How to convert MOV to M4A
- Click Choose files or drop your MOV video into the box above.
- Pick the bitrate (192 kbps by default).
- Click Convert and download the M4A when it is ready.
About MOV and M4A
What is MOV?
MOV is Apple’s QuickTime format and what an iPhone records by default. MP4 was actually derived from it, so most MOV files contain the same kind of video and can often be converted to MP4 in seconds without re-encoding. Since iOS 11, iPhones record HEVC (H.265) video, which many Windows PCs, Android phones and websites cannot play — converting to MP4 with H.264 fixes that.
- Native on iPhone and Mac
- Supports pro codecs like ProRes
- HEVC MOV files often will not play on Windows or Android
- Some websites reject MOV uploads
What is M4A?
M4A is an MP4 file with only audio inside, usually AAC. iTunes purchases, Apple Music downloads and iPhone Voice Memos are M4A. It sounds better than MP3 at the same size, but some older devices, car stereos and upload forms accept only MP3.
- Better quality than MP3 at the same size
- Default for Apple devices and voice memos
- Some older players and forms accept only MP3
Why GlideConvert?
- Private by design. Your files are converted on your own device by your browser — they are never uploaded to a server. That keeps them private, avoids upload waits and means there is no queue.
- Fast. Images convert in a fraction of a second; video uses your device’s hardware encoder.
- Free. No sign-up, no watermark. 10 images, 5 audio files or one video at a time — Pro lifts the limits and removes ads.
Frequently asked questions
Does converting MOV to M4A keep the full audio quality?
M4A is a lossy format. At 192 kbps (the default) the result is practically indistinguishable from the original for most listeners; pick 256–320 kbps for the best quality, or 96–128 kbps for speech and podcasts.
Which bitrate should I choose?
128 kbps is fine for speech and podcasts, 192 kbps is great for music, and 256–320 kbps is as good as it gets. Higher bitrates mean bigger files: roughly 1 MB per minute at 128 kbps.
Why do my iPhone videos not play on Windows or Android?
Since iOS 11, iPhones record video with HEVC (H.265) compression to save space. Many Windows PCs, Android phones, TVs and websites cannot play HEVC. Converting to MP4 with H.264 — the default here — makes the video play everywhere.
Is there a file size limit?
On the free plan each video or audio file can be up to 500 MB and each image up to 100 MB. With Pro the limit is 4 GB per file. Because everything happens on your device, the practical limit for very large files is your device’s memory.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. GlideConvert runs entirely in your browser: images are processed with the browser’s built-in codecs and WebAssembly, video and audio with hardware-accelerated WebCodecs (or a WebAssembly build of FFmpeg for older formats). Nothing is sent anywhere — you can even disconnect from the internet once the page has loaded.
Does it work on iPhone, Android, Mac and Windows?
Yes. It works in any up-to-date browser — Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox or Samsung Internet — on phones, tablets and computers, with nothing to install. On phones, extremely large images may be scaled down to fit within the browser’s memory limit; you will see a note if that happens.