Convert HEVC to MP4 (H.264)
Turn HEVC / H.265 videos into H.264 MP4 that plays everywhere — no codec to buy, no upload.
Runs in your browser. Your video is never uploaded.
Drop HEVC videos to convert to H.264 MP4
iPhone MOV, Android MP4 or MKV files recorded in HEVC / H.265. Choose several to convert them all.
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How to convert HEVC to MP4
Drop your videos above — one, or a whole batch — and press Convert to H.264 MP4. Each video is decoded and re-encoded to H.264 with your device's hardware encoder, then saved as an MP4. Download them one by one or as a ZIP. A video that is already H.264 is copied across unchanged.
Why HEVC videos will not play
HEVC, also called H.265, is a newer video codec that makes files about half the size of H.264 at the same quality. iPhones have recorded in it by default since the iPhone 7 — the "High Efficiency" camera setting — and many Android phones, drones and action cameras use it for 4K. The catch is decoding: Windows' built-in apps need Microsoft's HEVC Video Extensions, many smart TVs and older Android phones have no HEVC decoder, and some editors and upload forms reject it. When that happens you see a black screen, sound with no picture, or "this file type is not supported".
Renaming the file, or changing the container from MOV to MP4, does not help — the video inside is still HEVC. Re-encoding it to H.264, which every device made in the last fifteen years can decode, does.
H.264 or keep HEVC?
H.264 — plays everywhere is the right choice for sending a video to someone, playing it on Windows or a TV, or uploading it to a site that rejected it. The file usually comes out somewhat larger, because H.264 is the less efficient codec. Keep HEVC only rewraps the video into an MP4 container: instant and lossless, useful when an app wants an .mp4 file and can already play HEVC. For iPhone MOV files specifically,MOV to MP4 offers the same two choices.
What this tool cannot open
Your browser has to be able to decode HEVC before it can convert it. Current Chrome, Edge and Safari can on most computers with hardware HEVC support; if yours cannot, the tool says the video uses a format your browser cannot open. Raw .hevc or .h265 stream files with no container — produced by some security cameras — are not supported either; open them in a desktop tool such as VLC or HandBrake instead.
After converting
If the H.264 file is too big for where it is going, the Video Compressor brings it under an exact size, such as the 25 MB email limit. To stop the problem at the source on an iPhone, open Settings › Camera › Formats and chooseMost Compatible: new videos are recorded in H.264, at the cost of roughly twice the storage.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert HEVC to MP4?
Drop one or more HEVC videos above — iPhone MOVs, Android MP4s or MKV files — and press Convert to H.264 MP4. Each video is re-encoded to H.264 in an MP4, the format every phone, PC, TV and editor can play. Save each file, or all of them as a ZIP.
Is HEVC the same as MP4?
No. HEVC (also called H.265) is a codec — the way the picture is compressed. MP4 is a container — the file that holds the video, the sound and some metadata. An MP4 can hold HEVC video, which is why an .mp4 file can still refuse to play: the container is fine, but the device cannot decode the HEVC inside. Converting to H.264 fixes that.
Do I need to buy the HEVC extension to play these videos on Windows?
Not if you convert them. Windows' own Photos and Media Player apps need Microsoft's HEVC Video Extensions to play HEVC. Converting a video to H.264 once makes it play there, and everywhere else, with nothing to install. Free players such as VLC also play HEVC directly.
Will the converted file be bigger?
Usually somewhat, because H.264 needs more data than HEVC for the same picture. That is the price of playing everywhere. If the result is too big to send, run it through the Video Compressor afterwards.
It says my browser cannot open the video. What now?
Decoding HEVC needs support from your browser and graphics hardware. Try the latest Chrome or Edge, or Safari on a Mac. On an iPhone, you can also set Settings › Camera › Formats to Most Compatible so new videos are recorded in H.264 to begin with.
Are my files uploaded?
No. Conversion runs in your browser with your device's hardware video encoder. Your videos never leave your device.