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How to convert MP4 to ProRes on Mac

Updated 12 November 2026.

Drop the MP4 into Cutaway's Convert tab and click Convert. Cutaway suggests MOV · ProRes for MP4 files, so you get an editing-friendly ProRes MOV next to the original.

Download for MacNo account. macOS 15 or later, Apple silicon.

Steps

  1. Add the clips. Open the Convert tab and drop in the MP4 files. A whole shoot can go in at once.
  2. Check the format. Cutaway suggests MOV · ProRes for MP4 and M4V files. Use Set all to… to apply one format to every file.
  3. Click Convert. Each ProRes MOV is saved next to its source unless you choose another folder.
  4. Drag into your editor. Drag the finished files straight from Cutaway onto your timeline or into a bin.

Why editors convert to ProRes

H.264 and HEVC squeeze video hard by describing most frames as changes from the frames around them. That is efficient for playback and heavy for editing, because scrubbing or cutting means rebuilding frames on the fly.

ProRes stores every frame whole. Scrubbing, reverse playback and multicam stay responsive, and the picture holds up through several rounds of export.

Expect much larger files

This is the trade. A ProRes file is typically several times the size of the MP4 it came from, so check your free space before converting a long recording. Cutaway shows the size before and after on every row.

Converting to ProRes does not add quality that the MP4 never had. It keeps what is there and makes it easier to work with.

Which ProRes you get

For files macOS can read directly, which covers ordinary MP4s, Cutaway writes ProRes 422 with uncompressed audio in a MOV. Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve and other editors import it without extra software.

Questions

Do I need Final Cut Pro or Compressor installed?

No. Cutaway writes ProRes using what is built into macOS.

Can I convert MOV or MKV files to ProRes too?

Yes. Any video Cutaway can open can be converted to a ProRes MOV.

Can I convert ProRes back to MP4 for delivery?

Yes. Drop in the ProRes MOV and choose MP4 with H.264 or HEVC.

Is my footage uploaded?

No. The conversion happens on your Mac, and Cutaway has no server that receives files.

Related guides

Get Cutaway

Cutaway is a Mac app that downloads, trims and converts the media around your edit. It runs on your Mac, with no account and no analytics.

Download for MacNo account. macOS 15 or later, Apple silicon.