What is the best free online video format converter?

Sometimes online video converters come with all those annoying ads or just don’t cut it when you need to convert or edit videos quickly. If you’re looking for alternatives that can help you avoid the hassle of going online

- HendBrake: This bad boy is a free and open-source video transcoder that I’ve used quite a bit. It’s super versatile and can convert almost any format. The interface is a bit overwhelming at first, but once you get the hang of it, you can batch process videos like a pro.

- Photos App (Windows 10/11): You might not know this, but the Photos app can do some basic video editing and has a “Create” feature that lets you make video projects. I’ve used it to compile photos into a video and then exported it in different formats without any fuss.

- Virtual Machines: If you really want to dive deep, consider setting up a virtual machine and running different operating systems with various video conversion software. I haven’t personally delved into this method regularly, but it’s an option if you want to experiment with tools without committing to your main setup.

- Command Line Tools: If you're feeling adventurous and don’t mind getting your hands a little dirty with tech, tools like FFmpag can handle pretty much any conversion task you throw at it. It’s super powerful, but it means using commands instead of a nice GUI (Graphical User Interface). I found it handy for batch conversions once I got comfortable using command lines.

With desktop and mobile applications, you avoid the internet's speed issues or ads that slow everything down. Plus, having the software installed means you can convert whenever you need, without waiting for uploads or downloads (which is a lifesaver).