What is a 3GP file?
3GP — mobile video
Use the format 3GP
A concrete example
Prepare an MP4 from a video recorded on an old mobile.
Useful checks
Preserve the original resolution if possible. Enlarging the video does not recreate missing details.
Choose a conversion
Keep the original and open the result in the software or on the device that will need to use it.
Your questions about this format
How to choose between MP4, WEBM, and MKV?
MP4 is suitable for many sharing purposes; WEBM is particularly intended for web playback. MKV may be better suited for content with multiple tracks. Look at the outputs offered for your file and test the result on the player you will actually use.
Can I extract only the audio from my video?
Yes, if MP3 is listed among the outputs of your source. Add the video, choose MP3, and start the conversion. The file must contain an audio track: a silent video cannot produce a sound recording.
Why am I being offered MKV for tracks and subtitles?
Not all outputs retain the same tracks. If the engine indicates that a MKV container is required, go back to the output selection and choose MKV instead of forcing a conversion that would remove elements. This output may fall under NoLimit.
How many videos can I convert for free?
The free offer allows one video per day, within the total quota of ten files and the limit of 100 MB per file. A batch of three files does not add three video rights: the video quota remains shared. A valid NoLimit access adjusts the limits according to the displayed offer.
What is it?
3GP is a video format designed for mobile phones from before the smartphone era: small frame size, minimal bitrate, heavily compressed audio.
Everything is sacrificed to keep the file size down, since video had to travel over slow, pay-by-the-megabyte third-generation mobile networks.
History & origin
The format was defined in the early 2000s by the consortium that standardizes mobile telephony, as a stripped-down version of MP4.
It shipped on an entire generation of flip phones before disappearing with the arrival of smartphones and fast networks.
Why it is useful
Extremely lightweight files, playable on very modest devices.
It retains archival value: old family videos sometimes exist only in this format.
Limits & drawbacks
Very low quality, both in image and sound.
It's poorly supported by today's players and editing software.
Practical tips
Convert your old 3GP files to MP4: this will make them playable on any modern device.
Don't expect miracles in terms of quality: what was never recorded can't be restored. Conversion preserves access, not resolution.
Convert your 3GP in seconds, on our secure servers in France.
Convert a 3GP