How to Convert MPEG-4 to iMovie

When you try to import video footages captured by your camcorder to iMovie for editing, you would disappointedly find some footages can be accessed from the camera import window, but some can’t be recognized by iMovie. Puzzled and annoyed, aren’t you? Take it easy.

Some camcorders can capture video footages in two video formats: MPEG-2 and MPEG-4. We know, MPEG-2 is in iMovie-supported format but MPEG-4 not. If your camcorder has captured video footages in both formats, you will come across the similar satiation mentioned in the first paragraph: You can’t import MPEG-4 to iMovie but MPEG-2. So if you want to edit MPEG-4 footages in iMovie, you have to convert MPEG-4 to iMovie first.

Next, I’ll share my experience. I use a professional Mac Video Converter to deal with MPEG-4 files recorded by my camcorder. This app directly offers me an optimized preset for iMovie. I just need to select the “iMovie” as the output format. It’s very easy and efficient. You can follow me step by step. But before doing this, you need to take the MPEG-4 video footages out of camcorders and save them on your Mac.

Step 1: Download and install this MPEG-4 to iMovie Video Converter for Mac

Click the following link to download the latest version of this app. After that, you need to install and launch it.

download Video Converter for Mac

Step 2: Import your MPEG-4 files to this Mac Video Converter

Directly drag & drop these MPEG-4 files from your Mac to this app or go to “File”>"Add Video Files” to import them into this program.

Step 3: Select iMovie as the output format

Next, you need to select the optimized preset for iMovie. Click the format icon to open the output format list, and then select “iMovie” option in the “Apple Software” category.

Note: You can also use this app’s editing function to do some simple editing before importing into iMovie. For example, you can cut off some unwanted clips, merge several video clips into one, or add watermark and video effect etc.

Step 4: Start to convert MPEG-4 to iMovie

Just press the “Start” button on the lower-right corner of this Mac Video Converter’s interface to convert your MPEG-4 videos to iMovie. When the conversion is finished, you can import the already-converted files into iMovie. At this time, you’ll find there is no roadblock any more. Just have a try.