How to Import Videos Into iTunes

Preparing Videos

1. Check the format of the video you want to add. iTunes only supports a few different video formats: .mov, .m4v, and .mp4. Beyond that, the files need to be able to play in QuickTime (not all .mp4 files will play in Quicktime, for example).

   1. Right-click on the video you want to check and select "Properties" (Windows) or "Get Info" (OS X).
   2. Look for the "Type of file" or "Kind" entry. If the file is an .mkv, .wmv, or .avi file, it will need to be converted.
   3. Test the file in QuickTime. If the file is a supported format, load it up in QuickTime to make sure it plays. If it doesn't play, you'll need to convert it. If it works, you can skip down to importing the video.

2. Download and install Handbrake. This is a free, open-source video conversion program without any adware, available for Windows and OS X. It is also one of the easiest and quickest ways to convert video files to an iTunes-compatible format.

   1. You can download HandBrake from handbrake.fr.
   2. It is best to avoid websites that claim to convert videos for you online. They often have file size limits and uploading and downloading the video can take a significant amount of bandwidth.

3. Launch Handbrake. After installing, you should be able to find a shortcut on your desktop or in your Applications folder. It may look a little confusing, but you'll be ignoring most of the advanced options when performing quick conversions for iTunes.

4. Click the "Source" button. This is located in the upper-right corner, and will prompt you to select a file to convert.

5. Select how you want to add the file(s). If you have multiple files you want to convert, select the Folder option. All of the files will need to be located in the same folder. If you are converting a single video, select the File option and browse for the file.

6. Click the .Browse button next to the Destination field. This will allow you to set a destination folder for the converted video. You will need to type a name for the file as well.

7. Select the "Universal" preset in the right frame. If you don't see the Presets frame, click the Presets menu and select "Show Presets Panel".

   1. The "Universal" preset will convert any video into an .mp4 format that can be imported into iTunes.

8. Click the "Start" button. HandBrake will begin converting the file into the new format. This will take a few minutes, and longer videos such as full-length movies may take up to half an hour or more.

9. Test the converted video. Once the video has been converted, play it in QuickTime to ensure that the conversion went smoothly. In most cases, you should notice very little or no loss in quality.^{[1] X Research source}