Mac OS X – Encode Videos For iTunes Using Finder

Tutorials
August 25, 2013
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Ever since Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, the ability to encode videos (convert videos) into a format acceptable to iTunes and by extension all our iOS devices, iPhone, iPad and iPods has been built into the Mac OS operating system itself. Finder to be precise.

With this ends the need to search endlessly for freeware apps or purchase video converter apps just so we can view our favourite videos on our iOS devices.

This Finder encoder feature is not at all apparent until you select a video/audio file and right-click, selecting the Services sub-menu wherein you will find the option to (in the case of video files) “Encode Selected Video Files”:

You will be greeted by the main Finder encoder window after you have clicked “Encode Selected Video Files”:

Here you may select the desired resolution of the converted file as well as prioritise between greater compatibility or higher quality. As well as the target folder which the resulting converted file should be saved in and whether Finder ought to delete the source file upon completion.

Unfortunately Apple did not include a progress bar or any indication of the duration a conversion will take leaving us with only a gear shaped icon in the Menu Bar which displays that encoding is underway when you hover your mouse over this icon.