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MP4 won't play on Mac? What should you do to play MP4 video files on macOS smoothly? Follow this article to get easy solutions to fix QuickTime Player can't open MP4 error.
'I paid for and downloaded a YouTube video in an .mp4 file but was told that my QuickTime can't play MP4 on Mac. I never have this problem before, and QuickTime Player has listed .MP4 at the top of its playable formats. Why?'
Some users may have no clue when QuickTime player refuses to open MP4 files. What should you do if mp4 not playing on Mac with QuickTime? Below we have our detailed problem analysis and step-by-step guide.
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Table of Contents
Part 1: Why QuickTime Won't Play MP4 on Mac & Common Ways to Fix It
Causes to QuickTime Won't Play MP4 on Mac Problem
As the user mentioned in his question, as MP4 is one of the formats supported by QuickTime, why MP4 playback error still occurs? Here are reasons lead to this problem, you may check:
- .mp4 is a file extension which include many codecs, and QuickTime Player lack the right codec to read certain MP4 videos;
- Damaged or corrupt MP4 files cause the MP4 playback error on Mac. This happens more often to MP4 files downloaded from web and received from email;
- Incomplete conversion or compression of MP4 video files.
Ways to Ensure Smooth MP4 Video Playback on Mac Computer
First, if you run into QuickTime won't recognize MP4 from iMovie, select a .mov extension as the output to solve the problem;
Second, if you're watching mp4 on Mac with HD or 4K resolution but without any luck, first please check if your graphic process, GPU, Mac display meet the minimum requirements to play 4K files on Mac;
Third, update QuickTime Player to the latest version. If you still can't play MP4 files on Mac, now you can:
- Convert unplayable mp4 videos to MP4 files with supported codecs, or other formats like MOV;
- Switch from QuickTime Player to other Mac players;
- Some MP4 videos captured by GoPro action cam, for example, are encoded in HEVC codec, which older Mac computer won't support, unless you update it to the latest macOS.
Part 2: How to Convert MP4 to QuickTime Supported Codec
You can convert unplayable videos in any format (any video/audio codecs) to the files perfectly for Mac. With a MP4 video converter, opening MP4 on macOS is just a snap. This fits those who want to stick with Mac video player and don't want to handle with complicated codec thing. The video converter applied in the method is MacX Video Converter Pro, which will handle everything you throw at it and output to a HQ MP4 file playable on Mac.
- Flexible output formats: with 320+ video and 50+ audio codecs, it converts any videos to Mac supported files, including MP4 files among different codecs;
- Repair damaged files by cutting the corrupt part with advanced editing features, and output to MP4 file for playing on Mac;
- No.1 fast video to MP4 H.264 conversion speed by enable hardware acceleration tech;
- 3 Simple & Easy Steps: Drag & drop, choose output format and then you can enjoy MP4 videos on Mac smoothly without codec problem.
Step 1: Free download this MP4 video converter on Mac or Windows computer and open it. Then click 'Add File' to add the MP4 not opening on Mac.
Step 2: Choose an output format. To ensure your Mac computer to accept and read your MP4 video files, select MP4 H.264 or other Mac supported formats like MOV as the output format. (you can also convert unplayble videos for iPhone, iPad or Android devices)
Step 3: Click 'Browse' button to select a destination folder to save the output MP4 video. Check the Intel box on the interface to enable the hardware acceleration tech to boost the mp4 conversion on Mac.
Step 4: Click 'RUN' button to start converting videos to MP4. Then you can play output MP4 videos on Mac with QuickTime Player or other MP4 video players on Mac.
Tips: Know More about QuickTime Player Supported Formats
Supposing you're using QuickTime Player to play MP4 on MacBook Pro/Air, iMac etc. Check the formats and codecs supported by QuickTime Player to convert unplayable videos clearly with any MP4 video converter.
- It plays almost all media formats including MP4, MTV, M2TS, AVI, FLV, WMV, DVDs;
- It fully supports 3D, 8K/5K/4K UHD videos playback, with untouched image quality;
- It's an combo of media streamer, online video downloader, and MP4 video player for Mac;
Part 3: How to Watch MP4 with 3rd-party MP4 Player for Mac
In the above formats section, we can see that QuickTime Player is limited in supported formats. If QuickTime can't play MP4 on Mac smoothly, you can turn to another MP4 player for Mac. They may come with wider formats support and better playback experience. This method is the easiest for those who have no preference to QuickTime.
