Files with the .MOV extension contain one or multiple multimedia files, saved in a standard created by Apple, compatible with both MacOS and Windows. MOV files contain tracks that can be coded using various codecs – they use MPEG-4 by default. The file can contain both videos, music, and text, and it is used for saving and synchronizing various forms of multimedia.

To execute a MOV file, an app not only has to support the file format, but also recognize all the codecs it has applied. MOV video files can be converted to the more popular and widely-used MP4 format, while MOV audio files can be converted into the OGG format using the VLC Media Player software. Both MOV and MP4 files are supported and recognized by most software, including QuickTime. MP4 is, however, the more international, standardized, and widely-supported format.