HEVC to MP4 Converter
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Supports: HEVC
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Need help?How to Convert HEVC to MP4 Online
- Upload Your HEVC File: Drag and drop or click "Add Files" to select .hevc or .h265 recordings — iPhone HEVC clips, drone footage, screen captures, or 4K camera files. Batch conversion is supported, drop in an entire folder.
- Pick a Video Codec and Quality: Default is H.264 for universal compatibility. Choose H.265 / HEVC to keep the modern codec inside an MP4 container (smallest files, modern devices only), MPEG4 / XVID for legacy DVD players, AV1 for the smallest size on 2022+ hardware, or VP9 for YouTube workflows. Set a quality preset (Highest → Lowest), target a specific file size in MB, or fine-tune with CRF (18 = visually lossless, 23 = default, 28 = noticeably smaller).
- Resize, Trim, or Pick Audio Codec (Optional): Pick a resolution preset (4K / 1440p / 1080p / 720p / 480p / 360p), enter custom width × height, or scale by percentage. Trim a section using start time + duration in HH:MM:SS.sss format. Audio defaults to AAC — switch to AC3, MP3, or Opus if your target platform requires it.
- Convert and Download: Click Convert. Files process in your browser session — no sign-up, no watermark, no 100 MB cap.
Why Convert HEVC to MP4?
HEVC (H.265) is Apple's default video codec on iPhone since iOS 11 (2017) and the standard for 4K and HDR recordings. It produces files roughly 40-50% smaller than H.264 at the same quality — but that compression comes at the cost of compatibility. Older Windows PCs, smart TVs from before 2018, work laptops, and many web apps can't decode HEVC without a paid codec pack. Wrapping your video in MP4 with H.264 (or remuxing into MP4 while keeping HEVC) fixes those playback issues. Common reasons people convert HEVC → MP4:
- iPhone videos for Windows or older Android users — iPhones record in
.hevc/.movHEVC by default. Recipients on Windows 10 without the HEVC Video Extensions (which costs $0.99 in the Microsoft Store) get "this video format is not supported." MP4 with H.264 plays in Windows Media Player, the Photos app, and every browser. - Editing software that won't decode HEVC — older versions of Adobe Premiere, Sony Vegas, Camtasia, and most free editors (Shotcut, OpenShot, Kdenlive on Linux without extra packages) refuse HEVC input. H.264 MP4 imports cleanly in every editor.
- Smart TV and streaming stick playback — Pre-2018 smart TVs, older Roku models, and many older Chromecast generations skip frames or refuse HEVC over DLNA/Plex. H.264 plays everywhere.
- Discord, Slack, and email attachments — Discord (10 MB free / 50 MB Nitro Basic / 500 MB Nitro), Gmail (25 MB), and Outlook embed previews work better with H.264 MP4. Some clients show HEVC as a download-only file with no thumbnail.
- Web embedding —
<video>tags work with H.264 MP4 in 100% of browsers since 2015. HEVC needs Safari or Edge with hardware support, and breaks on Firefox entirely. - Archiving with a guarantee it'll still play in 10 years — H.264 has been the universal baseline since 2010 and shows no signs of going away. HEVC licensing complications (multiple patent pools) keep it locked out of some platforms.
