MOV and MP4 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.
MP4 is a container, not a codec. It usually holds H.264 video and AAC audio, and that specific combination is the closest thing the internet has to a universal video format.
- Where MOV files come from
- iPhone and Mac screen recordings, and professional video editing.
- Where MP4 is used
- Phone cameras, screen recorders, and every video streaming platform.