Convert M4V to 3GP on Mac.

Local file processing, by renaming the file in Finder. No converter window and no upload queue.

Finder rename

report.m4vreport.3gp

How the rename works

  1. 1

    Start with report.m4v

    Put the M4V file in a folder RenameTo watches, such as Desktop or Downloads.

  2. 2

    Rename it to report.3gp

    In Finder, change .m4v to .3gp, then press Return. The rename is the command.

  3. 3

    Find the 3GP beside it

    RenameTo produces the requested output and keeps a restorable backup of the original.

What happens under the hood

RenameTo reads the M4V with the appropriate local macOS media or document framework, then writes a new 3GP beside it. The file itself is not sent to a conversion server.

About the formats

M4V is Apple's variant of the MP4 video container. 3GP is a compact container used by older mobile phones.

Questions, answered

Does my file get uploaded anywhere?

No. File processing happens on your Mac. RenameTo does use the network for license validation, trial activation, and update checks, but your source files are not part of those requests.

What happens to the original M4V file?

RenameTo keeps a backup before processing. Undo restores the original alongside a format-changing output and does not delete that output. If the original name is already occupied, the restored copy gets “(restored)” in its name.

Can I convert a whole folder?

Yes. Rename multiple selected files in Finder and RenameTo queues each supported conversion, with a separate result and backup for every file.

Can I run the same conversion from a script?

Yes. The CLI command is: renameto 3gp *.m4v

Related conversions

Convert M4V to AAC

report.m4v → report.aac

Convert M4V to AC3

report.m4v → report.ac3

Convert M4V to AIFF

report.m4v → report.aiff

Convert M4V to AVI

report.m4v → report.avi

Convert AVI to 3GP

report.avi → report.3gp

Convert FLV to 3GP

report.flv → report.3gp

Convert M2TS to 3GP

report.m2ts → report.3gp

Convert MKV to 3GP

report.mkv → report.3gp

Looking for another format? Browse every conversion.