How to Play MKV on iPhone With or Without Conversion

MKV, short for Matroska Video, is one of the popular video formats known for its ability to store multiple video, audio, and subtitle tracks in a single file. However, playing MKV files on iPhone can be challenging, as the iOS system doesn’t natively support this format. If you’ve ever tried to play MKV videos or convert them to iPhone-friendly formats, you know how inconvenient it can be. Thankfully, there are effective solutions to make your device compatible with MKV files on iPhone, so you don’t have to miss out on your favorite content. Whether you’re dealing with MKV or other video files, our guide will walk you through the best ways to play them effortlessly on your iPhone. Read on to discover how to play MKV on iPhone seamlessly and enhance your viewing experience!

Can iPhone or iPad Play MKV Files?

If you're wondering whether you can play MKV on iPhone or iPad, the short answer is no. Neither device, nor other products in the Apple ecosystem like Mac, can support MKV natively. When you try to open an MKV video, the device doesn’t display an error message but instead shows details like the filename, media format (Matroska), and file size.

Reasons Apple doesn’t support MKV files:

• Complexity of MKV Format: MKV is a multimedia container that supports too many codecs for video, audio, images, and subtitles. Its versatility makes it challenging for a device to handle without additional software.
• Copyright Concerns: The variety of codecs in MKV often leads to potential copyright issues, making it a risky format for Apple to natively support.
• Resource-Intensive Playback: The need for heavy transcoding tasks to decode MKV files creates performance challenges, which Apple avoids by focusing on standard video formats supported across their ecosystem.
• Focus on Simplicity: Apple prioritizes formats like MP4 and MOV for their compatibility and efficiency. Thus, adding MKV playback would complicate the seamless user experience Apple aims to provide.

While you can’t natively play MKV on iPhone, third-party media players or conversion tools can help bridge the gap.

Best Ways to Play MKV Videos on iPhone

1. Use VLC Media Player

When you download a video on your iPhone or iPad, it’s saved in the Downloads folder within the Files app. However, tapping on an MKV video file only displays a blank page with the video title and file size, leaving you unable to play it. This happens because MKV isn’t among the formats supported by iOS. To easily play MKV files, you’ll need third-party media players like VLC Media Player. VLC app supports MKV and many other video formats, making it a reliable option for iPhone users. Follow these steps to avoid the error message, and watch your MKV videos effortlessly with the VLC app!

User Guide:

• Make sure to download VLC app from your App Store. Then, open the "Files" app and locate your MKV file. Then, use the VLC app to access and open MKV files stored on your iPhone or iPad.
• Tap the "Share" icon, which looks like a square with an arrow coming out of it. From the options, select the VLC app to proceed.
• Once you've selected the VLC app, it will automatically play MKV video files. You can now enjoy watching your MKV file directly within VLC. That's how you can play MKV on iPhone without converting.

2. AirDrop MKV Files from Mac to iPhone

If your MKV file was from your Mac computer, you can use AirDrop to transfer and play MKV on iPhone. AirDrop is a convenient way for Apple users to transfer files between their iOS devices and other Apple devices. When you AirDrop a photo or MP4 video, it opens in the Photos app by default, as these are among the most popular video formats. However, transferring an MKV file works differently. AirDrop doesn’t automatically launch a compatible app, even if you have a third-party MKV player like VLC installed. Instead, it saves the file to the "Files" app. To watch MKV videos on your iPhone and iPad, you’ll need to open them using a free app like VLC app. Follow our guide to transfer MKV to iPhone for seamless playback of MKV files on your Apple device!

User Guide:

• First, tap "Save to Files" from the popup alert that appears after AirDropping the file. This ensures the MKV file is stored on your iOS device, making it accessible for later use.
• Next, choose a location, such as a folder under "On My iPhone" or "On My iPad," if prompted. Organizing the file in this way allows for quick and easy retrieval.
• Then, tap "Save," and the MKV file will be successfully stored on your device. At this point, you're ready to play MKV on iPhone using a compatible media player.
• Finally, tap the "Share" button and select VLC from the "Share Sheet." This will open VLC Media Player, offering various VLC playback options, such as full screen mode, to watch MKV on iPhone of unsupported file formats, including MKV file formats.

