Mkv Codec For Mac

The K-Lite Codec Pack is a free software bundle for high quality playback of all your music and video files. It is easy to use, but also very flexible with many options. Enjoy problem free playback of MKV, MP4, AVI, FLV, and all other multimedia file formats.

Best Alternative to K-Lite Codec Pack Mac Play video on Mac without format issues, supporting MP4, MOV, MPEG, MKV, WMV, AVI and other 500+ formats. Convert videos in any formats to MOV or MP4 (most compatible formats for Mac). Batch converstion is supported. Not to worry though, MKV files can be played on a Mac easily, you just need to download a free application or codec that supports playing the high quality video format. We’ll cover five excellent free MKV video players that will work on the Mac, some are just general movie player apps and some are full-fledged media center applications that. The MKV files are highly appreciated for their high amount of information compressed in one file, but they can only be played when you have a specialized codec installed on your computer, such as the Matroska Pack Full or the other collections under the umbrella of Matroska. Are you using Mac OS X and you want to extract audio from MKV files? To begin with, MKV is - a multimedia container format which incorporates video, audio, and subtitles into a single file without considering encoding types of these elements. being played with MKV compatible media player or installing the appropriate codecs for your media player.

Matroska, popularly known as MKV file format, is commonly used for playing high quality HD 720p or 1080p movies and videos. However, Mac users are not able to play MKV video files. The reason being Mac’s QuickTime Player doesn’t support MKV file format and its codecs.

To address the issue, here we share, various methods to play MKV files on Mac:

  1. Use QuickTime plugin to play MKV files on Mac
  2. Switch to another media player
  3. Use Stellar Video Converter to play MKV videos
  4. Play MKV files on Mac using Handbrake

How to play MKV file on Mac?

1. Use QuickTime Plugin to Play MKV files on Mac

Perian, a QuickTime plugin, can help in playing MKV video files on your Mac. Perian is a free, open source plugin for QuickTime Player and is easy to install. It works automatically in QuickTime, once it is set up on Mac. Perian supports only QuickTime 7.6.6.

Note: Perian support and updates have been stopped by the developer. However, the plugin can still be used to play MKV and other formats that are not supported by QuickTime Player.

You can download Perian from http://www.perian.org/. Once the plugin is downloaded and set up, restart your computer and then play MKV files.

Note: Although Perian plays MKV files in QuickTime, it’s slow to load file in the player.

Are you receiving an error while setting up Perian on Mac?

While setting up the plugin, if you receive the error — ‘Perian can’t be opened because it is from an unidentified developer’, temporarily disable the security blanket of Mac’s GateKeeper.

Steps to disable Gatekeeper on Mac:

Mkv
  • OpenSystem Preferences from Apple menu
  • Click onSecurity & Privacy
  • Go to ‘Allow apps downloaded from’ and click on Open Anyway

2. Switch to another Media Player

Since it takes time to load videos by using Perian in QuickTime, alternative media player is a preferable solution to play MKV files on your Mac.

You can play MKV videos in other media players that support your macOS.

The best MKV Player for Mac is open-source VLC Media Player. You can also try MPlayerX, Elmedia Player, 5K Player, XBMC Player etc.

3. Use Stellar Video Converter to Play MKV videos

Convert MKV videos to file formats such as MP4 and MOV that are supported by QuickTime Player. You can use Stellar Converter for Audio Video to convert MKV videos to MP4, MOV, M4V and other formats that can be played on Mac systems. The software is safe to download and maintains original video quality after conversion.

Download the software on Mac and follow the below 3-step conversion process:

  1. Select Add File: Add MKV video files that you want to convert.

2. Select Output Format: Select format and resolution/ bitrate of the output video file.

3. Select Convert: In dialog box, select destination path where you want to save the converted files and click ‘Save’.

4. Play MKV files on Mac Using Handbrake

Handbrake is an open-source application that converts MKV files to MP4 format. You can easily convert MKV file by using Handbrake and play the converted video on QuickTime or other media player on Mac.

To download Handbrake, visit https://handbrake.fr/.

The software supports Windows, Mac and Linux platforms.

Still unable to play MKV files on Mac? Your Video may be corrupt

When converting video format or switching to another media player doesn’t help, chances are your MKV video file is corrupt. You need a video repair software such as Stellar Repair for Video to fix it.

This DIY software repairs corrupt videos that are not playing on any media player. The repair process is simple — Add file, select ‘Repair’ and ‘Preview & Save’. You can repair multiple videos at a time.

Xvid Codec For Mac

Conclusion

If you want to play MKV videos in QuickTime Player on Mac, install Perian plugin. However, it is recommended to use another media player supported by Mac, because QuickTime plugin takes longer to download high-quality videos.

Another feasible way is to convert MKV file to another macOS-supported format. Use either Handbrake or Stellar Video Converter. Handbrake can convert MKV files to only MP4 format while Stellar Video Converter converts not only to MP4 but also to other formats such as MOV, MPEG, AVI, FLV etc.

Stellar Video Converter software gives you greater control over the quality of output video. You can optimize MKV videos for TV, PC, Mac, Android phone, iPhone and other devices. It’s available for free trial to help you ascertain the effectiveness.

Oct 16, 2020 • Filed to: Photo/Video/Audio Solutions • Proven solutions

'My VLC can't play MKV files. I tried every solution I could find on the forums, Yahoo answer, but it still stutters on playback. Should I give up on VLC because of this?'

The high definition files hold audio, video, image, and subtitle content in a single container even though they have different formats. Many users turn to VLC media player to play these massive files and end up facing problems.

The most common ones when playing MKV files on the VLC player are VLC audio delay, playback stuttering, fuzzy image, and buggy interface quirks. With these issues, users are left with one or two options, like using a second-best alternative VLC media player or converting MKV files to a better compatible video format MP4 or MOV.

