video format

What is a .MOV file?

MOV is Apple’s QuickTime video container, common from iPhones and Mac editing apps — high quality but less widely supported than MP4.

Full name
QuickTime Movie
Developed by
Apple
Released
1991
Extension
.mov
MIME type
video/quicktime
Transparency
No

How to open a MOV file

MOV plays on Apple devices and most modern players.

What MOV files are used for

Sharing & social

Clips that play on every platform.

Editing & post

Footage in production pipelines.

Streaming & web

Embedded and hosted playback.

Strengths & limitations

✔ Strengths✖ Limitations
Excellent compatibilityNo transparency support

Tools for this format

Convert, compress and edit — free, in your browser.

Need more than a conversion?

Remove the background from MOV images, upscale to 4K, or generate new visuals with SharkFoto AI.

Frequently asked questions

MOV is Apple’s QuickTime video container, common from iPhones and Mac editing apps — high quality but less widely supported than MP4.

MOV plays on Apple devices and most modern players.

MOV is optimised for its specific use rather than strictly lossless storage.

Use SharkFoto's free tools — upload your MOV file and convert it to a more convenient format in seconds. It's free, processed securely and never stored.

No — MOV doesn't store transparency; convert to PNG or WEBP if you need it.