How do MOV and MKVcompare? Here's everything you need to know to choose the right format — and how to convert between them.
QuickTime Movie
MOV is Apple's video format, native to macOS and iOS. iPhones record video in MOV format by default. It supports high quality and professional features but works best within the Apple ecosystem.
Matroska Video
MKV is the most flexible video container format available. It can hold virtually any codec and supports unlimited audio tracks, subtitles, and chapters. It's the format of choice for high-quality video enthusiasts.
| Specification | MOV | MKV |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | QuickTime Movie | Matroska Video |
| Extension | .mov | .mkv |
| MIME type | video/quicktime | video/x-matroska |
| Category | Video | Video |
| Developer | Apple | Matroska.org |
| Year introduced | 1991 | 2002 |
MOV and MKV target different use cases. MOV is ideal for iphone and ipad video recording, while MKV works best for movie collections and media servers.
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