Along with these options, the user ends up getting more hassled in solving the issue. Today, plenty of MKV repair solutions are available in the market to tackle the problems, but it is essential to opt only for reliable, secure, and user-friendly repair tools.

Table of Content

Does VLC Play MKV Files?

MKV is also known as Matroska Video file, which is free, open multimedia that differentiate from MP4, AVI, and many other standard extension files. However, MKV is not the video file that all media players can support to play.

On the other hand, the VLC media player is a portable, free, and open source cross-platform multimedia player. It is available worldwide for desktop operating systems and even for mobile platforms, like Android, iOS, iPadOS, Tizen, Windows 10 Mobile, and Windows Phone.

The VLC player can easily recognize and play most multimedia files and DVDs, Audio CDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols, including MKV files. It allows converting the MKV video to simpler formats like MP4, which is compatible with most modern devices.

So YES, usually, VLC does play MKV video files.

4 Solutions to MKV File Not Playing on VLC

MKV format is by default supported by VLC. It can easily read and open MKV videos. Even so, many users face issues whenever they paly MKV videos on the VLC media player.

The most common errors that usually occur are MKV file not playing, grey screen, pop-up error messages while playing MKV file, downloading MKV indefinitely, choppy videos, no sound, errors on external subtitle and many more. At the same time, there are various step by step solutions provided online to tackle the troubles.

Issue 1. VLC Skipping MKV or HD MKV

  • Go to VLC Menu – From Tools menubar - Select Preferences option.
  • Select All Radio Button on the bottom left from the dialog window.
  • Go to the Input/Codecs section – a list will appear.
  • Select the File Caching(ms) option under the advanced section.
  • Set it to 1000.

Issue 2. Choppy Video While Playing MKV and HD MKV on VLC

Choppy videos spoil the fun of viewing experience. There can be several reasons behind a rough, jerky, or broken video. Reasons include faulty SD cards, technical glitches, audio/video codec issues, outdated media players, corrupt or damaged video files, unsupportable video file format, etc.

  • Go to VLC Menu – From Tools menubar - Select Preferences option.
  • Select All Radio Button on the bottom left from the dialog window.
  • Select Input/Codecs option.
  • Select the Video Codecs option.
  • Select FFmpeg option - Disable Hardware Decoding option on the list that appears.

Issue 3. VLC Media Player Has No Sound

Most VLC users get frustrated when the VLC media player produces no audio while playing the videos. Like viewing, aural experience is equally essential for enjoyment. If the problem continues to persist after checking all the sound-related panels and speakers on our devices, just check the steps.

  • Go to VLC Menu – From Tools menubar - Select Preferences option.
  • Click on the Audio icon.
  • Select the Enable Audio option.
  • Go to Output option and Select options from Output Module and HDMI/SPDIF audio passthrough.

Issue 4. MKV file is corrupted or damaged

In some cases, the MKV file may get corrupted or damaged, and thus VLC fails to play it. But you can try a video repair tool to fix it.

Wondershare Video Repair is one of the robust tools of modern times in the market. The ultimate corrupt video file fixer repairs videos from different devices, like memory cards, SD cards, computer hard drives, digital cameras, action cameras, etc.

Codec

The video file corruption can be due to memory card error, file transfer error, interrupted system shutdown, corrupted recovered videos, virus attacks, or any other reason. Wondershare Video Repair works to repair them. It supports a wide range of video formats with different damage signs.

Moreover, the powerful software guides us on how to recover a corrupt video file instantly with easy steps. How easy are they? The instruction shows you the easy task - 4 steps to repairing the damaged MKV file using the MKV Video Repair tool.

Step 1. Add Damaged MKV Video File

Firstly launch the application on the computer. Click the Add button or Add video and start repairing the option to add damaged videos.

Step 2. Repair Damaged MKV Video File

  • Select multiple video files for repairing.
  • Select the Repair button to start the process.

Step 3. Preview and Save Repaired MKV Video File

  • The repair process will take some time.
  • Once the process completes, a pop-up screen will display.
  • Once selected, it starts repairing MKV video files.
  • Click on the preview button to see repaired MKV files.

Step 4. Advanced Video Repair (Optional)

  • The Advanced Repair mode helps you repair severely corrupted video files. Click on the button.
  • A new window will display and click the Folder icon to browse and choose a sample file.
  • Click on the Repair button.

Download video to mac. Step 5. Save Recovered Videos

  • The repair process is over in some time.
  • Save the repaired MKV video file at the desired location.

This software also enables you to repair MP4 videos.

2 Tricks on Playing MKV Files on VLC Smoothly

Tip 1. Convert MKV Files to More Compatible Formats

If the error screen, choppy videos, no audio, dragging, or any other type of problem persists, convert the MKV file to DivX, WMV, MPEG-4, and other VLC-supported formats.

Mkv For Mac

Tip 2. Play MKV Files Sleekly with VLC Alternative

5KPlayer is the called the second-best VLC alternative available globally to meet the user demands. It is embedded with 450+ video codec and 180+ audio codec, the need to install third-party software, plug-ins, or any codec pack like CCCP - the one VLC needs to play MKV are not at all required. There are many features which make VLC alternative a better and superior option compared to VLC on Video playback.

Mkv Codec For Media Player

  • It supports MKV (H.265) fluently without issues.
  • Allows playing 4K MKV on both Mac and PC.
  • It contains a media library.
  • No DVD problem.
  • Easy to download.
  • Drag and drop MKV files and enjoy high-quality video viewing without interruptions.

Solve Media File Problems

Recover & Repair Photos
Recover & Repair Videos
Recover & Repair Audio
Recover & Repair Cameras