MOV and MKV explained
MOV is Apple's QuickTime container. Structurally it is very close to MP4 — the two share an ancestor — but MOV files often use codecs like ProRes that general-purpose players cannot decode.
Matroska is a container designed to hold essentially anything: any codec, unlimited audio tracks, subtitle tracks, chapters and attachments in one file. It is the format of choice for archiving films with multiple languages.
- Where MOV files come from
- iPhone and Mac screen recordings, and professional video editing.
- Where MKV is used
- Media archives, anime and film collections, and high-quality recordings.