There are many video player for Mac that works well with MP4 files, for example VLC media player. In this method, we select another free video player which tops the user downloads on the pundit ranking site Softonic: 5KPlayer.
- It plays almost all media formats including MP4, MTV, M2TS, AVI, FLV, WMV, DVDs;
- It fully supports 3D, 8K/5K/4K UHD videos playback, with untouched image quality;
- It's an combo of media streamer, online video downloader, and MP4 video player for Mac;
- It works with latest macOS Sierra, El Capitan, Yosemite and earlier version.
Part 4: How to Install Perian for QuickTime
As the main reason that QuickTime can't play MP4 on Mac is the lack of certain codecs, you can manually add the codec pack. The free add-on called Perian is a perfect mate for QuickTime. With Perian installed, QuickTime Player will support a much wider range of codecs, including MP4, AVI or playing MKV on Mac. Check the detailed formats supported (Perian is no longer under development and does not work with QuickTime 10 or above):
- File formats: AVI, FLV, MKV, DIVX, GVI, VP6, VFW file formats
- Video/Audio types: MS-MPEG4 v1 & v2, DivX, 3ivx, H.264, FLV/Sorenson Spark, FSV1, VP6, H263i, VP3, VP8, HuffYUV, FFVHuff, MPEG1 & MPEG2 Video, Fraps, Snow, NuppelVideo, Techsmith, screen capture, DosBox Capture, Windows Media Audio v1 & v2, Flash ADPCM, Xiph Vorbis (in Matroska), and MPEG Layer II Audio, True audio, DTS coherent acoustics, nellymoser ASAO;
- Subtitle support: SSA/ASS and SRT.
There are a plethora of Mac video players on the app market. From my perspective, the best video player for Mac should support a vast assortment of formats, crisp visual display, and user-friendly operating features. In this huge and intensely competitive market, we can't figure out which free Mac video player is the best choice at once. If you have the same doubts, then you come to the right place. In this article, I'd like to show you the best media player for Mac that can give you excellent visual enjoyment.
4 Tips on Choosing the Best Media Player for Mac
The best video player for Mac is supposed to:
- Be free of ads, viruses, malware, and spyware.
- Born with a slick and directive interface, making the app simple to navigate.
- Come with strong coding skills and support wide-ranging video & audio format, so you can play any media file including 4K/5K video without losing quality.
- Have compact and basic video playback functions, like play/pause, time display, volume control, etc.
Well, I’ve listed and tested a bunch of Mac video players and screened out the top 10 best free video player for Mac with the above reference in mind.
Top 10 Best Video Player for Mac 2021
Video player software isn’t rare, but top free video player for Mac users is not easy to come by. Hence we picked out the 10 best video players for Mac and give you some detailed information below.
#1. Cisdem Video Player for Mac
Compatibility: macOS 10.10 or later
Cisdem Video Player is an incredible program playing a vast assortment of media file formats. It’s fully compatible with all popular video formats (e.g. WMV, AVI, MOV, MP4, M4V, FLV, MKV, RMVB, MPEG, etc.), as well as audio files (e.g. MP3, WMA, OGG, WAV, M4A, etc.). The software supports all those codecs ensuring the playback of high-quality video files a breeze.
This best video player Mac takes care of your local media files and the music/videos downloaded from YouTube, Vimeo, or others. You can automatically or manually add subtitles in .ass and .srt formats. It offers smoother playback while other media players show a video jitter, choppy, or stalling.
Cisdem best Mac video player contains a built-in video converter, allowing you to media files to MP4, M4V, MOV, MP3, M4A, iPhone, iPad, Samsung, and so on. It's totally free to play video & audio files but to unlock the conversion function, you need to upgrade to the pro version.
Pros:
- Equipped with a concise and decent interface
- Play video/audio files in more than 100 formats
- Play 1080P, 4K, 5K, and even 8K videos
- Load subtitles in any language, or import subtitles, as you want
- Choose the audio soundtracks and stereo
- Capture snapshots of each frame
- Turn volume up or down
- Take less occupancy on CPU memory of your Mac
FAQ: What're the differences between Cisdem Video Player and Cisdem Video Converter?
| Cisdem Video Player | Cisdem Video Converter | |
|---|---|---|
| Download | Free download | Download the free trial |
| Price | Free ($9.99 to active conversion feature) | $49.99 |
| Video Play | Dedicated video player (rich playback controls) | Inbuilt-in video player (non-primary function） |
| Video Convert | Support 40+ output formats | Support 300+ formats |
| Batch Convert | No | Yes |
| Extra | / | Rip DVD movies and music Download online videos from 1000+ sites |
Both programs support playing and converting features. But as their names indicate, the former is mainly used to play videos, while the latter is a professional video converter & downloader.