3. Convert MKV File to Supported Media Format

AceThinker VidElement is a versatile video editor and converter designed to help users easily convert MKV to iPhone-friendly formats. First, it simplifies transforming MKV files into Apple-supported formats like MP4 or MOV, ensuring seamless playback on iOS device. Also, VidElement offers powerful editing tools, enabling users to edit MKV files by trimming, cropping, rotating, and adding effects to enhance their videos. Moreover, the tool supports various audio codecs, adjust output quality, MKV codecs, and other popular file formats, such as MP4, RAW, JPEG, PNG, and GIF. Additionally, it allows you to adjust the video frame rate, manage subtitle streams, and customize the output quality to suit your needs. With its intuitive interface, VidElement ensures a smooth user experience while maintaining excellent video quality for beginners and professionals. Here's how to convert MKV to iPhone iPad-friendly format.

Step 1 Install the MKV Files Converter

First, check the "Download" icons above and hit the version that matches your computer. Then, follow the instructions on the prompt window to install the capable video converter completely. Once done, launch the MKV video file converter and familiarize yourself with its features.

Step 2 Import the MKV Files

Next, click the "Add Files" button on the top left corner to access the software's browse and import options. After that, browse the MKV video from your files and add MKV to the converter. Then, let the tool analyze your MKV video until the convert features appear.

Step 3 Begin Converting MKV iPhone-Friendly Format

Once done, it's time to convert MKV video files to iPhone and iPad-friendly formats. To do so, hit the format icon on the right side of the file and click "Video" from the options. Then, select MP4, an Apple native support format, and customize the video quality to your liking. Also, you can adjust video frame rate if you need to. Finally, hit the "Convert" button on the lower-right corner to convert MKV video to MP4.

Step 4 Check and Play the File

After the conversion process, move to the "Converted" tab of the software to check the new MP4 file. Here, you can check the video and see that it is now in MP4 format. If you want to transfer MKV files to iPhone, now and MP4 file, you can connect your iPhone to your computer (Windows) and transfer it. If you are using a Mac computer, simply AirDrop the video and play it instantly. You can also watch it on Apple TV or other devices.

Extra Tip: Best MKV Player for iPhone

If you still want to play MKV files on iPhone without converting, you can utilise AceThinker Player. It is an all-in-one media player designed to provide smooth and immersive playback for different formats. It supports Blu-ray, DVDs, 4K, HD videos, and popular formats like MKV, MP4, AVI, and more, ensuring compatibility with almost any media file. With high-quality visuals and rich audio, it’s perfect for enjoying your favorite MKV videos seamlessly. This media player is highly recommended for its versatility and user-friendly interface, offering customizable settings for an enhanced viewing experience. Whether you're watching in 720p, 1080p, or 4K, AceThinker Player ensures buffer-free performance and crystal-clear visuals. Its ability to play MKV videos smoothly makes it an excellent solution for all your media playback needs.

Key Features:

• AceThinker Player enables smooth Blu-ray playback, offering high-definition visuals and crisp audio for an enhanced movie experience.
• It supports ultra-high-definition 4K video playback, providing sharp details and vibrant colors for an immersive viewing experience.
• The player supports a wide range of popular audio formats like MP3, AIFF, and AAC, delivering high-quality sound for an enjoyable music experience.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while iPhones don’t natively support MKV files, you can still enjoy MKV files using third-party apps. These apps help avoid playback failure by providing a smooth viewing experience, even for local files like MKV. Additionally, apps like VLC and VidElement offer features to adjust subtitles streams for better accessibility and viewing comfort. To manage playback, you can use the iPhone Control Center to access quick settings and lock screen options for seamless navigation. If you encounter issues, they also offer tools to fix MKV files and ensure flawless playback on your device, allowing for an enhanced video-watching experience on your iPhone.