Video Formats Explained: MP4, MOV, AVI, WebM & More

Video formats are confusing because "format" means two things: the container (MP4, MOV, AVI) and the codec (H.264, HEVC, VP9). Here's what you need to know.

Container vs Codec

A container is the file format — it's a wrapper that holds video, audio, subtitles, and metadata. A codec is the compression algorithm. The same codec (H.264) can be inside different containers (MP4, MOV, MKV).

Common Formats

MP4: Universal. Works everywhere. Default for web, social, and mobile.
MOV: Apple's format. Same quality as MP4 but less compatible outside Apple.
AVI: Microsoft legacy format. Large files, avoid for web.
WebM: Google's format. Great for web embedding, smaller than MP4.
MKV: Flexible container. Good for archiving, poor web compatibility.

When to Convert

If your file doesn't play on a device or upload to a platform, convert to MP4 with H.264 — it's the universal standard. Our converter handles all format combinations.