HEVC to 3G2 Converter

HEVC to 3G2 Converter

This tool re-encodes an HEVC (H.265) video into .3g2, the 3GPP2 container built for CDMA2000 mobile phones. Be clear-eyed about the trade-off first: HEVC is a modern, efficient HD codec, while 3G2 is a small, low-resolution container designed for old CDMA handsets using a much less efficient codec. Converting HEVC to 3G2 downscales the picture and re-encodes it to a far weaker codec — you are discarding quality to fit an obsolete target whose networks no longer exist (Verizon shut down its 3G CDMA network on December 31, 2022). The output is tiny and low-res by design. Almost everyone who lands here actually wants HEVC to MP4 for modern, universal playback; 3G2 makes sense only for a genuinely old offline CDMA-era device or legacy testing. If you want the GSM-side equivalent, see HEVC to 3GP.

HEVC (H.265) Format at a Glance

3G2 (3GPP2) Format at a Glance

How to Convert HEVC to 3G2

1. Upload Your HEVC File: Drag and drop your .hevc or .h265 file onto the page, or click "Add Files" to browse. Batch is supported, so you can queue several clips and convert them with the same settings.
2. Pick the Video Codec: Open Advanced Options and set the Video Codec. The default is H.264, which holds the most detail at 3G2's low bitrates and is read by most post-2008 CDMA handsets; switch to H.263 or MPEG-4 (Part 2) only when targeting an older phone that predates H.264. The default audio codec is AMR (Narrow Band), which every 3G2-capable device decodes; you can also choose AAC or AMR Wide Band.
3. Set Resolution and Quality Preset (Optional): 3G2 was built for small screens — pick a Preset Resolution such as 176x144 (QCIF) or 320x240 (QVGA) for genuine feature-phone compatibility, and use a Quality Preset or a Specific file size to hit an MMS or storage cap. The Trim panel keeps just one segment with a start time and duration.
4. Convert and Download: Click Convert and download your 3G2 file. No sign-up, no watermark.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert HEVC to 3G2 in 2026 instead of MP4?

Only when something on the receiving end specifically requires the CDMA container — a genuinely old, offline Verizon or Sprint feature phone, an MMS test rig, or an embedded device that ingests .3g2. The 3G CDMA network 3G2 was built for has been retired since the end of 2022 (Verizon shut its CDMA network off on December 31, 2022), so for any everyday use MP4 is smaller at equal quality and plays on essentially every current device. If that is what you actually want, HEVC to MP4 is the right page. 3G2 is a narrow compatibility target, not a quality or general-purpose one.

What is the difference between 3G2 and 3GP?

Both are structurally based on the same ISO base media file format (ISO/IEC 14496-12, MPEG-4 Part 12), so they look nearly identical inside, and both share H.263, MPEG-4 Part 2, and H.264 video. The split is by network: .3gp is the 3GPP container for GSM/UMTS phones (released April 2003), while .3g2 is the 3GPP2 container for CDMA2000 phones (released January 2004). The practical difference is audio — .3g2 adds CDMA-specific speech codecs (EVRC, QCELP/13K, SMV, VMR-WB) and drops HE-AAC v2 and AMR-WB+. This page outputs the CDMA variant; if your target is a GSM handset, use HEVC to 3GP instead.

Will converting HEVC to 3G2 reduce the video quality?

Yes — significantly, and on purpose. HEVC (H.265) is a modern codec that holds HD detail in small files, achieving roughly 25-50% better compression than H.264 at the same quality. 3G2 pairs an older, far less efficient codec (H.263 or MPEG-4 Part 2, sometimes H.264) with low resolutions built for CDMA phones. Re-encoding HEVC into 3G2 re-compresses the picture with a weaker codec and usually downscales it, so you are trading visible detail for a tiny file that legacy hardware can handle. To keep quality, convert HEVC to MP4 instead.

Which video and audio codecs does the 3G2 output use?

In Advanced Options you can set the Video Codec to H.263, H.263+, H.264, MPEG-4 (Part 2), or Xvid, and the Audio Codec to AAC, AMR Narrow Band, or AMR Wide Band. By default this converter writes H.264 video with AMR audio inside the 3G2 container, which suits CDMA handsets from roughly 2009 onward. For the oldest phones, H.263 paired with AMR Narrow Band is the most universally compatible combination. The CDMA-native speech codecs in the 3GPP2 spec (EVRC, QCELP, SMV, VMR-WB) are decoded on the playback device and are not offered as encode options here.

My HEVC file has no audio — will the 3G2 be silent?

It can be. A raw HEVC elementary stream (.hevc / .h265) is video only and carries no audio track, so if that is what you upload there is nothing to encode into the 3G2's AMR or AAC audio. If you need sound, start from the original container the recording came in — for example the .mov or .mp4 from your camera or phone — which holds both the video and the audio stream.

What resolution should I pick for an old CDMA phone?

Match the handset. The two safe legacy sizes are 176x144 (QCIF) and 320x240 (QVGA); many early CDMA feature phones only decode H.263 at QCIF. Set it under Preset Resolutions in Advanced Options. Going larger risks a file the phone cannot open, while going smaller than the screen needs throws away quality for no benefit. In our testing, a short 1080p HEVC clip downscaled to a 176x144 H.263 3G2 at a low quality preset came out a small fraction of the original size — small enough for legacy MMS but visibly soft, which is exactly the format's design point.

Is my file kept private during conversion?

Yes. Your file is uploaded over an encrypted connection, processed on our servers, and deleted automatically a few hours after the conversion finishes — no sign-up, no watermark, and it is never shared or made public. The main real-world limit on a big HEVC source is upload size and time, not the conversion itself; trimming the clip first or targeting a Specific file size keeps the job fast.