Bigasoft MKV Converter helps you convert MKV file to all popular video formats for playback no matter where you are. It fast converts MKV (Matroska Video) to the proper formats playable on iPod, iPhone, BlackBerry, Zune, PSP, Apple TV, XBox, other MP4 Player, etc. The MKV video converter can easily convert MKV to AVI, convert MKV to MP4, convert MKV to WMV, as well as other popular video formats like AVI, DivX, Xvid, WMV, MP4, H.264, MOV, HD video, etc. Moreover, it can also convert MKA (Matroska Audio) to MP3, WAV, WMA, AAC or M4A music to help you listen to your superb songs no matter where you are. With strong editing functions support, the powerful conversion tool can help you make your creative movies. Split MKV files into several segments with the exact time length. Crop the playing region to get the perfect playing effect and the best video quality. Key Features: 1. Watch MKV anywhere 2. Convert MKV to other formats 3. Listen to MKA files Convert MKA (Matroska Audio) to MP3, WAV, WMA, AAC or M4A music to help you listen to your superb songs no matter where you are. 4. Extract audio from MKV Extract sound tracks from MKV movies to hear anywhere or share with your friends. 5. Watch marvelous part Getting rid of the ads, trailers, beginning and ending segment of the MKV movies can be done by setting the exact start time and duration. 6. Best quality for watching Crop frame size to remove your unwantedarea using this MKV file converter like the smart scissors. 7. Preview and take snapshot 8. Batch conversion Set after done action ahead of conversion to save time on waiting and ease your digital life. 9. Pause at any moment When converting MKV movies, you can pause, stop and continue at your will. 10. Easy to use 11. Windows Vista supported 12. Support multi-language Support multi-language like English, German, French, Chinese and Japanese now.
Watching movies on a laptop is not the best way to do it but you can’t carry a TV on the Plane, yet. While the Quicktime Player handles all of my media content with ease, there are certain formats that it still can’t recognize. The MKV format is one of the popular ones in the movie industry because of it’s unlimited storage capacity. In this guide, I’ll show you how to play MKV files on a mac. Let’s get started.
DVD Creator for Mac. ISkysoft DVD Creator for Mac is a great software to convert MKV to DVD on Mac OS X, including the new EL Capitan, Yosemite, Mountain Lion, Lion, and Snow Leopard. Besides MKV, you can import videos in various formats like MP4, WMV, MOV, AVI, and more. And you also can turn the online videos from YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook and other sites into DVD. MacX Free MKV Video Converter is a 100% safe and free MKV converter for Mac to convert MKV for free on Mac OS with no virus. It supports converting MKV to any video formats, including MKV to MP4, AVI, MOV, FLV, H.264, etc.
The MKV format is an open and free container format that can hold an infinite number of audio, video, and text files in a single file. This makes it an excellent format for TV shows, movies, etc.
There are various options to play MKV files on Mac but we’ll choose the easiest three;
Installing a QuickTime Plugin
Installing a third party Player
Converting the Video
1. Play MKV Files on Mac – QuickTime Plugin
Quicktime Player is the default video player for macOS. Yes, it does lack a few features which other players have but it’s nothing a plugin won’t fix. Perian is a popular Plugin for QuickTime Player which lets you play MKV videos on your Mac.
Download the Plugin setup file from the official website or by clicking this link.
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Your download should automatically start and once the file is downloaded, you can simply open the downloads by clicking the downloaded button on the tray. Click on ‘Perian.dmg’ to begin the setup.
It would show the error just like the figure below, which says “Perian can’t be opened because it is from an unidentified developer”. Fret not, you can easily remove this error, by temporarily disabling the security blanket of GateKeeper.
To disable Gatekeeper, open ‘System Preferences’ by searching in the Spotlight or from the Apple menu. It would open the settings window and you can click on ‘Security & Privacy’.
After that, you’d see the section which says ‘Allow apps downloaded from’ and a button ‘Open Anyway’. Click the button to override the default action.
