Free MOV test files and sample generator
Apple's QuickTime video container. Common output from macOS and iOS devices.
What is a .mov file?
MOV: QuickTime Movie. MOV is Apple's QuickTime container and the native output of iPhones, iPads and macOS screen recording, which makes it the format most likely to arrive from a real user's device. Structurally it is a tree of atoms, with a sample table that records the size, timing and byte offset of every frame, so a player can seek anywhere without scanning the file.
Why generate a test MOV file?
- Test a video upload path with the format phones actually produce.
- Exercise a transcoder, thumbnail generator or media player.
- Check duration and dimension detection, and behavior on a truncated file.
What you can put inside a .mov file
You get 3 content options for MOV, so the file holds something meaningful rather than random padding: Color bars, Timer / counter, Logo motion. For MOV these are alternatives, so choose the one that matches what you need to test.
How a .mov file is identified
Every .mov file begins at offset 4 with 66 74 79 70, "ftyp" at offset 4, the file type box, preceded by its own 4-byte length. That is what a validator inspecting content rather than the file name looks for.
How the size lands on the exact byte
ISO base media files are a tree of boxes, and a `free` box is defined as ignorable, so the padding goes in one.
Negative testing with broken MOV files
- Invalid. Identifiable, but wrong inside, so it fails during parsing.
- Corrupted. The leading bytes are destroyed, so the
66 74 79 70identifying a .mov is gone. Same length as the valid file. - Incomplete. Truncated part-way, so it is genuinely shorter.
- Empty. Chosen under Content rather than File Condition: valid structure, no data.
Which failure to reach for, and what to assert for each, is covered in how to make a corrupted file for testing. For upload limits and type checks see testing file upload validation.
Sample MOV content
[Binary video], 1080p, H.264/HEVC, QuickTime.
This shows the shape of the file. Your download is generated fresh at the size you choose, so the values will differ.
How to open and verify the file
Play it in QuickTime, VLC or any browser, or inspect the atom tree with `ffprobe file.mov`. Files here carry real H.264 video encoded in your browser, so they play rather than merely opening, which also means MOV needs Chrome or Edge to generate.
Media type video/quicktime · extension .mov · category Video
Generate a .mov file → · questions about sizes, privacy or cost are answered on the site FAQ.
Frequently asked questions about MOV files
What identifies a .mov file?
A .mov file begins at offset 4 with the bytes 66 74 79 70, "ftyp" at offset 4, the file type box, preceded by its own 4-byte length. Those bytes are what a content-sniffing validator looks for, and what the Corrupted condition destroys.
How can a .mov file be an exact number of bytes?
ISO base media files are a tree of boxes, and a `free` box is defined as ignorable, so the padding goes in one.
What can go inside the MOV file?
There are 3 content options for .mov: Color bars, Timer / counter, Logo motion. For MOV these are alternatives, so pick the one matching what you need to test.
Can I download several broken MOV files at once?
Yes, select more than one File Condition and you get one ZIP containing a .mov per condition, each named after its condition.
Can the MOV file use UTF-16 or a byte-order mark?
No, and deliberately. A .mov file is a container rather than plain text, so rewriting its bytes as UTF-16 would not produce a UTF-16 document. It would produce a broken file. Use a text format such as CSV, JSON or XML for encoding tests.
How do I open or verify the MOV file?
Play it in QuickTime, VLC or any browser, or inspect the atom tree with ffprobe file.mov. Files here carry real H.264 video encoded in your browser, so they play rather than merely opening, which also means MOV needs Chrome or Edge to generate.