Affiliate links: Toolizy earns a commission if you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Wondershare UniConverter (Windows, perpetual license)
Convert videos every month without a subscription
See the deal- Pay once, keep it
- $69.98 less than the yearly plan over 3 years
- Free trial to check it first
This article contains affiliate links. The links to UniConverter are affiliate links: if you buy through them, Toolizy may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes our verdict. Links to Apple, VLC and HandBrake are plain links, with no commission. Learn more
🗓️ Prices checked on October 27, 2026
Written by Léo · Reviewed by Inès on 10/27/2026 (prices, links and availability checked) — our editorial pen names
The short answer: an iPhone video that won’t play on a PC or TV is almost always a format issue. Switch your iPhone to “Most Compatible” and convert existing clips with VLC or HandBrake, both free. If you convert videos every month, get Wondershare UniConverter’s perpetual license: $79.99 once (checked October 27, 2026), no subscription.
In plain English: what are VLC and UniConverter for?
The problem: you film something on your iPhone, then the video won’t open on your PC or TV. It is almost always the format: iPhones can record in HEVC, which older devices don’t always play.
The solution: VLC, which is free, converts your video to MP4 (Media menu, then Convert / Save). UniConverter does the same for whole batches in one app, and adds compression and subtitles. It pays off if you convert videos every month.
In this article
Why won’t your iPhone video play on a PC or TV?
Since iOS 11, iPhones can save photos as HEIF and videos as HEVC (also called H.265). According to Apple, these formats compress better than JPEG and H.264 while preserving the same visual quality. The downside: an older PC, TV or media player can’t always read them. Apple adds that on some older devices, HEVC support depends on the video’s resolution and frame rate.
So before you buy anything, there are two free moves: change your iPhone setting for future videos, and convert the ones you already have.
The free fixes, in order
- 1. Your iPhone setting. Open Settings, tap Camera, then Formats, and choose “Most Compatible.” New photos are then saved as JPEG and new videos as H.264 (Apple). To go back to the space-saving formats, choose “High Efficiency.” This setting does not change videos you already shot.
- 2. VLC (free). Media menu, then Convert / Save: add your video, pick an MP4 profile such as “Video – H.264 + MP3 (MP4),” then Start. VLC is a free download from VideoLAN, which also documents conversion on its official wiki.
- 3. HandBrake (free). An open-source converter built by volunteers for Windows, Mac and Linux: it converts video from nearly any format to modern, widely supported codecs, according to its official site.
If one of these fixes your problem, you pay nothing. UniConverter earns its place when you convert often, in batches, and want everything in one easy app.
Free tools vs UniConverter: the table
| iPhone setting | VLC or HandBrake | UniConverter (Windows) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $0 | $0 | $49.99 a year, $69.99 for 2 years or $79.99 once |
| Videos you already shot | No, only future ones | Yes | Yes |
| Batch conversion | — | Yes, one file after another | Yes, advertised by the store |
| Ease of use | iPhone Settings | VLC is simple; HandBrake is more technical | All-in-one app, with a limited free trial |
| Extra tools | — | No | Compression, subtitles, downloads from nearly 1,000 sites, AI tools paid with credits |
| Best for | You still film a lot | A video now and then | You convert and compress every month |
Prices read on October 27, 2026 on the official UniConverter store for Windows (individual license, US dollars, before any sales tax). Steps for VLC from VideoLAN and for HandBrake from its official site.
When the free tools are no longer enough
UniConverter for Windows: free trial limited to one third of each video’s length, then $49.99 a year, $69.99 for 2 years or $79.99 for a perpetual license (prices checked October 27, 2026). The store offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, under its refund policy.
Affiliate link
See UniConverter plans →What UniConverter does that the free tools don’t
UniConverter is made by Wondershare, the company behind Filmora, PDFelement, Recoverit and Dr.Fone. The store advertises ultra-fast 4K and 8K conversion with GPU acceleration, AI-powered video compression, batch video editing tools and access to nearly 1,000 media platforms for downloads. These are the brand’s claims; we have not measured them. The big win over free tools is comfort: drop a folder of clips, pick a device preset, compress them for email, and you are done.
