Guide
3GP to MP4: old phone videos, playable again
Drop a 3GP file from an old phone above and get an MP4 that plays on any modern phone or computer. Nothing is uploaded.
In short
- This converter turns a 3GP or 3G2 file from an old phone into an MP4.
- The picture keeps its original size. It is never blown up to look bigger.
- Old phone sound (AMR) is converted to AAC at 160 kbps.
- Nothing is uploaded. Everything runs inside this browser tab.
3GP to MP4
Runs in your browser · files never leave this page
Drop a 3GP file here
or
The engine reads the file first. An H.264 picture with AAC sound is copied into the MP4 with no re-encode. Anything else is written as H.264 + AAC.
Your file never leaves this page. The engine downloads once, the work happens in this tab, and there is no upload, no account and no storage. Close the tab and the file is gone unless you downloaded it.
More free tools: Video compressor · Video resizer · Video to MP4 · Video to MP3 · Video clipper · all tools
What is a 3GP file?
3GP is the video format of older mobile phones, from before smartphones.
- 3GP files come from old Nokia, Samsung and Sony Ericsson phones, and early Android phones.
- Inside a 3GP you find small H.263 or H.264 video, with AMR or AAC sound.
- The picture is often only 176 × 144 or 320 × 240 pixels.
- Many modern phones and apps no longer open a file that ends in .3gp.
What the converter does
It copies what an MP4 can hold as it is, and re-encodes only what it cannot.
- Copied: H.264 video and AAC sound go into the MP4 untouched. No quality loss.
- Re-encoded: any other video becomes H.264 at a high quality setting (CRF 23).
- Sound: any other sound becomes AAC at 160 kbps.
- Web ready: the MP4 is set up to start playing before it fully loads.
What happens to each part of your 3GP file
The first video track and the first sound track are used. The rest is left out.
| Inside the file | What you get in the MP4 | How long |
|---|---|---|
| H.264 video | Copied as is, no quality loss | Seconds |
| H.263 or MPEG-4 video | Re-encoded once to H.264 | Minutes for a long file |
| AMR sound (voice) | Converted to AAC at 160 kbps | Seconds |
| AAC sound | Copied as is | Seconds |
| Picture size | Kept the same, never blown up | - |
Inside the file: H.264 video
- What you get in the MP4
- Copied as is, no quality loss
- How long
- Seconds
Inside the file: H.263 or MPEG-4 video
- What you get in the MP4
- Re-encoded once to H.264
- How long
- Minutes for a long file
Inside the file: AMR sound (voice)
- What you get in the MP4
- Converted to AAC at 160 kbps
- How long
- Seconds
Inside the file: AAC sound
- What you get in the MP4
- Copied as is
- How long
- Seconds
Inside the file: Picture size
- What you get in the MP4
- Kept the same, never blown up
- How long
- -
This is the whole editor
Highlight a phrase and a clip lands on those exact words. No timeline, no keyframes, no layers.
How to convert 3GP to MP4
Four steps, all in this tab.
3GP to MP4 in four steps
Drop your 3GP file
In the box at the top
The engine reads it
Which video and sound it holds
Copy or re-encode
Only what MP4 cannot hold is redone
Download the MP4
Saved to your device
Limits of a browser tool
Everything runs on your own device, so your device sets the limits.
- File size: up to 500 MB runs comfortably. Bigger files may run out of memory.
- Speed: the engine uses one processor core, so a long re-encode takes minutes.
- First run: the engine downloads once, about 32 MB. After that it starts fast.
- Phones: it works, but a laptop is faster and has more memory.
Questions people ask
- Will converting make my old phone video sharper?
- No. The MP4 keeps the original size, often 176 × 144 or 320 × 240 pixels. Making it bigger would not add detail that was never filmed.
- Is 3GP to MP4 fast?
- Yes. 3GP videos are small, so even a re-encode takes little time. H.264 video is copied in seconds.
- What about .3g2 files?
- They are the same idea from other phone networks. The converter accepts .3gp and .3g2 files.
- Can I convert many 3GP files at once?
- One at a time. Each file runs in this tab and downloads as its own MP4.
- Is my 3GP file uploaded anywhere?
- No. The tool runs inside this browser tab, so your 3GP file never leaves your device. Only the engine itself is downloaded, about 32 MB, once per visit.
Want a finished video with captions, not just a converted file? Cutroom edits your clip for you. Your first video is free.