HEVC vs H.264 on iPhone: Which Video Format Should You Record In?
Half the file size at the same quality sounds like an easy win, until a video refuses to play on a colleague's laptop. Here is what the two iPhone video formats actually change, and how to choose without thinking about it again.
Shagun Verma · · 2 min readWhat HEVC and H.264 are
H.264 (AVC) is the format every device made in the last fifteen years can play. HEVC (H.265) is its successor: at the same quality it produces files roughly 40 to 50 percent smaller, and it is the only format that carries HDR video on iPhone. Apple calls them Most Compatible and High Efficiency in Settings.
Where it matters
- Storage: a ten-minute 1080p clip is around 1.3 GB in H.264 and roughly 700 MB in HEVC.
- Sharing: WhatsApp, Instagram and YouTube re-encode everything, so either is fine. Email attachments and cloud links are where the smaller HEVC file helps.
- Playback on computers: modern Windows and every Mac play HEVC, but older Windows PCs may need a codec, and some older TVs and car systems only accept H.264.
- Editing: both are supported by every major editor; H.264 is marginally lighter for very old computers.
- HDR: only HEVC. Turn HDR off if you need H.264.
Changing the format
For the Camera app, open Settings > Camera > Formats and pick High Efficiency or Most Compatible. In Multi-mode Video Recorder the choice is in the app's own Settings under Video format, next to the HDR switch, so you can keep a different default for its Blackout, Level, Dual and Blur recordings than for your everyday Camera app.
- Open the app's Settings.
- Set Video format to High Efficiency (HEVC) or H.264.
- Turn HDR video on only with HEVC; it is greyed out otherwise.
A simple rule
Record in HEVC unless you know the file is going straight to an old Windows PC, an older TV or a system that lists H.264 as a requirement. If you later need H.264, you can always export a converted copy from Photos or an editor; going the other way never recovers the space you spent.
Frequently asked questions
Does HEVC lower the quality?
No. At the bitrates iPhones use, HEVC matches H.264 quality in a much smaller file; the saving comes from smarter compression, not from throwing detail away.
Why will my video not play on a Windows laptop?
It is probably HEVC on a PC without the HEVC codec. Install the codec from the Microsoft Store, play it in VLC, or record in H.264 next time.
Which format does WhatsApp prefer?
WhatsApp converts every video it sends, so the format you recorded in makes no difference to the recipient.