HEVC vs MP4 (H.264) — Format Comparison
| Property | HEVC (H.265) | MP4 (H.264) |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Video codec | Container, usually H.264 codec |
| Compression | ~40-50% smaller than H.264 at same quality | Baseline reference |
| Native playback | iOS 11+, macOS High Sierra+, Android 9+, Smart TVs 2018+ | Every device made since 2010 |
| Browser support | Safari, Edge (with HW), Chrome 107+ (HW only) | Every browser, every version |
| Hardware decode | iPhone 6+, Apple Silicon, Intel 7th gen+, Snapdragon 820+ | Universal |
| 4K & HDR | Native — primary use case | Possible but inefficient |
| Royalty status | Multiple patent pools, license fees | MPEG LA pool, broadly licensed |
| Best for | Storing originals, 4K/HDR, modern devices | Sharing, web, archives, social uploads |
Codec Choice Quick Guide
| Output codec | File size (relative) | Compatibility | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| H.264 | 100% (baseline, ~2x larger than source) | Every device since 2010 | Default — maximum compatibility |
| H.265 / HEVC (remux into MP4) | ~50% (same as source) | Modern devices (2017+) | Keep small file, fix MOV-only playback |
| AV1 | ~45% | 2022+ devices, modern browsers | Smallest output, slowest encode |
| VP9 | ~70% | Browsers, YouTube, Android | Web embedding, royalty-free |
| MPEG4 / XVID | ~150% | Legacy DVD players, very old TVs | Old hardware playback |
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the MP4 file be larger than my HEVC source?
If you re-encode to H.264, expect the output to be roughly 1.5-2× the size of the HEVC source at the same visual quality. That's the cost of universal compatibility. Two ways to avoid it: (1) remux — keep the HEVC stream and just rewrap it into the MP4 container (same size, modern devices only), or (2) use AV1 output, which lands at roughly the same size as HEVC. For an iPhone 4K @ 60fps clip, expect about 350 MB/min in HEVC vs 600-700 MB/min in H.264.
Why won't my iPhone HEVC video play on Windows?
Windows 10 and 11 ship without the HEVC decoder by default. The Microsoft Store sells "HEVC Video Extensions" for $0.99, but most users hit "this file isn't playable" first and don't realize a paid pack fixes it. Converting to H.264 MP4 is the one-step fix that works on every Windows PC including Windows 7 / 8.1 machines, work laptops with locked-down installs, and Microsoft Office video embeds.
Should I pick H.264 or keep HEVC inside the MP4?
H.264 if your audience includes anyone on Windows pre-HEVC-pack, older Android phones, smart TVs from before 2018, or web embeds outside Safari. Keep HEVC (remux) if you only need the .mov-to-.mp4 container change for Apple-ecosystem viewers — output stays the same size as the source and conversion takes seconds instead of minutes. If you're not sure who your audience is, default H.264 is the safer bet.
Can I convert iPhone HEVC recordings without losing quality?
Yes. Set CRF to 18 in Advanced Options for visually lossless H.264 output, or use the "remux" path (keep HEVC stream, rewrap to MP4) for byte-perfect retention of the original video stream. iPhone 14 Pro / 15 Pro 4K @ 60fps Dolby Vision clips work, including ProRes recordings if you bring them in as .mov.
What's the largest HEVC file I can convert?
XConvert handles multi-GB 4K and 8K HEVC files with no fixed cap. Conversion runs in your browser session, so the practical limit is your device's available memory and your willingness to wait for upload. There's no 100 MB cap like Convertio, no 500 MB cap like CloudConvert, and no quantity limit on batch jobs. A typical iPhone 5-minute 4K @ 60fps clip (~1.7 GB) converts in 2-4 minutes on a modern laptop.
Can I batch convert dozens of HEVC clips at once?
Yes. Upload an entire folder, apply the same codec/resolution/trim settings to every file, or set per-file overrides. Each conversion runs in parallel and downloads individually or as a single ZIP at the end. Useful for clearing out an iPhone Photos album of HEVC clips before sharing on Windows.
Does the converter handle HDR / Dolby Vision metadata?
H.264 has limited HDR support, so re-encoding HDR HEVC to H.264 falls back to SDR with tone mapping — the result is watchable but loses the high dynamic range. To preserve HDR/Dolby Vision metadata, keep HEVC inside the MP4 (remux) and play on a compatible TV/Apple device. This is one case where the H.264 path is the wrong choice.
Can I convert MP4 back to HEVC for smaller files?
Yes — see MP4 to HEVC for the reverse direction (useful when storing iPhone backups or freeing up space on a Mac). Or check MOV to MP4 if your source is an iPhone .mov container rather than a raw .hevc stream.