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Convert MTS to MP4 on your Mac

macOS and QuickTime won't open MTS. Convert MTS to MP4 on your Mac so it plays everywhere, with nothing uploaded. The desktop app batches entire folders.

Conversion Successful

How to Convert MTS to MP4 on a Mac

  1. 1

    Get TeraConvert for Mac

    Built for Apple Silicon. One-time Pro purchase, 14-day money-back guarantee.

  2. 2

    Drop your MTS files

    One file or a whole batch at once.

  3. 3

    Pick MP4 and convert

    Everything runs locally; nothing is uploaded.

Why Convert MTS to MP4?

AVCHD camcorders write MTS files, and macOS treats them like a foreign object. QuickTime will not open one, Finder shows no thumbnail, and the footage sits in a folder called STREAM until somebody finally deals with it, usually years later when the camcorder itself has been in a drawer since the holiday it recorded.

Same footage. MP4 just wraps it in a container everything understands, so the clips play in QuickTime and import into iMovie.

MTS
MP4
Container
MPEG-2 transport stream
Container
MP4 (ISOBMFF)
Video codec
H.264 (AVCHD)
Typical codec
H.264 / H.265
Audio codec
AC-3 or LPCM
Audio codec
AAC
Opens in QuickTime
No
Streaming friendly
Yes
Interlacing
Often 1080i
Device support
Universal
Typical use
Camcorder originals
Typical use
Web, mobile, TV

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I convert MTS to MP4 on a Mac?
Install TeraConvert for Mac, drag the MTS file in, and choose MP4. The conversion runs through native engines on your own disk, so nothing is uploaded and nothing is queued on someone else's server. macOS on Apple Silicon.
Can I convert MTS in the browser?
No. Browsers cannot demux an AVCHD transport stream, so this pair runs in the desktop app through FFmpeg. The footage stays on your Mac.
Does it re-encode the video?
Usually not. The video inside an MTS is already H.264, so the desktop app copies the stream into an MP4 container when it can, which is fast and leaves quality untouched.
What about interlaced 1080i footage?
It converts, and it stays interlaced unless you re-encode. Older camcorders shot 1080i and modern players handle it, though editing software is happier with progressive video.
Will the audio survive?
Yes. AC-3 or LPCM audio from the camcorder is carried over, and you can extract it as MP3 or WAV separately if you need just the sound.
Is my file still private in the desktop app?
Yes. The desktop app converts with native engines on your Mac and works offline after a one-time activation check. Nothing is uploaded, in the browser or on desktop.

A memory card of camcorder footage?

The desktop app converts every MTS clip in a folder through FFmpeg on your Mac. No upload, no size cap, no re-encoding when a copy will do.

Get TeraConvert for MacThis format runs in the Mac app. One-time Pro purchase, 14-day money-back guarantee.