Free online TREC to 3GPP converter

A TREC file usually comes from TechSmith Camtasia, while phones and older mobile-video workflows may require the 3GPP container with a .3gp extension. Conversion is needed when a Camtasia recording must be played by software or hardware that does not support TREC.

What the TREC format is

TREC is TechSmith’s proprietary recording format used by Camtasia for screen captures, webcam video, microphone audio, system audio, cursor movement, and recording metadata. Camtasia creates TREC files when recording the screen; the file may also contain information used for editing inside Camtasia.

TREC is not a normal video container that general-purpose players and FFmpeg can reliably decode directly. Exporting it from Camtasia first is usually necessary, and editable elements such as cursor effects, annotations, or separate recording tracks may be rendered into a single video during export.

What the 3GPP format is

3GPP is a mobile multimedia container commonly stored with the .3gp extension. It was designed for 3G mobile networks and older phones, with support commonly associated with MPEG-4 Part 2 or H.263 video and AMR or AAC audio.

The format can produce smaller files and remains useful for legacy mobile hardware and applications that specifically request 3GPP. Modern phones and players generally support MP4 more consistently, so 3GPP should be selected for a compatibility requirement rather than as a general replacement for MP4.

How to convert TREC to 3GPP

Using the built-in online converter:

1. Open the TREC-to-3GPP conversion page on 101convert.com.
2. Choose the TREC file from your device.
3. Select 3GPP or .3gp as the output format and start the conversion.
4. Download the resulting file and test it in the target phone, player, or application.

Using Camtasia and FFmpeg:

1. Open the recording in Camtasia and use Export → Local File to create an MP4, retaining the required frame size and audio.
2. Install FFmpeg and convert the exported file with:

ffmpeg -i recording.mp4 -c:v mpeg4 -q:v 5 -c:a aac -b:a 96k -f 3gp recording.3gp

The intermediate MP4 is required because FFmpeg generally does not decode Camtasia TREC recordings directly. For older devices that reject AAC, use an AMR-NB audio encoder available in the installed FFmpeg build and a supported AMR bitrate, for example -c:a libopencore_amrnb -ar 8000 -ac 1 -b:a 12.2k.

Quality and compatibility limitations

Exporting from TREC renders the recording into a conventional video stream; it does not preserve Camtasia’s editable timeline, callouts, cursor effects as separate objects, or recording tracks. Choose the final frame size before conversion, because enlarging a small 3GPP file cannot restore screen detail.

Older 3GPP devices may require low resolutions such as 176×144 or 320×240, H.263 or MPEG-4 Part 2 video, and AMR-NB audio. Newer software may accept H.264 and AAC in a 3GP container, but compatibility varies; if playback fails, reduce the resolution and use the older codec combination required by the device.