One thing worth knowing before you buy: in the store’s comparison table, the AI tools (video enhancement, noise and background removal and more) are marked “Paid by AI credits,” even with a paid license. The yearly and 2-year plans include 600 starting credits and the perpetual license 1,000. Basic conversion and compression, on the other hand, are unlimited on every paid plan.
Who should skip it
If you only have a handful of clips to fix, or you can simply switch your iPhone to “Most Compatible,” keep your money: VLC or HandBrake will do it for free.
Yearly, 2-year or perpetual: the 3-year math
Using the prices shown on October 27, 2026 (our math):
| UniConverter for Windows | Price | Cost over 3 years |
|---|---|---|
| Free trial | $0 | $0, but it converts only one third of each video’s length |
| Yearly plan (renews automatically) | $49.99 a year | $149.97 |
| 2-year plan (renews automatically) | $69.99 for 2 years | $139.98 (two purchases, which also covers a 4th year) |
| Perpetual license (one-time fee) | $79.99 once | $79.99 |
The perpetual license beats the yearly plan from the second year on (two years of the yearly plan cost $99.98) and saves you $69.98 over three years. It gives you lifetime access to the version you buy, including its updates; a future major version would be sold separately, the store explains.
Bottom line: for a video now and then, pay nothing; to convert every month, the $79.99 perpetual license is the smart buy.
What no converter can fix
- A damaged video. Converting changes the format; it cannot repair a file that was corrupted or cut off while recording.
- Too many conversions. Each conversion re-compresses the video, so convert once, from the original file, to keep the best quality.
- A very old phone or TV. If the device cannot play H.264 or the resolution, convert to 1080p or lower.
- Add-ons at checkout. The store offers a free trial of its AI creation tools that then renews at $19.99 a month; leave it unchecked if you don’t need it, and note the renewal date of the yearly or 2-year plan.
Switching phones at the same time? Read our guide to transferring WhatsApp to a new phone without losing photos. To keep your converted videos safe, compare pCloud Lifetime vs Google One vs iCloud, and if a clip vanished along the way, see how to recover deleted files.
How Tooli picks
How Tooli picks
Method: we have not tried this software in-house. This guide is based on the official UniConverter store, Apple Support, VideoLAN and HandBrake’s official site, all checked on October 27, 2026. Tooli starts from your situation (an iPhone, a TV, some videos) and from what you will really pay.
FAQ
Why won’t my iPhone video play on my PC or TV?
Recent iPhones can record in HEVC (H.265), a format that compresses better but that some older devices struggle to play, according to Apple. Set your iPhone to “Most Compatible” (Settings > Camera > Formats) so future videos are saved as H.264, or convert the video to MP4 with VLC or HandBrake.
Can I convert an iPhone video to MP4 for free?
Yes. VLC does it from the Media > Convert / Save menu with an MP4 profile such as “Video – H.264 + MP3 (MP4).” HandBrake, free and open source for Windows, Mac and Linux, also converts most formats.
Is UniConverter free?
Not really: the trial version converts only one third of each video’s length, according to the official store. Paid plans cost $49.99 a year, $69.99 for 2 years or $79.99 for a perpetual license, prices checked October 27, 2026, with a 30-day money-back guarantee offered by the store.
UniConverter perpetual license or yearly plan: which should I choose?
Over three years, the yearly plan costs $149.97 versus $79.99 for the perpetual license, so $69.98 more, based on prices checked October 27, 2026. The perpetual license becomes the cheaper option from the second year if you convert videos regularly, and it does not expire.
Our verdict
- You still film with your iPhone: switch it to “Most Compatible.” Buy nothing.
- You have a few videos to convert: VLC or HandBrake, both free.
- You convert, compress or download videos every month: UniConverter’s perpetual license at $79.99, after the free trial. One payment, no renewal, and every format problem handled from one window.
- You have a project of a few months: the yearly plan at $49.99, with auto-renewal turned off.
More video and photo guides are in our Video & Photo section, and our other picks, always with dated prices, are on the Recommended tools page. For year-end promotions, see our Black Friday 2026 software deals.
Sources: UniConverter store for Windows (plans, free trial, FAQ) · Apple Support, using HEIF or HEVC media on Apple devices · VideoLAN, VLC media player · VideoLAN wiki, transcoding · HandBrake — all checked October 27, 2026.