If your Mac has a password, you need to enter it again to authenticate it. Make sure you enter the Administrator’s name and password or else it won’t install the plugin.
Now, this will open the installer and you just have to click ‘Perian.prefPane’ to begin the installation.
Ignore this warning and allow it by clicking ‘Okay‘. It automatically installs all the necessary files and you just have to wait for it to finish.
After the installation is finished, you’ll see the window similar to one below. You can close it now as the Plugin is successfully installed.
Play the MKV file with Plugin
Now, you can open any file from your system with QuickTime Player and it would start loading instead of showing you an error. Alfa driver for mac. Depending on the Size of the file, it may take some time.
This Plugin converts the MKV file to MP4 and that’s why it takes a little while to load. Once it does, you can watch the video without any problems on your QuickTime Player. If you close the window, you’ll get a pop-up that would suggest you save the file in MP4 format. You can save the file in MP4 format and play that instead.
Pros
No additional Player required
Easy installation and integration
Open-sourced
Converts MKV to mp4 as well
Cons
Slow loading speeds
2. Play MKV Files on Mac with VLC
The last method works great if you want to keep using QuickTime Player as your main media player on the computer. The Plugin is still a workaround and slow when compared with other media players.
The VLC media player is one of the most popular video players out there and the popularity keeps growing because of its consistent and reliable performance and support for a wide range of formats and codecs. You can install VLC to play MKV files and other formats without installing any special plugin. You can even set it as a default media player on mac.
Go to the VLC’s website and download the latest package or click this link.
It opens the download page and beings the download in a few seconds.
Once the download is finished. Double click the package in the Downloads to install it.
As it unwraps the container, you’ll see the window like the one below, you have to drag the traffic cone to the applications folder by clicking and holding the icon.
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Mkv For Mac
It would prompt you with an authentication pop-up, Click ‘Authenticate’ button to begin the installation.
It may ask you the login credentials. Enter the administrator username and password and click ‘Modify Settings‘.
VLC media player would install and now you can play any MKV file with VLC media player. Simply right-click the MKV file and select ‘Open With’. Click on the VLC icon. It begins to play the video without a hiccup.
Pros
Support for a wide variety of Plugins
Native support for MKV
Sleek UI
Mkv Video Converter Mac
Cons
Problems with 4K playback
3. Play MKV Files on Mac With Handbrake
If for any reason, you can’t use the above two methods. Converting the MKV files to a supported format is the best option. Using a web converter is both time-consuming and slow, considering you have to first upload, convert, and then download the converted file again.
Handbrake is an open-sourced video transcoder that is used to rip DVDs and it also lets you convert MKV files to mp4. Installing Handbrake on your mac would take no more than five minutes. Go to the website or click this link to download the installer package.
Start by clicking the downloaded package in the Downloads folder.
It would open the container and you can click on the Handbrake icon to launch the converter.
To select an MKV file for conversion, click the ‘Open Source’ button on the top left corner of the window.
Select the file from the computer by browsing to the desired folder.
After selecting the file(s), you can select presets, and adjust video duration. You can edit dimensions, filters, video, audio of the output file. After you’re done with the tweaks, choose the output folder, and click start.
After the conversion, The output file is automatically stored to the destination address. You can open the folder and play the file on any media player or send to other devices using iTunes.
Pros
Multiple files can be converted at once
Multiple presets are available
Full control over dimensions, audio, chapters, etc
Cons
Convert Mkv File Mac Os
Only converts to MP4
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3 Ways to Play MKV Files on a Mac
Mkv To Mp4 Converter Mac
These were 3 ways with which you can play MKV files on a Mac. Installing a Plugin is the easiest way to play MKV files if you don’t want to move to a new media player considering QuickTime is already powerful. Installing a VLC is my recommended choice because it gives you so much more than just MKV playback, even AirPlay(coming soon). Handbrake is best when you need to convert and transfer the file to the iPhone, iPad, and iPod. This gives you more control over the quality and you can optimize the video for specific devices. Tell us which method would you use to play MKV files on a mac.