How Convert Video for iPhone works
Videos from cameras, screen recorders, downloads and other phones often come as MKV, AVI, WebM, WMV or FLV, or as files whose codec iOS does not support, and the Files app answers with a blank player or an unsupported format message. This converter re-encodes them into the format every iPhone and iPad plays natively: H.264 video and AAC sound in an MP4 file, which also opens in Photos, iMovie and any other app that plays video.
The default setting targets every iPhone from the 4S and every iPad from the iPad 2: H.264 High profile at level 4.1, up to 1920 by 1080 pixels, at no more than 30 frames per second, with the video bitrate capped at 10 Mbps. The other setting, for the iPhone 4, the first iPad and older iPod touch models, uses Main profile at level 3.1, up to 1280 by 720, capped at 4 Mbps. Sound becomes stereo AAC at 160 kbps and 48 kHz.
The picture is never stretched or enlarged. A landscape video is fitted inside 1920 by 1080, a portrait one inside 1080 by 1920, and anything smaller keeps its own size. Footage at 60 frames per second, from a phone or a game capture, is brought down to 30, which is what the level allows at 1080p. The MP4 has its index at the start, so it begins playing straight away when opened from iCloud Drive or a web link.
The conversion runs on your device with ffmpeg compiled to WebAssembly. The engine downloads the first time, about 32 MB, and is cached for later visits. Every frame is re-encoded, which takes a while: in our tests a recent laptop needed about two minutes for each minute of full HD video, smaller sizes are quicker, and phones are slower. Your videos are never uploaded, and several can be converted in one go.
To get the file onto the iPhone, save it and use AirDrop, iCloud Drive, or file sharing in the Finder on a Mac. In the Files app it plays straight away; to have it in Photos, open it and choose Save Video from the share menu.
Convert Video for iPhone options explained
| iPhone 4S and later, iPad 2 and later | H.264 High profile, level 4.1, up to 1920x1080, 30 fps, 10 Mbps cap. |
|---|---|
| iPhone 4, first iPad, iPod touch | H.264 Main profile, level 3.1, up to 1280x720, 30 fps, 4 Mbps cap. |
| Sound | AAC, stereo, 160 kbps, 48 kHz. |
| Container | MP4 with the index at the front (fast start). |
| Picture | Never stretched or enlarged; portrait stays portrait. |
When to use it
Convert for iPhone when a video copied from a computer will not play in the Files app, when an MKV or AVI film needs to go on an iPad for a flight, when a WebM screen recording has to be sent to someone with an iPhone, or when a camera's AVI clip shows only a black picture on iOS.
An MP4 that plays on a computer but not on an iPhone usually holds a codec iOS does not support, such as Xvid. Converting it here re-encodes it as H.264, which every iPhone plays.
About these device presets
Every device plays H.264 video with AAC sound in an MP4 file, but not every H.264 file. Encoders describe a file with a profile, which says which compression features it uses, and a level, which caps its size, frame rate and bitrate, and a device's decoder is built for particular profiles and levels. A file above them may stutter, play without picture or be refused. Each preset here sets the profile, level, largest size and bitrate cap that its devices are known to handle, using x264, the widely used open-source H.264 encoder, inside ffmpeg compiled to WebAssembly. The encoding quality is set by a constant rate factor, so simple scenes take fewer bits and complex ones more, within the cap. Everything happens on your own device, so private videos are never uploaded.
Convert Video for iPhone troubleshooting
It is slow
Every frame is re-encoded on your device. The 720p setting is faster and smaller and still plays on every iPhone; keep the tab in front, and trim long videos first with the video trimmer.
The file is too big to send
Choose the 720p setting, or make the result smaller with the video compressor.
There is no sound on the iPhone
The original may have no audio track, or one the engine cannot read. Play the original on a computer to check.
How to use Convert Video for iPhone, step by step
- Press "Choose videos" or drag files onto the box.
- Set the options if you need to; the defaults suit most uses.
- Press "Convert for iPhone". The work happens on your device.
- Save the result with its download button.
Is it safe to do this online?
With most online tools, "online" means your file is uploaded to a company's server, processed there and kept for a while before it is deleted. Here it is not. The page downloads the tool's code to your browser, and your file is read and processed inside the tab on your own device. It is never sent to TapToConvert or anyone else.
You can check this yourself: once the page and its engine have loaded, turn off Wi-Fi and the tool still works. That also means there is no queue, no daily limit and no file size cap set by a server; the only limit is the memory your browser gives a single tab.
Convert Video for iPhone FAQ
Does it convert HEVC videos from newer iPhones?
Yes. HEVC (H.265) video becomes H.264, which older iPhones and iPads, and most other devices, play.
Will the quality drop?
Slightly, as with any re-encode, but at this quality setting the difference is hard to see on a phone or tablet screen.
Can I convert several videos at once?
Yes. Add them all; each is converted in turn and gets its own download button.
Does it work for iPad?
Yes. The same file plays on iPad; the default setting suits every iPad from the iPad 2.
Is it free?
Yes. No sign-up, no watermark and no limit on use. TapToConvert is supported by advertising.
Are my files uploaded?
No. Everything happens inside your browser tab, on your own device.