You can't convert an AAE file to MP4, because an AAE file contains no video at all: it is a small text file that records the edits you made in the iPhone Photos app. To get an MP4, export the edited video itself (usually a .mov) and convert that MOV to MP4. This guide shows where the real video is and how to turn it into an MP4 that plays anywhere.
What is an AAE file?
When you trim, crop, rotate or add a filter to a photo or video on an iPhone, Photos keeps the original untouched and saves your changes as a list of instructions. When you copy files from an iPhone to a Windows PC or a folder on a Mac, those instructions often come along as a separate .aae file next to the original, for example IMG_1234.MOV and IMG_1234.AAE.
The AAE file is just a few kilobytes of text. Only Apple's Photos app knows how to read it and apply the edits. Video players, editors and converters ignore it, and renaming it to .mp4 will not make it play.
So there are two things you might want:
- The video as it was recorded. That is the
.mov(or.mp4) file with the same number. You can convert it straight away. - The video with your edits applied. You need to export it from Photos first, so the edits are baked into a new video file.
Get the edited video out of Photos
On an iPhone, open the video in Photos, tap Share and choose Save to Files, or send it with AirDrop. The shared copy includes your edits. You can also change Settings → Photos → Transfer to Mac or PC to Automatic, so videos copied over a cable are converted to more compatible files.
On a Mac, select the video in the Photos app and choose File → Export → Export 1 Video. That version includes your edits; Export Unmodified Original gives you the original file plus its AAE file instead.
Either way, you end up with a normal video file, usually a MOV. Now you can make it an MP4.
Convert the MOV to MP4 in your browser
MOV to MP4 ConverterConvert iPhone and Mac MOV videos to MP4 (H.264) that plays everywhere. Runs on your device with FFmpeg in the browser, no upload needed.Open tool- Open the MOV to MP4 Converter and drop your MOV file on the page, or click to browse. You can add several at once.
- Adjust the quality if you like, then click Convert.
- Download the MP4 file. If it isn't quite right, change the options and run it again on the same file.
The converter runs in your browser with a WebAssembly build of FFmpeg, so your video is not uploaded anywhere. The output is MP4 (H.264 video with AAC audio), which plays on virtually every phone, browser, TV and video editor. The first time you use it, the converter engine (about 30 MB) is downloaded once and then cached. After that, speed depends on your device and the length of the clip; a short phone clip usually takes seconds.
On an iPhone, the Filevale app is the easiest route: it has the same kind of conversion tools on-device. The browser converter is the no-install alternative and works in Safari too.
Other formats and other goals
Video ConverterConvert videos to MP4, GIF or audio right in your browser. Files never leave your device.Open toolIf your file is not a MOV, the Video Converter accepts MP4, MOV, WEBM, MKV, AVI, M4V, 3GP, FLV and WMV, and can save as MP4, WebM, GIF or audio (MP3, M4A or WAV).
- Video too big to send? Compress Video makes it smaller (up to 1280p, H.264) and saves an MP4. See also how to reduce video file size.
- Want a short looping clip? Use Video to GIF.
- Only need the sound? Use MP4 to MP3.
Filevale doesn't trim or edit video, so make any cuts in Photos before you export.
Frequently asked questions
Can I delete AAE files?
Yes, if you don't need the edits. Deleting an AAE file removes only the edit instructions; the original photo or video is unchanged. If you want to keep your edits, export the edited version from Photos first, as described above.
Why do I have an AAE file but no video?
The AAE file is usually saved next to the original with the same number, such as IMG_1234.MOV. If you only copied the AAE file, go back to the iPhone or the Photos library and export the video itself.
Will converting MOV to MP4 keep my iPhone edits?
Only if the edits are already in the MOV. The converter reads the video file, not the AAE file, so export the edited video from Photos first and convert that copy. For other video and audio tools, see the video and audio hub.