How to Convert Videos to Any Format with ScreenApp

Why Convert Video Formats?

Video conversion transforms files between different formats for compatibility, size reduction, or content repurposing. Whether you need MP4 for universal playback, MP3 audio extraction, or PDF documents from video content, ScreenApp converts any format instantly.

Common conversion needs:

• Device compatibility: Convert videos to formats supported by your device
• File size reduction: Compress large files while maintaining quality
• Audio extraction: Get MP3 or WAV audio from video files
• Content repurposing: Transform videos into documents, PDFs, or presentations
• Platform requirements: Match specific format requirements for uploads

What You’ll Need

Before converting videos:

• Video file or URL (any format: MP4, MOV, AVI, WebM, MKV, etc.)
• ScreenApp account (free at screenapp.io)
• Internet connection for processing
• Clear idea of desired output format

How ScreenApp Video Conversion Works

ScreenApp uses advanced AI-powered conversion:

1. Upload or Import: Add video from device, paste URL, or import from cloud
2. Format Detection: AI automatically detects input format and codec
3. Smart Conversion: Optimized encoding maintains quality while converting
4. Transcription: Automatic speech-to-text during conversion (optional)
5. Export: Download in your chosen format or share via link

Supported input formats: MP4, MOV, AVI, WebM, MKV, FLV, WMV, MPEG, 3GP, OGV, and 50+ more

Supported output formats: MP4, MP3, WAV, PDF, DOCX, TXT, SRT, VTT, Markdown, and more

Step-by-Step: Convert Video Formats

Step 1: Upload Your Video File

1. Go to ScreenApp Converter
2. Click “Upload” button or drag and drop your video file
3. Wait for upload to complete (progress bar shows upload status)

Alternative upload methods:

• Paste URL: Click “Import from URL” and paste video link (YouTube, Vimeo, etc.)
• Cloud import: Connect Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive
• Record: Use built-in screen recorder and convert immediately

File size limits:

• Free account: Up to 2GB per file
• Pro account: Up to 5GB per file
• Processing speed: ~1 minute per 10 minutes of video

Step 2: Choose Output Format

After upload completes:

1. Click the “Convert” or “Download” button
2. Select your desired output format from the dropdown menu
3. Available options appear based on your content type

Popular conversion options:

Video Formats:

• MP4: Universal compatibility (recommended for most uses)
• MOV: High quality, ideal for editing
• WebM: Optimized for web playback
• AVI: Legacy format support

Audio Extraction:

• MP3: Compressed audio, small file size
• WAV: Uncompressed, highest quality
• M4A: Apple-compatible audio format
• FLAC: Lossless compression

Document Formats:

• PDF: Complete transcript with timestamps
• DOCX: Editable Word document with transcript
• TXT: Plain text transcript
• Markdown: Formatted text for documentation

Subtitle Formats:

• SRT: Standard subtitle format
• VTT: Web video text tracks
• ASS/SSA: Advanced subtitles with styling

Step 3: Configure Conversion Settings (Optional)

For advanced users, adjust quality settings:

Video Quality:

• Resolution: Original, 1080p, 720p, 480p, 360p
• Bitrate: Auto, High (8000 kbps), Medium (4000 kbps), Low (1000 kbps)
• Frame rate: Original, 60fps, 30fps, 24fps

Audio Quality:

• Bitrate: 320 kbps (high), 192 kbps (medium), 128 kbps (low)
• Sample rate: 48 kHz (professional), 44.1 kHz (CD quality), 22 kHz (voice)
• Channels: Stereo or Mono

Compression:

• Codec: H.264 (compatible), H.265 (smaller files), VP9 (web-optimized)
• Preset: Fast (lower quality), Balanced, Slow (highest quality)

Step 4: Process Conversion

1. Click “Convert Now” button
2. ScreenApp processes your file (progress bar shows status)
3. Processing time depends on:
   • File size (larger = longer)
   • Output format (video takes longer than audio)
   • Quality settings (higher quality = longer processing)
   • Queue position (free users may wait during peak times)

