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“Ever since I’ve upgraded from Adobe Premiere Pro to Premiere Pro CC, I can no longer edit my 3GP files. It shows that my video files are unsupported. How can I fix this?”
This was a query sent by one of our clients who was having trouble editing their 3GP videos. We suggested VLC Media Player and an online converter tool to help resolve their issue.
3GP is a multimedia file container designed to save space, data usage and bandwidth of the user. However, today’s smartphones no longer support this video format. Not only that, but most of the video editing tools also show errors when you try to edit video files stored in 3GP format. This is why it’s necessary to convert 3GP file to MP4 video file format. MP4 is comparatively a more flexible file format than 3GP, which is easily played by almost all media players. It is quite popular among users. Let’s see how to convert a 3GP file to MP4 without compromising its quality.
To Convert 3GP Video File to MP4, try Kernel Video Converter Software. You can easily convert 3GP files to MP4 file without compromising with quality.
What are 3GP and MP4 formats?
3GP: 3GP, also known as the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), is a multimedia container format. It is known for its 3G UMTS multimedia services and is widely used by 3G mobile users. It is also supported by some 2G and 4G phones. This file format is structurally based on the ISO-based multimedia file format.
MP4: This is the most popular video file format and supports both video and audio content. Based on the QuickTime format, this extension is used by a number of users. Not just video files, it can save subtitles and images very easily for a smooth user experience.
Why convert 3gp file to MP4?
Users convert 3GP files to MP4 to improve playback quality and to share videos easily. Other reasons include:
- Better compatibility: MP4 video files are widely compatible with different kinds of devices like, desktops (Windows Mac, Linux), smartphones (android and iOS), gaming consoles (Xbox, PlayStation), smart TVs, etc. On the contrary, 3GP videos are only compatible with old mobile phones.
- High quality videos: MP4 videos offer high resolution video and audio quality with high video compression. 3GP videos are designed for low bitrate videos, resulting in low resolution video quality.
- Better editing: While professional video editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro and Final Cut support 3GP format, it is recommended to convert videos to MP4 format for editing before importing the file. MP4 is the preferred format to edit videos as they produce high quality videos.
- Easy sharing: MP4 video format is compatible with all major platforms like YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, etc. and is the primary format of many messaging platforms for easy uploading and playback.
Read also: Convert MP4 to MP3 in Simple Steps
A comparison between 3GP and MP4 file
| Features | 3GP | MP4 |
|---|---|---|
| Primary use case | Video format for older 3G phones | Used for modern streaming on web browser and mobile |
| Video resolution | Low resolution | High Definition |
| File size | Usually under 2MB | 720p & 1080p- 1GB-4GB, 4K- 10GB-225GB |
| Supported codecs | H.263, MPEG-4 Part 2, H.264 | H.264/AVC, H.265/HEVC, MPEG-4, etc. |
| Compression | Offers more compression but videos are low quality | Highly compressed with high video quality |
| Compatibility | Mostly compatible with old phones | Compatible with all devices, TV, and Web |
How to convert 3gp file to mp4 for free?
If you are looking to convert 3gp to mp4 for free, then you can try using VLC Media Player or give a try to online converter tools. It is important to note that these methods may not produce 100% accurate results.
Note: Take a backup of your 3GP video files before trying to convert them to MP4 format.
Method 1. Try online conversion utilities
There are so many online conversion utilities available on the Internet. Choose one that meets your requirements the best. Check out the reviews or the feedback shared by other users before selecting particular utility. Once satisfied, convert your video file easily. These online conversion utilities are quite easy to use and do not require any technical knowledge to operate them. However, a big risk of using these utilities is that these online tools don’t guarantee data safety. Your sensitive videos may get leaked during conversion.
Method 2. Try VLC media player
VLC Media Player is a versatile application for video playback and to fix minor corruption in video files. It can also help you convert your video files to a desired format. This is an easy and free way to convert a video file to another, but it does not guarantee the conversion with the original quality intact. Have a look at this process.
- Open VLC Media Player and click on the Tools menu in the toolbar and select Preferences.
- Now, select the Input/Codecs option from the Preferences window.
- To fix the corrupt file, look for the Files category. There, select Always fix from the Damaged or incomplete AVI file’s dropdown box. Once done, click on the Save button to save and finish.
Once done successfully, your problem should be fixed. If not, maybe the corruption is severe and needs a better and powerful free video conversion tool.
Convert 3GP video to MP4 with professional tool
VLC Media Player can convert a few 3GP videos to MP4 format, but what if you have multiple videos that you want to update? There are no direct methods for free bulk conversion of 3GP videos; neither are any workarounds safe to use. The best way to convert 3GP video to MP4 without compromising with the video quality is to use a trusted 3GP to MP4 Converter tool.
Kernel Video Converter tool is the best option to convert multiple 3GP video files to MP4 and other video formats in simple steps. It preserves the original video quality and all its metadata including length, width, aspect, ratio, frame rate, etc. Some key features of this tool include:
- No compromise with the video quality.
- The tool is quite easy to use and has self-descriptive features.
- Can add as many video files as needed.
- Can save the converted files on an external storage device
- Option to save the report to CSV.
Let’s see how this video conversion tool works:
- Go to the tool page on the website, download the tool, and install it properly on your system.
- Once done, run the tool on your system. In the home screen of the tool, look for the plus icon and click on it.
- Add the 3GP file you want to convert with the tool and click Open, once done.
- Add single or multiple files in the last step. Once you have checked all the added files, click on the Next button.
- Choose the format you want to convert your 3GP file(s) into and click on Convert Now.
- Now, provide a destination to save the file(s) after conversion. Select a suitable location on your system or on an external drive. Click OK Once done.
- The tool will show you the live status of the conversion on your screen. Wait for the process to finish.
- Once the process is over, click on the Close button to end the process.
Note: You can terminate the process by clicking on the Stop button.
Note: If you want to get a detailed CSV report of the process, click on the Save report to CSV.
Ending note
It’s necessary to convert 3GP file to MP4 if you need to edit videos in high definition or view your 3GP videos on smartphones. In this blog, we have discussed the basic features of both 3GP and MP4 format and the reasons behind this conversion process. Try using VLC Media Player or reliable online converter tools to save 3GP files in MP4 format. You can also opt for a professional Video Converter tool if you need to convert multiple 3GP videos at once.
Frequently Asked Questions
A. 3GP videos are by default low-resolution videos. Make sure that you choose a converter that supports H.264 output video codec so that you don’t lose quality during conversion. Don’t forget to set the same frame rate, resolution, and bitrate values to preserve the original quality.
A. No, you can’t improve or increase the quality of your 3GP videos by converting them to MP4 format. Although, you can preserve the original video quality by converting it to MP4 format and prevent further data loss.
A. Some online converters allow conversion of multiple video files at once, but there’s no guarantee of accuracy.
