3GP File Format (.3gp)
A 3GP file holds video and audio in the multimedia container the 3GPP standards body defined for GSM-lineage mobile phones, a stripped-down MPEG-4 Part 12 structure sized for slow cellular links.
3GP at a glance#
| Full name | 3GPP Multimedia |
|---|---|
| File extension | .3gp |
| Category | Video Files |
| Developer | 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) |
| First released | 2003 |
| MIME types | video/3gppaudio/3gpp |
| Compression | Lossy |
| Specification | 3GPP TS 26.244 |
| FileFlip support | FileFlip reads this format but does not write it |
What a .3gp file can hold#
These are the things a 3GP file either supports or does not, and they are what decides whether a conversion keeps everything or quietly drops something.
| Lossless compression | No |
|---|---|
| Embedded metadata | No |
| Audio | Yes |
| Video | Yes |
| Subtitle tracks | No |
| Chapters | No |
| Encryption | No |
| Streaming | Yes |
Strengths and limitations of 3GP#
What 3GP does well
- Built on the same MPEG-4 Part 12 structure as MP4, so basic playback support is broad even outside dedicated mobile software
- Low bitrate H.263, MPEG-4 Part 2, or H.264 video paired with AMR audio kept files small enough to send over MMS and early 3G data
- Was for years the format feature phones and early smartphones recorded video in by default, so archives of that era's footage are commonly 3GP
- Explicitly designed as a streaming format, per the standard's own name, for playback over packet-switched mobile networks
Where 3GP falls short
- Video resolution and bitrate are capped low by design, so 3GP footage looks noticeably worse than anything recorded on a modern phone
- AMR audio, the format's default, isn't supported by FFmpeg's LGPL build or many desktop editors without an extra codec
- Apple deprecated 3GP playback support on iOS starting with iOS 9, so files that used to play there now need converting first
- Increasingly rare outside of old phone backups, since every phone recording video today defaults to MP4
There's rarely a reason to keep new video as 3GP; it matters mainly for footage already recorded that way on an older phone.
Convert 3GP to MP4 to get footage playing smoothly on current phones, computers, and browsers, none of which prioritize 3GP support anymore.
How to open a .3gp file#
A .3gp file opens in the programs below, grouped by the platform you are on. If you would rather not install anything, FileFlip converts 3GP into a format your machine already opens, and it does it in the browser tab rather than on a server.
| Platform | Programs that open it |
|---|---|
| Windows | VLC |
| macOS | VLC |
| Linux | VLC |
| iOS | VLC |
| Android | VLC, MX Player |
| Web | FileFlip |
3GP questions people ask#
What produces a 3GP file?
3GP files come from older GSM-lineage mobile phones recording video, from MMS video messages, and from early smartphone camera apps before MP4 became the default. Feature phones from the 2000s and early 2010s are the most common source of 3GP footage still around.
Why won't my 3GP file play?
Recent versions of iOS and some desktop software dropped native 3GP support, and files using AMR audio specifically fail in players and editors that don't include an AMR decoder. VLC plays nearly all 3GP files directly, AMR audio included.
What should I convert a 3GP file to?
Convert 3GP to MP4 for playback on any current device. MP4 carries the same footage without the low-bitrate ceiling and codec gaps that made 3GP awkward outside of old phones.
Is 3GP the same as MP4?
3GP is a cut-down variant of the same MPEG-4 Part 12 family MP4 belongs to, built for older phones and slow mobile networks with lower resolution and bitrate limits. An MP4 player can often open a 3GP file, but the reverse isn't guaranteed since MP4 supports codecs and features 3GP doesn't.
Converting 3GP files#
Convert 3GP to another format
FileFlip does not write .3gp files, so nothing on the site converts into this format. It works as a source only.
Every conversion runs inside your browser. The file is read from your disk, the work happens on your own machine, and nothing is uploaded. How FileFlip works names the engine behind each family and how to verify that for yourself.