What happens during conversion:

• AI analyzes video content and format
• Transcoding to your selected output format
• Automatic transcription (speech-to-text extraction)
• Quality optimization and compression
• Metadata preservation (timestamps, titles, descriptions)

Typical processing times:

• 5-minute video to MP4: ~30-60 seconds
• 30-minute video to MP3: ~1-2 minutes
• 1-hour video to PDF transcript: ~3-5 minutes

Step 5: Download Converted File

After processing completes:

1. Download button appears automatically
2. Click “Download” to save to your device
3. File downloads with automatic naming: [original-name].[new-format]

Download options:

• Direct download: Save to device immediately
• Share link: Get shareable URL (no download required for recipients)
• Cloud save: Export directly to Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive
• Email: Send download link to email address

Common Video Conversion Scenarios

Convert YouTube to MP4

Use case: Save YouTube videos for offline viewing

Steps:

1. Copy YouTube video URL
2. Paste into ScreenApp “Import from URL” field
3. Select MP4 as output format
4. Download converted video

Quality options:

• Original quality (up to 4K)
• 1080p HD (recommended for most devices)
• 720p HD (smaller file size)
• Lower resolutions for mobile devices

Extract Audio from Video (MP4 to MP3)

Use case: Create podcast episodes from video recordings, extract music tracks

Steps:

1. Upload video file (any format)
2. Click “Download” > “Audio Only”
3. Select MP3 format
4. Download audio file

Audio extraction benefits:

• Much smaller file size (audio-only)
• Listen on music players or while commuting
• Repurpose video content as podcasts
• Easy sharing via messaging apps

Convert Video to PDF Document

Use case: Create searchable documents from presentations, lectures, tutorials

Steps:

1. Upload video file
2. Wait for automatic transcription to complete
3. Click “Download” > “PDF Transcript”
4. Get formatted PDF with:
   • Full transcript text
   • Timestamps for each section
   • Speaker labels (if multi-speaker)
   • AI-generated summary at top

Document conversion uses:

• Meeting minutes and records
• Lecture notes for students
• Interview transcripts for journalists
• Presentation handouts
• SEO-friendly blog content

Convert MOV to MP4

Use case: Make iPhone/Mac videos compatible with Android, Windows, web

Steps:

1. Upload MOV file (common iPhone camera format)
2. Select MP4 output format
3. Choose quality (recommend: keep original)
4. Download universal MP4 file

Why convert MOV to MP4:

• MP4 plays on all devices and platforms
• Smaller file size with same quality
• Better web streaming compatibility
• Required by many video platforms (Instagram, TikTok, etc.)

Batch Video Conversion

Use case: Convert multiple videos at once

Steps:

1. Click “Upload Multiple Files”
2. Select all videos you want to convert
3. Choose output format (applies to all)
4. Process converts all files simultaneously
5. Download as ZIP archive or individually

Batch conversion tips:

• Limit to 10 files at once (free account)
• Pro accounts: up to 50 files simultaneously
• All files convert to same format
• Individual downloads or bulk ZIP export

Advanced Conversion Techniques

Maintaining Quality During Conversion

Best practices:

1. Match or reduce resolution: Never upscale (converting 720p to 1080p doesn’t improve quality)
2. Use lossless codecs: For archival, choose formats that preserve quality (ProRes, FFV1)
3. Higher bitrate = better quality: But larger file size
4. Avoid repeated conversions: Each conversion loses some quality (generation loss)

Quality preservation hierarchy (best to worst):

1. No conversion (keep original)
2. Same format, lower resolution only
3. Modern codec (H.265, VP9) from older codec (H.264, MPEG-2)
4. Older codec from modern codec (loses compression benefits)
5. Multiple consecutive conversions (avoid!)

