You can watch movies without the Internet (offline) using iPhone applications available for download in the AppStore.
Developers from Apple offer to play movies, TV series and documentaries on iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch using the iTunes Store digital store with a pre-installed media player.
And, although in terms of functionality there are no complaints about iTunes (reviews, trailers, comments, pause and rewind, visual add-ons and equalizer), not everyone can afford to officially buy content. Therefore, here are the top 5 players capable of playing movies and TV series without paying, and even offline from third-party sources:
AVPlayer
Developer : PLAYWORKS Version : 2.91 Cost : 229 rub.
One of the most famous and convenient players knows all the main video formats (XVID, AVI, WMV, RMVB, ASF, H264, MKV, MP4, MOV, M4V), supports subtitles (you can select the desired language), 720p and 1080p resolutions and has a simple, concise interface.
You can upload files both through iTunes and through cloud storage (DropBox, Google Drive). If you wish, you can download files even via Wi-Fi, although in this case the download time increases significantly.
The player supports gestures to control rewind and volume.
The application is completely worth its price. The most powerful player on the market.
Download: 229 rub.
How to watch movies using a third-party app
Let's start with an easier way to watch movies on iPad and iPhone. This method involves using a third-party application to watch videos. Using a third-party app makes downloading movies to your device much easier, and also eliminates the need to first convert movies to MP4 format. But this method also has disadvantages. For example, an application for watching movies must be selected in advance; then you cannot change it; also, this method does not allow you to watch movies through the standard “Video” application, which is installed on the iPad and iPhone out of the box.
So, as we said, first you need to choose the application through which you will watch movies on your iPad or iPhone. In fact, any third-party video player that supports a large number of different video formats will work for you. We recommend using the VLC for Mobile application, which is the mobile version of the famous VLC desktop program. It supports a large number of formats and is very stable. In this article we will use VLC for Mobile, but you can install another video player; the principle of this method of watching movies will not change.
You can find VLC for Mobile, as well as other video players, in the App Store. You can also install them on your iPad or iPhone there.
After installing the video player, you need to download movies to your iPad or iPhone. To do this, launch iTunes on your computer and connect your device to it. After iTunes detects the device, click on the button with the image of the device to go to its settings.
Next you need to find the “Shared Files” settings block. In older versions of iTunes, it is located at the very end of the Applications section.
And in the latest versions of iTunes, “Shared Files” has been moved to a separate section.
After you find “Shared Files”, you will see a menu similar to the one in the screenshot below. There will be a list of applications and a file field to the right of it. Here you need to find the application that you plan to use to watch movies and select it with the mouse.
After selecting an application, the “Add File” button will appear in the file field.
Click on the "Add File" button and select the movies you wanted to watch on your iPad or iPhone. Immediately after selecting a movie, iTunes will begin downloading it to your device. Once the movie download is complete, you can disconnect your device from the computer and watch the downloaded movie using the selected application.
It should be noted that this method works not only with films. In the same way, you can, for example, download e-books or other types of files. The main thing is to install an application in advance that will open these files.
VLC
Developer : VideoLAN Version : 3.0.3 Cost : free
The most popular video player for Mac has an excellent and most importantly free mobile version.
In addition to the standard method of downloading video files, VLC allows you to add files to your media library through a web server. Moreover, this can be done via Wi-Fi.
In addition, VLC can set passwords on files, play audio tracks in the background, and even show streaming video from a DLNA server. If desired, the video file can be watched in accelerated mode.
The program is able to remember the place where viewing was interrupted, and the next time you start this video file, continue from the point where it stopped.
Undoubtedly, this is one of the most feature-rich video players for iOS.
Download for free
Downloading movies via Torrent
You can download all kinds of videos using a torrent client. Previously, the program was only available on a computer, but now iPhone owners also have the opportunity to download movies from a torrent directly to their smartphone. All you have to do is download the torrent app for iOS called iTransmission. How does the download happen? You can download the desired content through Safari. Go through your browser to any torrent tracker, select a movie or series, click on “Download torrent”. The “Open in iTransmission” window will appear. Click on it to confirm the action. The video download starts immediately.
Plex
Developer : Plex Inc. Version : 5.0.3 Cost : free (in-app purchases available)
Plex is primarily focused on streaming video from a local network or the Internet. The application allows you to create a media library on PLEX Media Server with different content - movies, personal videos, music and photos. However, for this you will need to register on the site.
In the future, you can stream content to Apple TV via AirPlay. It is curious that when you try to include a mkv file, the encoder will automatically start.
But, unfortunately, you won’t be able to organize a media server or even run the program for free. Greedy developers are asking for a subscription (Plex Pass) of 379 rubles per month or 890 rubles per year.
Download: shareware
Flash drive for iPhone
A truly ingenious device, because to watch movies from a flash card, you don’t need to connect to iTunes and other applications. If you have a flash drive for your iPhone, you can forget about accessing the Internet.
Working with a flash drive is very simple. You must first download the series or movie to your computer, and then simply transfer the files to a flash drive. After that, simply connect it via USB to your smartphone.
You can not only watch various videos, but also listen to music. Time on the road will fly by.
