How to Convert iPhone HEVC and HDR Videos for Windows and Older Devices

HEVC compresses much better than the older H.264, but it is not universally supported. Windows does not always ship with an HEVC decoder: some PCs include one from the manufacturer, while on others you need Microsoft's HEVC Video Extensions from the Microsoft Store. Without it, the Photos app and Media Player may fail to play the file. Older TVs, game consoles, editing programs and some websites have the same limitation.

You can check whether a clip is HEVC in VLC (Tools, then Codec Information) or with the free MediaInfo app. On the iPhone itself, swiping up on a video in the Photos app shows its details, including the format.

If the only goal is to watch the videos on your own PC, adding HEVC support is the least destructive fix because the files stay untouched. Search the Microsoft Store for HEVC Video Extensions. Once installed, Windows apps that use the system decoders can play HEVC. VLC includes its own decoders and can play HEVC without the extension.

This does not help when you are sending the video to someone else or to a device you do not control. For that, convert the file.

H.264 in an MP4 container is the most widely supported video format there is. Converting an iPhone clip to it makes the video play on almost any Windows PC, Android phone, TV or website.

• Open the MOV to MP4 converter. iPhone videos are usually .mov files; if yours is already .mp4, use the Video Converter with MP4 as the output.
• Add your videos. They are processed in your browser, so personal clips are not uploaded to a server.
• Set the video codec to H.264 (shown as H264 or AVC) and keep the resolution and bitrate close to the original.
• Convert and download, then test the result on the device that had trouble.

iPhone 12 and later models can record HDR video in Dolby Vision, which is built on 10-bit HEVC with an extended brightness and colour range. On an HDR-capable screen with software that understands it, the result looks vivid. On a standard screen, or in software that does not convert the HDR signal properly, the same video can look flat, grey and washed out, or unnaturally saturated.

Turning HDR into normal (SDR) video properly requires tone mapping: remapping the wider brightness and colour range into the smaller one. Our browser tools do not currently perform HDR tone mapping, so converting an HDR clip with them can leave colours looking off. For HDR footage, use one of the approaches below.

For clips you have already recorded, these are the most dependable routes. Whichever you use, check a few seconds of the result on the target screen before converting a whole library.

• Transfer with conversion: in Settings, then Photos, set Transfer to Mac or PC to Automatic. When you import over USB, the iPhone transfers photos and videos in a more compatible format; how HDR is handled can vary, so compare the result with the original.
• Use a desktop editor with HDR-to-SDR conversion: professional editors such as DaVinci Resolve can tone map HDR footage to SDR when you export.
• Watch on an HDR display: if the video will only be viewed on your own HDR monitor or TV, a player with HDR support may show it correctly without any conversion.

If most of your videos end up on Windows PCs or older devices, change the camera settings so new recordings are compatible from the start.

• Settings, then Camera, then Formats, then Most Compatible: records H.264 instead of HEVC. Files are larger, and some high-resolution, high-frame-rate modes require High Efficiency, so they become unavailable.
• Settings, then Camera, then Record Video, then turn off HDR Video: records standard dynamic range video that looks the same everywhere.
• Keep High Efficiency on and convert only the clips you share, if storage on the phone matters more to you than convenience.

Converting HEVC to H.264 at the same quality usually produces a larger file, because H.264 is less efficient. If the result is too big to send, reduce the resolution or bitrate at the same time, or run it through the Video Compressor. Our guide to reducing video file size explains which settings to change first. Conversion speed depends on your browser and hardware; a Mac or a PC with hardware HEVC decoding handles long 4K clips much faster than an older laptop.