The Runway AI Video App: The Best Tool to Create Viral Content

If you have used Runway AI on a desktop, you know how powerful it is. But what about the Runway AI video app? Can it really outshine others in video generation and editing, and provide you with the same quality on a smaller screen? In this article, you'll get a full breakdown of everything it has to offer and learn the steps to use it for creating your content.

Part 1. Overview of Runway AI Video App

Runway AI has introduced an app called RunwayML. It is only available for iPhone, though, and requires iOS 15.0 or higher.

The app offers two options for video generation. You can use conversation-style inputs or open the main video generation tool to create content from simple prompts or images.

The best thing is that the RunwayML video app works with your Runway account. Just like the online tool, you can use it for free with 125 lifetime credits or purchase any of the premium plans (basic, standard, or enterprise).

The developers roll out new updates and features regularly, which means the app keeps improving over time and quickly gives you access to the latest options.

Part 2. The EssentialFeatures of Runway AI Video App

Runway AI video app has a lot of features for video generation and even editing. Let's take a look at what it actually offers:

Chat Mode for Video Generation

Chat mode is the first thing you'll see after signing up for the Runway AI video app. It is a conversational interface where you type out your idea, and Runway creates it for you.

But it is not limited to text only. In fact, it also accepts images and video inputs. You can upload up to three images with one text prompt to use Gen-4 References, or mix two images with one video or vice versa to convert to a clip. The app allows you to either capture the reference media using your iPhone camera or upload one from the Photos app.

The Chat mode even has a Gallery, where the app saves your generations, so you never have to worry about losing your work. Also, if you have multiple creative sessions, you can access them from the History section.

One more important thing is that you can use follow-up messages to apply changes to the output you get. It works just like a back-and-forth conversation.

Multiple Runway AI Models

Like the online version, the Runway AI video app also offers multiple models, so you can pick one to experiment with what you are trying to generate.

The current lineup includes the latest Gen-4, Gen-4 Turbo, and Gen-4.5.

Gen-4 produces high-quality videos from your images with consistent character, object, or other elements in different lighting, settings, and temperatures. It supports video editing along with the Aleph model. Then there is the Gen-4 Turbo model that creates videos almost five times faster, and it costs fewer credits, too.

Gen-4.5 is the latest and most advanced Runway AI model, launched in December 2025. It actually outranks both OpenAI and Google in the Artificial Analysis Text to Video benchmark (an industry-wide test for how good AI models are).

Gen-4.5 takes both text and images as input and produces cinematic, high-resolution videos that look genuinely impressive. If you want the best quality Runway can offer right now, this is the one to use.

Older models, Gen-3 Alpha Turbo and Gen-3 Alpha, are still available on the Runway AI video app. These models support Image & Video to Video and offer camera controls, so you can guide the movement and angle of the shot.

Beyond Runway's own models, the app also has Veo 3.1 from Google. It creates high-fidelity videos with audio from your text prompt and image.

Advanced Video Settings

Before you generate your video, the Runway AI video app gives you a few controls that you need to understand.

When you open the video settings, the first option is Seed. It is a fixed starting point for how your video gets generated. You can lock this option to create videos with a similar output to the previous one. Not only that, but you can also copy the seed and use it for your next video to get a consistent output.

Next is the "Duration" option. The RunwayML app creates up to 5 or 10-second videos. But this depends on the model you choose. You can also set the aspect ratio here (again, if the model supports it).

If you are on the free plan, the platform adds a watermark on every export. That's completely fine for experimenting and getting a feel for the app, but if you want clean videos, you have to upgrade to a paid plan. Once you do, you can simply toggle the watermark off right from the settings.

After you set these options, you can then upload your image, enter a prompt, and generate a video.

Runway AI Video Editing with Aleph Model

Aleph is Runway AI's in-context video model that works hand-in-hand with Gen-4 on the app. It's basically for editing your generated footage, and that's what makes it different from other tools.

So, after RunwayML creates your video, you can expand it further using a text prompt, completely restyle the look & feel with Video to Video, or increase the quality all the way up to 4K.

Accessing these options is quite simple. Just tap the three dots next to your video prompt, and you'll get all the editing options.

Besides these, you can even reuse the same inputs from your current generation to create multiple variations and share the video on any platform with a single tap.

Act-Two for Transferring Action to Character

Act-Two is one of the best features in the Runway AI video app.

