and Smart TVs?

MP4 with H.264 plays on practically every phone, browser and TV. MOV with H.264 plays on Apple devices and most TVs but not on every older Android phone. MKV needs an app such as VLC on iOS, and WebM is at home in browsers. There is no device preset on this page, so choose the target format your device supports. HLS is not a single downloadable file — to keep it offline it has to be muxed back into a normal container first.

How long does converting a 1-hour MOV video to HLS take?

There is no fixed time: it depends on the length, the resolution and the target format. Conversions run on our servers' CPUs with software encoders; there is no GPU acceleration. MKV to MP4 or MOV with the default settings copies the video stream and is the quickest. A re-encode to H.264 takes longer, and WebM (VP9) is the slowest target, several times slower than H.264 in our tests.

What is the maximum resolution supported for MOV to HLS?

The converter has no resolution cap of its own; the limit is the upload size allowed on your plan, and the resolution stays as it is unless you choose 1080p, 720p or 480p. There is no HDR processing or tone mapping. When the video stream is copied (MKV to MP4 or MOV with the default settings), HDR10 passes through untouched. A re-encode drops the HDR10 mastering metadata, and with a Quality, Resolution or Frame Rate setting some pairs also reduce the video to 8-bit colour, so an HDR MOV can look washed out.

Is my MOV video private during conversion to HLS?

Yes. Uploaded MOV files are processed on our own conversion servers, no person reviews them, and they are never shared. The upload and the converted HLS are both deleted automatically about 24 hours after the conversion, which leaves time to download the result. See /privacy/ for the full policy.

Can I crop, trim, or rotate during the MOV to HLS conversion?

Not in the same step. Use /trim-video/ or /video-cutter/ to clip the MOV first, or /rotate-video/ to turn it, then run the MOV to HLS conversion. Trimming first is faster than re-encoding the whole MOV just to drop unused footage.

MOV

MOV is Apple's QuickTime format, supporting superior video and audio for broadcast-resolution editing.

HLS

HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) is a streaming protocol developed by Apple for delivering audio and video content over the internet. It provides adaptive streaming for better playback performance.