Convert MOV to TEXT

Understanding MOV and text file formats

MOV is a multimedia container file format developed by Apple, commonly used for storing video, audio, and subtitles. It is widely supported by media players and editing software, especially on macOS and iOS platforms. Text files (with the .txt extension) are simple files that contain plain, unformatted text. They are universally compatible and can be opened with any text editor.

Why convert MOV to a text file?

Converting a MOV file to a text file typically means extracting information such as subtitles, metadata, or generating a transcript from the video’s audio. This is useful for accessibility, archiving, or editing purposes.

How to convert MOV to text file

Since MOV files are video containers, direct conversion to a text file is not possible. Instead, you can extract subtitles or transcribe the audio. Here are the main approaches:

• Extract embedded subtitles: If your MOV file contains subtitle tracks, you can extract them as a text file.
• Transcribe audio: Use speech-to-text software to convert spoken content in the MOV file into a text transcript.
• Extract metadata: Retrieve technical details (such as codec, duration) as a text report.

Recommended software and tools

• VLC Media Player: Free and cross-platform, VLC can extract subtitles from MOV files. Use Media → Convert/Save to access subtitle tracks.
• Audext or Otter.ai: Online services that transcribe audio from MOV files to text automatically.
• FFmpeg: A powerful command-line tool for extracting subtitles or metadata. For subtitles, use:
  ffmpeg -i input.mov -map 0:s:0 subs.srt
• MediaInfo: For extracting technical metadata as a text file.

Step-by-step example: Extracting subtitles with FFmpeg

1. Install FFmpeg from the official website.
2. Open a command prompt or terminal.
3. Run: ffmpeg -i yourfile.mov -map 0:s:0 output.srt
4. The extracted subtitles will be saved as output.srt, which is a text file.

Step-by-step example: Transcribing audio with Otter.ai

1. Sign up at Otter.ai.
2. Upload your MOV file.
3. Wait for the transcription to complete.
4. Download the transcript as a .txt file.

Conclusion

While you cannot directly convert a MOV video to a text file, you can extract subtitles, metadata, or transcribe the audio using specialized software. FFmpeg and Otter.ai are among the best tools for these tasks.