Convert MOV to MKV on Mac.

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

Finder rename

report.movreport.mkv

How the rename works

  1. 1

    Start with report.mov

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

  2. 2

    Rename it to report.mkv

    In Finder, change .mov to .mkv, then press Return. The rename is the command.

  3. 3

    Find the MKV beside it

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

What happens under the hood

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

About the formats

MOV is Apple's QuickTime container, common on Macs and iPhones. MKV is the open Matroska media container.

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 MOV 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 mkv *.mov

Related conversions

Convert MOV to 3GP

report.mov → report.3gp

Convert MOV to AAC

report.mov → report.aac

Convert MOV to AC3

report.mov → report.ac3

Convert MOV to AIFF

report.mov → report.aiff

Convert 3GP to MKV

report.3gp → report.mkv

Convert AVI to MKV

report.avi → report.mkv

Convert FLV to MKV

report.flv → report.mkv

Convert M2TS to MKV

report.m2ts → report.mkv

Looking for another format? Browse every conversion.