Converting for Specific Platforms

Platform-specific requirements:

YouTube:

• Format: MP4 (H.264 video, AAC audio)
• Resolution: 1080p or 4K recommended
• Aspect ratio: 16:9 (widescreen) or 9:16 (vertical/Shorts)
• Max file size: 256GB or 12 hours

Instagram:

• Format: MP4 or MOV
• Resolution: 1080x1080 (square), 1080x1920 (vertical stories/reels)
• Duration: Up to 60 seconds (feed), 90 seconds (reels)
• Aspect ratio: 1:1 (square), 4:5 (portrait), 9:16 (stories)

TikTok:

• Format: MP4 or MOV
• Resolution: 1080x1920 (vertical)
• Aspect ratio: 9:16 required
• Max duration: 10 minutes
• Max file size: 4GB

LinkedIn:

• Format: MP4
• Resolution: 1080p recommended
• Aspect ratio: 16:9 (landscape) or 1:1 (square)
• Duration: 3 seconds to 10 minutes
• Max file size: 5GB

Subtitle and Caption Conversion

Create subtitle files from video:

1. Upload video with spoken audio
2. Wait for automatic transcription
3. Download as SRT or VTT format
4. Subtitle file includes:
   • Timestamped text segments
   • Speaker labels (optional)
   • Line breaks optimized for readability

Subtitle file uses:

• Add captions to social media videos
• Accessibility compliance (ADA, WCAG)
• Multi-language translation (translate subtitle file separately)
• Video editing software import

Troubleshooting Common Issues

”Conversion failed” Error

Causes:

• Corrupted or damaged video file
• Unsupported codec or container format
• File too large or too long
• Network interruption during upload

Solutions:

1. Try a different file or re-download original
2. Check file plays in media player before uploading
3. Use smaller file size or shorter video
4. Ensure stable internet connection
5. Contact support if issue persists

Quality Loss After Conversion

Causes:

• Converting to lower bitrate or resolution
• Using older, less efficient codec
• Multiple consecutive conversions

Solutions:

1. Keep original resolution and bitrate settings
2. Convert to modern codecs (H.265, VP9) for better compression
3. Avoid converting already-converted files
4. Use “High Quality” preset in settings

Audio Out of Sync After Conversion

Causes:

• Variable frame rate (VFR) in source video
• Incompatible codec combination
• Processing error during conversion

Solutions:

1. Re-upload and convert again
2. Select “Constant Frame Rate (CFR)” in advanced settings
3. Try different output format (MP4 usually most reliable)
4. Report issue to support with original file details

Converted File Won’t Play

Causes:

• Device doesn’t support chosen codec
• Incomplete download
• Media player compatibility issue

Solutions:

1. Try playing in different media player (VLC plays almost everything)
2. Re-download file completely
3. Convert to MP4 with H.264 codec (most universal compatibility)
4. Update media player or device firmware

Format Comparison Guide

Best Format for Each Use Case

Universal compatibility: MP4 (H.264) Highest quality: ProRes, DNxHD (for editing) Smallest file size: MP4 (H.265/HEVC), WebM (VP9) Web streaming: MP4 (H.264) or WebM (VP9) Social media: MP4 (H.264) Audio podcasts: MP3 (192-320 kbps) or M4A (AAC) Archival: Uncompressed AVI or lossless MKV Professional editing: ProRes (Mac) or DNxHD (Windows)

Format File Size Comparison

For 10-minute 1080p video:

• Uncompressed AVI: ~40GB
• ProRes HQ: ~20GB (editing)
• MP4 (H.264, high quality): ~800MB-1.5GB
• MP4 (H.265, high quality): ~400MB-700MB
• WebM (VP9): ~300MB-600MB
• MP4 (H.264, medium quality): ~300MB-500MB
• MP3 audio only: ~10MB-20MB

Next Steps

Now that you know how to convert videos to any format, explore these related topics:

• How to Download Videos from YouTube - Save online videos before converting
• How to Transcribe Audio to Text - Get searchable text from converted audio
• How to Add Subtitles to Videos - Create captions for converted videos

Start Converting Videos Today

ScreenApp makes video conversion effortless with AI-powered format detection, quality optimization, and automatic transcription. Transform any video into the format you need in minutes.

Ready to convert your first video? Start using ScreenApp for free and follow this guide.