Use iTunes to make the most of the iPhone's video capability.
pc-tastatur 3 image by Martina Berg from Fotolia.com
Among the iPhone's many functions is the ability to play videos, movies and television shows. The iPhone is limited, however, in which types of video files can be added, and not all videos that play in iTunes will play on the iPhone. Fortunately, iTunes includes a one-step command that will create a copy of your video files in an iPhone-friendly format.
Step 1
Open iTunes on your computer and select the "Movies" icon in the column at the left of the application window.
Step 2
Click the movie file you want to add to your iPhone and select "Advanced," then "Create iPod or iPhone Version" from the application menu. This will launch a "Converting" icon in the "Playlists" menu. Click it to see the progress of the conversion in the iTunes display window at the top of the program. Depending on the length of the movie, the process can take several minutes. You will hear a bell sound when the conversion is complete.
Step 3
Connect your iPhone to your computer and return to the "Movies" icon. Select "View," then "View Options," check the "Kind" box and click "OK." Mouse over to the "Kind" column and select the version of your movie listed as "MPEG-4 video file." Click and drag this file to the iPhone icon in the "Devices" column to add the movie to your iPhone.
Tip
- A number of tools are available for converting video into an iTunes-compatible video format if need be, a few of which are listed in Resources. The online programs work by simply selecting the video you want to convert, selecting an iTunes-compatible output format, and clicking a button to convert. Most of the available software programs work similarly, but often have fewer restrictions regarding file size and input format.
Photo Credits
- pc-tastatur 3 image by Martina Berg from Fotolia.com
