To convert any video to ProRes on Windows: install Grabbit, open the Converter tab, drop a local video file (MP4, MKV, AVI, MOV, WebM), select ProRes HQ in the format picker, and click Convert. Grabbit converts locally with FFmpeg — no cloud, no file size limit, no Mac needed. Pro
ProRes is Apple's professional video codec — the standard intermediate format used in film, TV, and commercial post-production. Unlike H.264 or H.265, ProRes uses intra-frame compression: every frame is stored independently. This makes editing, color grading, and effects rendering dramatically faster because your software never has to decode multiple frames at once just to display one.
| Tool | Grabbit | CloudConvert | Convertio | HandBrake 1.11 | FFmpeg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| File size limit | ✓ None | ~ 8 GB (free) | ✗ 100 MB (free) | ✓ None | ✓ None |
| Uploads your file | ✓ No — 100% local | ✗ Uploads to cloud | ✗ Uploads to cloud | ✓ Local | ✓ Local |
| ProRes HQ support | ✓ Yes | ~ 422 only (free) | ~ Limited variants | ✓ Yes (v1.11+) | ✓ Yes |
| GUI / ease of use | ✓ Simple UI | ✓ Web interface | ✓ Web interface | ~ Complex settings | ✗ Command line only |
| Cost | Pro — $8.99/mo or $59.99/yr | ~ 25 min/day limit | ~ 100 MB cap | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Cost for heavy use | $8.99/mo or $59.99/yr | From $13/mo | From $14.99/mo | Free forever | Free forever |
A single 4K ProRes file can exceed 10 GB. Online converters cap at 100 MB–8 GB. Grabbit converts locally — any size, any length.
Cloud converters upload your footage to foreign servers. Grabbit converts on your machine — faster, private, and no internet dependency after install.
Drop any MP4, MKV, AVI, MOV, or WebM file into the Converter and select ProRes HQ. Grabbit runs FFmpeg locally — no cloud, no command line, no file size limit.
HandBrake 1.11 added ProRes support, but requires navigating complex codec menus. Grabbit exposes ProRes HQ as a single option — one click.
Apple ProRes is a family of codecs. Grabbit outputs ProRes HQ (ProRes 422 HQ) — the highest-quality variant for standard dynamic range content, with a data rate roughly 50% higher than standard ProRes 422. It is widely accepted by all professional NLEs (Non-Linear Editors).
For most video editing and delivery workflows, ProRes HQ is the right choice. It provides excellent quality-to-file-size ratio and is natively supported by Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Adobe Premiere, and Avid Media Composer on both Mac and Windows.
ProRes is a family of six codecs, and the choice matters less than most people expect. Approximate data rates are for 1080p at 25 fps — they scale roughly four times for 4K.
| Variant | ~Data rate | Colour | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| 422 Proxy | 45 Mbps | 10-bit 4:2:2 | Offline editing on modest hardware |
| 422 LT | 102 Mbps | 10-bit 4:2:2 | Light delivery, proxy workflows |
| 422 | 147 Mbps | 10-bit 4:2:2 | Standard editing, good size balance |
| 422 HQ | 220 Mbps | 10-bit 4:2:2 | Broadcast delivery and grading — what Grabbit outputs |
| 4444 | 330 Mbps | 12-bit 4:4:4:4 | Only when you need an alpha channel |
| 4444 XQ | 500 Mbps | 12-bit 4:4:4:4 | HDR and very heavy grading |
Grabbit outputs ProRes 422 HQ because it is the answer for the overwhelming majority of professional work: it is what broadcasters specify, and it leaves ample headroom for colour grading. Unless you specifically need transparency, ProRes 4444 gives you a 50% larger file with no visible benefit.
"I have to download the Apple ProRes codec for Windows before any of this works."
There is no such download. Apple discontinued QuickTime for Windows in 2016 and has never shipped a ProRes codec pack for the platform. ProRes support lives inside each application, not in Windows itself — which is why VLC and every major editor already play ProRes on a PC without you installing anything. We cover this in detail in ProRes on Windows.
Worth knowing before you go looking through the Deliver page: the Windows build of DaVinci Resolve cannot export ProRes, in the free version or in Studio. Apple licenses the encoder for macOS only, so Blackmagic is not permitted to include it. Resolve imports and plays ProRes on Windows perfectly well — it simply cannot write it.
The workaround is to export a DNxHR HQ master from Resolve and convert that file to ProRes 422 HQ. We walk through the exact export settings in exporting ProRes from DaVinci Resolve on Windows.
Yes. ProRes was created by Apple but is an open format — any software with the right codec can read and write it on Windows. Grabbit converts to ProRes HQ on Windows 10 and 11 with no Mac, no Final Cut Pro, and no Apple account required.
No. Because Grabbit processes everything locally on your PC, there is no file size restriction. Online converters like CloudConvert cap at 8 GB (free plan) and Convertio at 100 MB. A 4K RAW or ProRes file can easily exceed those limits — Grabbit handles any size.
Yes, in two steps within Grabbit: use the Downloader tab to save the YouTube video to your PC first, then open the Converter tab, drop the file, select ProRes HQ and convert. Both operations run completely locally — no cloud upload at any point.
ProRes HQ is exported in a .mov container (QuickTime Movie), which is the standard container for ProRes files and is natively supported by all major NLEs on both Mac and Windows.
Grabbit is free to download and includes a permanent free plan for video downloads. The Converter (ProRes HQ, DNxHR HQ, and all format conversions) is a Pro feature — $8.99/month or $59.99/year. Download the app free, then unlock the Converter with a Pro license.
H.264 and H.265 use inter-frame compression — the codec stores differences between frames, so decoding one frame requires decoding several around it. During editing, this causes dropped frames, slow scrubbing, and CPU spikes. ProRes is an intra-frame codec: each frame is stored independently, so your NLE can jump to any frame instantly. The result is smooth real-time playback, faster rendering, and much more accurate color grading.
Windows 10/11 · No file size limit · 100% local · Converter requires Pro — $8.99/mo or $59.99/yr