Here's how it works. You can upload a video or record yourself moving, acting, singing, or doing other actions, and Act-Two transfers those movements onto a character.

Here, you get two ways to set up your character. You can either select a preset character from Runway's built-in presets or upload an image or video from your PC.

What's interesting is that Act-Two tracks your head, face, body, and hand movements. This clearly means that it's not just reading basic gestures. It picks up smaller details too, like facial expressions and finger positions.

You can even set the Facial Expressiveness level from 1 to 5 and turn on "Gestures." The result? Well, your character moves, reacts, and performs exactly the way you did in the video.

Part 3. Steps to Create Viral Clips with RunwayAI Video App

Now, it's time to explore the steps to generate a video from your text or image using the Runway AI video app on your iPhone:

Step 1. Sign Up and Access Video Tool

After you download the app on your iPhone from the App Store, open it and use your email to sign up for a free account. The app also gives you the option to get started with your Google credentials.

The signup takes you directly to the Chat mode, but for this guide, let's use the Tool mode, as it gives access to different video models. To do this, look for three horizontal lines in the top left corner of the screen and tap them. This will open a menu where you can select "Tool".

Don't just start yet. You will see "Tool" shows "Image" and "Video" options. Tap "Video" to open the video generator.

Step 2. Describe Idea and Generate Video

After you enter the video generator, tap "Video Models" and select "Gen-4 Turbo" or "Gen-3 Alpha Turbo" if you are on a free plan. You can select the other models only in the premium versions.

Once you pick a video model, tap "Add Image" and take a photo using the camera or upload one from your iPhone. Describe your shot in detail to let AI know what you have in mind.

Choose the duration from the "Settings" and tap "Generate." The RunwayML app reads your prompt, scans your uploaded image, and starts working on your video. You'll see the progress in percentage.

Step 3. Edit and Export Video to Your Device

Once the app generates your video, tap the three dots. A small menu pops up with a few options. You can tap "Expand video" and use a prompt to extend it or choose "Upscale" to improve the resolution before you export.

If you are happy with the output, tap "Share Generation." This sends the video straight to your camera roll and shows you the iPhone share sheet. From there, you can post it on Instagram, TikTok, or wherever you want.

Part 4. Limitations of the Runway AI Video App

Runway is one of the best AI tools right now due to its latest Gen-4.5 model and apps. But the iOS app does not have all the features. It does not mean the app is not good, but rather that you should know what you are missing.

Below are a few limitations of the Runway AI video app:

Limited Models Compared to Online Tool

In case you are already using Runway on desktop, there's one thing to keep in mind before switching to the app, and that is you won't get all the AI models.

The web version of Runway has a line of video models to choose from. You can choose between Gen-4, Gen-4 Turbo, Gen-4.5, and even other models like Sora 2, Hailou, Wan 2.6 Flash, and Kling AI, depending on your plan. The iOS app, on the other hand, keeps that list shorter. Even though you get the core Runway models, the third-party options are not simply there yet (except for Veo 3.1, of course).

Fewer Apps for Video Generation

The Runway desktop version has a section called "Apps" that offers standalone tools to refine and polish your video. You can use them to animate frames, change the time of day or weather, remove video backgrounds, adjust lighting, and a lot more.

These are seriously useful features, but most of them are not available in the Runway AI video app right now. This means if you need these tools, you have to switch over to a browser to get the job done.

No Camera Control Presets

On the desktop, Runway offers some presets for camera, movement, and action, which give you control over how the camera moves and what the character does. You can set these presets while generating video.

That level of control hasn't made it to the RunwayML iPhone app yet. Don't worry, though; you still can describe camera movements in your prompt, and Runway tries to follow them in your final video.

Workspace Access Limits

Runway has a workspace system where you can organize your projects, share assets, and invite members to work on the same video. This is quite useful if you are working with a creative team.

The Runway AI video app, however, doesn't have any of that. You only get access to your assets and recent generations. You can view the assets on both the app and the web tool, so at least that stays in sync.

Part 3. FAQs of Runway AI Video App

Conclusion on Runway AI Video App

To wrap it up, the Runway AI video app is quite an impressive tool if you want to create high-quality content on your iPhone. In this guide, you learned the features it offers, explored the steps to create videos, and got a clear overview of where it falls short compared to the full web version.

So, even if it is not perfect, it is still the most advanced app you can find for video generation right now.