#2. VLC Media Player for Mac
Compatibility: Mac OS X 10.7.5 or newer
VLC Media Player, an uncluttered, open-source and cross-platform program, supports DivX and MPEG streaming. It can play DVDs, CDs, VCDs, network streaming protocols, and various types of video files. The best video player Mac offers playlist for viewing multiple videos one after the other.
Meanwhile, VLC empowers you to open Zip media files without unpacking them. And you can simply tweak the playback controls and audio volume (up to 200%). But it’s a little delayed while playing, 'Each time I click on run video network it plays other audio and DVDs, etc. and after a million times it finally plays the YouTube video.'
Pros:
- Help you enjoy Windows Media, MP3, QuickTime, and OGG files.
- Record the movies/music you are playing with VLC
- Adjust playback speed (slower, normal, and faster)
- Support external subtitles and Closed Captions
Cons:
- Outdated user interface
- Delay a little while playing the media files
#3. MPlayerX for Mac
Compatibility: Mac OS X 10.7 or above
MPlayerX is one of the fastest choices to play MPEG (damaged MPEG files included), MP4, AVI, ASF, WMV, MOV, WAV, OGG/OGM, CD audio, etc. Plus, this best media player for Mac supports multi-touch, gesture, auto-encode subtitles, and online YouTube/Vimeo playback. But don't confuse MPlayerX and MPlayer OSX Extended. They are two completely different programs.
Pros:
- Stand-alone video player for Mac
- Support various output formats and devices
- Auto convert subtitles for media files
Cons:
- Injects pop-up ads or advertising banners which may bring a virus
- Take up too much CPU
- Encounter problem when open the software and ask you to eject the disk image
#4. QuickTime Player for Mac
Compatibility: Mac OS X 10.6.6 or above
QuickTime Player, bundled with the Mac operating system, is Apple's flagship software. It ensures you to view Internet video, HD movie trailers, and personal media. This best media player for Mac is slick and easy to use. You can quickly export your videos to 4k, 1080p, 720p, 480p (based on original resolution) or extract them as M4A audio. It also functions as a screen recorder. You can record your playing movie, track, or anything on your current desktop.
However, it supports limited video formats. For more formats available like FLV, you have to install external plug-in Perian.
Pros:
- No additional installation required
- Provide you with advanced H.264 video compression technology to help deliver perfect HD video with less storage space.
- Record your Mac screen
Cons:
- A bit slow to launch
- Can’t work with common subtitle files
- Can’t open MKV, WMV, WMA, AVI, FLV, etc.
#5. Elmedia Player for Mac
Compatibility: OS X 10.9.0 or later
A multifunctional free media player for Mac, Elmedia Player supports a wide range of common and not so common audio & video formats, including FLV, SWF, WMV, AVI, MOV, MP4, MP3, DAT, FLAC, M4V, MPG, MKV, and more. It can play virtually all media files on your Mac. Although it has some other special features, such as downloading online videos from YouTube and adjusting audio settings, they are not free and need to be upgraded.
Pros:
- Play online videos without ads
- Support embedded and external subtitles
- Save and load playlist
- Reset audio delay
Cons:
- Consume major CPU
- Might lose video quality when swiping back and forth
- Only pro version allows to take screenshots
#6. 5KPlayer for Mac
Compatibility: OS X 10.8.0 or higher
5KPlayer is a mixture of free AirPlay media streamer, online video downloader, music player and movie player for Mac. All HD, 4K, 5K videos including MKV, MTS, AVCHD are supported. With AirPlay streaming tech, you can as AirPlay sender/receiver: stream video music from iPhone, iPad to PC or from PC to Apple TV. Although the best Mac video player lets you download videos from YouTube, Vimeo, Dailymotion, etc., the download process will be bit slower.
Pros:
- Embedded copious codecs for playing different audio, video, and DVD.
- No need to install additional codec or pack.
