What 3GP is
3GP was the video format of mobile phones in the 2000s and early 2010s, defined by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), the group behind 3G mobile networks. It’s a cut-down version of MP4 designed for tiny screens, slow networks and limited storage. Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Samsung and early Android phones all recorded 3GP, so it’s common in old phone backups and memory cards. .3g2 is the variant used on CDMA networks.
Today’s phones, Windows’ built-in apps and many players no longer open 3GP files, which is why converting them to MP4 is the easiest way to keep those videos watchable.
How to use it
- Choose your
.3gpor.3g2files, or drop them on the box above. You can add a whole folder’s worth at once. - Each file is converted on your device, usually within seconds.
- Download the MP4s individually or together as a ZIP.
Finding old phone videos
3GP videos usually turn up in a few places:
- Memory cards from old phones, in folders such as
DCIM,VideosorMy Videos. - Phone backups made with software such as Nokia PC Suite or Samsung Kies, often in a folder of their own.
- Old email attachments and MMS messages, which often carried 3GP clips because of their small size.
- Cloud photo libraries that imported old phones’ media years ago.
Which 3GP files convert
| Video inside | Typical phones | Converts here? |
|---|---|---|
| H.264 with AAC audio | Most phones from about 2010 on | Yes, copied without quality loss |
| H.263 or MPEG-4 Part 2 with AMR audio | Early camera phones, before about 2010 | No: browsers can’t decode these |
For the older kind, VLC can convert to MP4 for free: open Media › Convert / Save, add the file, and choose the Video - H.264 + MP3 (MP4) profile.
Privacy
Old phone videos are often family memories. They’re converted inside your browser using Mediabunny, an open-source media library, and never uploaded anywhere.
Questions
Why does my 3GP video show an error?
The earliest camera phones recorded 3GP with H.263 video and AMR audio, formats that browsers never supported and can't decode. Those videos need a desktop app such as VLC (Media › Convert) or HandBrake. 3GP videos using H.264, from most phones made after about 2010, convert here.
How can I tell which kind of 3GP I have?
Try converting it. If it works, it's H.264. You can also open it in VLC and look under Tools › Codec Information; H.263 or MPEG-4 Part 2 video and AMR audio mean the older kind.
Will the video look better as MP4?
No. Converting keeps the picture exactly as it is, often a small resolution like 176 × 144 or 320 × 240 from early phone cameras. MP4 makes the video playable, not sharper.
Is quality lost?
Not for H.264 3GP files. Their video is copied into the MP4 unchanged, and AAC audio is copied too.
Last reviewed 4 November 2026