KMPlayer
Developer : PandoraTV. CO.,LTD Version : 2.1.3 Cost : free
The convenient player has a pleasant design, the ability to view not only content downloaded to the device, but also filmed by it.
But, unfortunately, the player does not support all codecs. For example, a mkv file was played without sound.
The player is also frustrating with built-in advertising.
Download for free
Save video using iTunes.
This method is certainly quite complicated. But it is one of the most reliable because it does not violate any campaign rules. In other words, you can download videos through iTunes all the time, while third-party applications can be blocked at any time.
One of the main disadvantages is that the video file must be saved on the computer before doing so.
iTunes does not recognize all popular video formats; it will definitely require mp4. Therefore, in order for it to open a movie or clip, it must first be converted. There are several free converters for this, such as Free MP4 Video Converter. In it you will calmly and quickly achieve the desired result.
To upload the prepared video to iTunes, select “Add to Library...” from the “File” menu.
Then you simply connect the device you want to transfer the video to to your Mac and sync them.
HDPlayer
Developer : LTD DevelSoftware Version : 5.1.57 Cost : free (in-app purchases available)
The program is distinguished by its “omnivorous” formats, adjustment of the size, color and font of subtitles, as well as fine-tuning of the interface.
However, the program could not read the mkv file without finding an AC3 codec in the library.
No revelations, but with built-in advertising.
Download for free
nPlayer Lite
This video player allows you to customize many factors such as screen size, subtitle position, subtitle font size, brightness and more. Of course, all popular file formats are supported, so you'll never be inconvenienced.
Moreover, you can save space on your device as this application has powerful and various network technologies that can help you stream media from remote devices. So there's no need to store things locally on your iPhone or iPad.
Price: free
Movie Player 3
Developer : Dominic Rodemer Version : 3.4 Cost : free (in-app purchases available)
A simple boring interface, the absence of a serious settings menu and an attempt to “sell” an additional audio codec for money (an audio extension for 149 rubles) makes this player the worst in our selection.
Download: shareware
Built-in Video application
The first method is a native application. The method is absolutely legal, but will require you to spend money.
- Go to the iTunesStore application and select the Movies category at the bottom, after which you will be taken to a menu with a selection of movies.
- Select the Search tab and look for the movie you want to watch. We buy it, and it remains in the collection forever. Even if you change your iPhone to a newer model, you can download it again to the new device.
- If you rent a movie, you purchase it for 30 days. When the rental period comes to an end, the film is deleted automatically.
Using the iTunes Store
In both cases, the main condition is that you have money in your iTunes account or have a valid bank card linked. After you have purchased a movie (rented it), it is automatically downloaded to your device.
Infuse 5
Developer : Firecore, LLC Version : 5.7.3 Cost : free (in-app purchases available)
The nice design and many settings of the application cannot but please. Subtitles, gesture controls and even parental restrictions that are disabled via Touch ID. The program can broadcast video from Mac, hard drive and FTP server.
The video player picks up data about the downloaded movie from the Internet (cover, description), but refuses to play the file itself without enabling a paid subscription.
Download: shareware
PlayerXtreme
A multifunctional media player for iPhone with the power of online and offline cinema (developers from Xtreme Media Works offer to watch and download movies on Apple equipment through a paid monthly subscription). One of the advantages over competitors is “format omnivorousness”: PlayerXtreme easily copes with 3GP and AVI, FLV and WMV, as well as MOOV, MPEG, GXF and ASF (as the developers suggest, there will be no problems even with damaged files).
And most importantly, you don’t have to download separate codecs: preparation for playback occurs automatically and does not require attention from the audience.
The method of transferring data to the player (via PC, cloud storage or FTP), and even the function of protecting confidential information from prying eyes using Touch ID or Face ID also deserves additional attention. Keeping your library under control has never been so easy!
sPlayer
sPlayer stands out with its clean and minimalist interface. It may seem simple, but it exudes sophistication and functionality. It can handle all video formats and boasts powerful networking technologies that allow you to directly play media from your PC or NAS.
Plus, it supports various gestures so you can simply move your fingers to adjust the playback position, subtitle font size, volume and brightness. Most importantly, it supports folder encryption, which helps keep your media private.
Price: Free (Hide Ads - $2.99)
Watching movies on the plane
We recently published an article on how to watch movies and TV series on your phone without the Internet. The instructions discuss ways to copy the file to a device (for example, to the Gallery) and then turn on the display through the video player.
We also mentioned the download method on Youtube - for this you will need a Premium subscription, because... This feature is available only to subscribers.
Read the manual
Part 2: Frequently Asked Questions about iPhone Video Player
Does VLC work on iPhone 5?
VLC is compatible with iOS 9.0 and later. If your iPhone 5 is updated, you can use VLC on your device to play video and audio files.
How to improve video quality on iPhone?
Firstly, on iPhone it is better to shoot video with the rear camera. Moreover, settings are important to obtain the best quality. You can also check out some video shooting tutorials online.
Which format is best for videos on iPhone?
iPhone is compatible with all videos in MOV format, but you can also use other formats depending on your situation.