- Import subtitle and switch soundtrack
- Manage YouTube downloaded videos, DLNA server, and playlist in library
Cons:
- Install Bonjour voluntarily without any hint when you need to make AirPlay work
- The media player will get stuck when playing high resolution & long videos
#7. Realplayer for Mac
Compatibility: Mac OS X 10.9 or later
Realplayer can play all formats of videos. This best video player Mac is a universal media player that automatically recognizes the file format of the video or audio file you want to play. So you can count on it to reliably play the most popular audio and video file formats including AVI, MP4, MP3, WMA, WAV, FLV, MPEG, and more. It requires a fairly powerful machine for some functions. Several applications need to be installed in advance to launch the application properly.
Pros:
- Offer several visualization ways for listening and locates your media files automatically.
- Include handy downloading and conversion features that may benefit some users.
#8. DivX Player for Mac
Compatibility: Mac OS X 10.5.0 or above
DivX Player delivers high-quality video playback for AVI, DIVX, MKV, MP4, and more. It is the best video player Mac to watch DivX, MKV, and HEVC up to 4K films. You can use its built-in TransferWizard to burn videos to DVD/USB/computer. It also comes with DivX Codec Pack and a free 15-day trial of DivX Plus Converter for those who plan to convert.
Pros:
- Support playing HD 720P/1080P, UHD 4K video movies
- Open video directly with URL
- Import video files into library
Cons:
- Large installation file and install other software without permission
- Poor compatibility with the latest system
- Lack some key features, e.g. rewind and forward
#9. Movist Video Player for Mac
Compatibility: OS X 10.10.0 or late
Movist, based on QuickTime and FFmpeg, is another best media player for Mac. It has the ability to encode/decode a multitude of formats and add subtitles. You can do some general and advanced settings for better and convenient video playback. However, the new versions like 2.4.2, 2.4.3 are not free now, which charge $4.99 or $7.99 (Movist Pro). To get Movist free video player for Mac, you should install the old version like 0.6.8 or before.
Pros:
- Simple to operate
- Support playlist
- Many customizable options
#10. NicePlayer for Mac
Compatibility: Mac OS X 10.5 or above
NicePlayer is the best Video Player for Mac with a multi-engine player designed for playing movies nicely. This program features full-screen or borderless floating windows, useful controls for scrubbing or queuing movies, and on-the-fly playlist creation.
Pros:
- Lightweight and compatible with most formats
- Can adjust the aspect ratio
- Make a suitable presentation with the aid of toolbar (Half Size, Double Size, Fill Screen, Fill Width, etc.)
Cons:
- Can’t handle AVI, MKV or MPG videos.
- No support for subtitles and changing audio sources, etc.
- Unable to play the videos by dragging it to the software
- Not convenient to switch to another video
What is Media Player (Software)？
We often need the best media player for Mac, but before installing new software it is good to get some knowledge about it.
According to the explanation from Wikipedia, a media player (software) is a handy program that can help you play videos, music, movies, and other multimedia files on the computer. All media players display standard media control icons: play, pause, fast-forward, back forward, and stop buttons.
How to Use the Best Video Player for Mac?
All video players mentioned above are easy to use. Let's take Cisdem Video Player as an example:
Step 1. Download and install the best free video player for Mac, then launch it.
Step 2. Drag and drop the video file you wish to watch to the interface of the software.
Step 3. Click button to start video play on Mac.
How to Change the Default Video Player on Mac?
Free Video Player For Mac Os X Catalina
QuickTime Player is the default Mac media player. You can change it into the best video player for Mac you think.
Step 1. Locate the media file you wish to play.
Best Free Video Player Mac
Step 2. Right-click on it, a drop-down menu will appear.
Step 3. Choose “Open With” > “Other”, which brings up a dialog for selecting the application to open your media file.
Step 4. Choose your best media player Mac, check the box- “Always Open With”, and click on “Open”.
Conclusion
Movie Player For Mac
I deem that you already have the best media player for Mac in your mind, just download it on Mac and have a try if it is right the thing as you expected. Here I advise those who still feel a little confused to choose from, I push Cisdem Video Player for Mac in front of you. it gets more and more reputation and becomes a stable status among the market. 4K video, 5K/1080p HD videos, all of popular SD & HD standard video formats which other free video player tools unable to support, or add subtitle files, Cisdem Video Player for Mac can all fix it. What’s the best I enjoy, it offers crisp and clear visual image, I feel the video playing quite high quality.