What is the difference between MOV and MKV?

MOV is Apple's QuickTime container format, natively supported on macOS and iOS. MKV (Matroska Video) is an open-source container from the Matroska project that supports virtually any codec and allows multiple audio tracks, subtitle streams, and chapters in one file. Both can hold the same H.264 or H.265 video — only the outer wrapper differs.

Will converting MOV to MKV reduce quality?

If you use stream copy (no re-encoding), the conversion is completely lossless. FFmpeg's -c copy flag copies all streams as-is into the MKV container, preserving 100% of the original quality. Quality loss only occurs if you deliberately change the codec or lower the bitrate.

Why can't this tool convert the file directly in the browser?

Video transcoding is computationally expensive and would be very slow in a browser tab for large files. The metadata reader runs entirely client-side and is instantaneous; the actual conversion is best handled by a dedicated desktop tool like FFmpeg.

Is my video file uploaded anywhere?

No. The metadata reader uses the browser's built-in File API and URL.createObjectURL(). Your file never leaves your computer — no upload, no server, no tracking.

Which conversion method is fastest?

FFmpeg with the -c copy flag is the fastest method because it rewraps the container without decoding or re-encoding any frames. Conversion of a 1 GB MOV file typically takes under 5 seconds.

Can MOV files contain codecs that are incompatible with MKV?

MKV is extremely flexible and supports almost every codec, so incompatibility is rare. However, some proprietary Apple codecs like Apple Intermediate Codec may require re-encoding to H.264 or H.265 first. FFmpeg handles this automatically when you specify -c:v libx264.

MOV to MKV Converter

Name: MOV to MKV Converter
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

Learn how to convert Apple MOV files to MKV using free desktop tools, and inspect your video file metadata instantly in the browser.

Video File Inspector

Select any video file to read its metadata instantly — 100% client-side, nothing uploaded.

Click or drag a video file here MOV, MKV, MP4, AVI, WebM…

FFmpeg (Fastest — lossless rewrap)

Free, cross-platform, no re-encoding

FFmpeg rewraps the container without touching the video or audio streams, so conversion is near-instant and lossless. MKV accepts stream copy from MOV without any quality loss.

# Install on Mac via Homebrew
brew install ffmpeg

# Convert MOV to MKV (lossless, stream copy)
ffmpeg -i input.mov -c copy output.mkv

# Re-encode to H.264 + AAC if stream copy fails
ffmpeg -i input.mov -c:v libx264 -c:a aac output.mkv

Install on Windows via winget install ffmpeg or download from ffmpeg.org.

FFmpeg Command Generator

Build a custom command for your file

Input filename

Conversion mode

ffmpeg -i input.mov -c copy output.mkv

VLC Media Player (GUI — no command line)

Free, Windows / Mac / Linux

Open VLC and go to Media → Convert / Save.
Click Add and select your MOV file, then click Convert / Save.
In the Profile drop-down, choose Video — H.264 + MP3 (MKV) or create a custom profile with the MKV container.
Set the destination file with an .mkv extension and click Start.
VLC re-encodes the video and writes the output MKV file.

HandBrake (GUI — advanced quality control)