FFmpeg recipe
FFmpeg: Convert MOV to MP4 (H.264 + AAC)
Re-encodes MOV to a universally-compatible MP4 with H.264 + AAC. The default CRF 23 preserves visual quality.
Command
ffmpeg -i input.mov -c:v libx264 -crf 23 -preset medium -c:a aac -b:a 192k -movflags +faststart -y output.mp4Prefer no terminal?
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What each flag does
| -i | Input file. Can be a video, audio, or image. Repeat for multiple inputs. |
|---|---|
| -c:v | Video codec for output. e.g. libx264, libx265, libvpx-vp9. |
| -crf | Constant Rate Factor — quality target (lower = better, larger file). 23 is visually lossless for libx264. |
| -c:a | Audio codec for output. e.g. aac, libmp3lame, copy. |
| -b:a | Audio bitrate, e.g. 192k. |
| -y | Overwrite output file without confirmation. |
| -preset medium | Encoding speed vs. compression efficiency tradeoff. Faster presets produce larger files at same CRF. |
| -movflags +faststart | Move the metadata to the start of the file so streaming players can begin playback before the full download. |
Notes & gotchas
- For HEVC sources inside MOV, this is one-way: H.264 is ~1.5–2× the file size at equivalent quality.
- If the source is already H.264 inside MOV, prefer stream-copy: -c copy -movflags +faststart.
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