┌─ FILE ANALYSIS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ┐
│ DEVELOPER : Apple Inc.
│ CATEGORY : Video
│ MIME TYPE : video/quicktime
│ MAGIC BYTES : 0000001466747970
└ ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ┘
What is a MOV file?
MOV is Apple’s QuickTime multimedia container format, supporting video, audio, and text tracks. It uses the same MPEG-4 container structure as MP4 but with additional Apple-specific features. MOV files are common in professional video production.
How to open MOV files
- QuickTime Player (macOS) — Built-in, native support
- VLC Media Player (Windows, macOS, Linux) — Free
- Windows Media Player (Windows 10/11) — With HEVC extension
- IINA (macOS) — Free, modern player
- MPV (Windows, macOS, Linux) — Lightweight
Technical specifications
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Container | QuickTime File Format |
| Video Codecs | H.264, H.265, ProRes, Apple Intermediate |
| Audio Codecs | AAC, ALAC, PCM |
| Subtitles | Text tracks supported |
| Chapters | Supported |
| Metadata | Rich metadata support |
Common use cases
- Video editing: Final Cut Pro, iMovie default format
- iPhone recordings: iOS camera output
- Professional production: ProRes codec workflows
- Screen recording: macOS screen capture default