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Choose the Best Media Player for Mac

Since QuickTime, the standard macOS player, does not play some common formats and has rather limited functionality, many users start looking for another media player for Mac. Luckily, there are countless apps for playing video and audio on Mac, they will help you open a wide range of file formats and edit videos. Some even have a screen recording feature and a built-in converter. Keep on reading to find out the top players for Mac.

Top choice
Elmedia Player
4.8 Rank based on 1531+ users, Reviews(793)
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Best Media Player Mac - Elmedia Player

Undisputed the Best Mac Media Player: Elmedia Player

Elmedia Player Free

4.8 Rank based on 1531 + users Reviews(793)
Requirements: OS X 10.12+
Version: v8.5(3120), Released 8 Jun, 2022 Release notes
Category: Video
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Purchase PRO

We start our list with the top pick in terms of the best media player for Mac. Elmedia Player is a user-friendly, light media player which is developed to surprise its users with all its goodies.

One of its main attractions is the number of formats supported. Elmedia Player can open anything from AVI, MKV to MP4 and MP3. As a result, you can view any type of content in a crystal clear and accessible way. In terms of playback, you have the whole control over it.


Elmedia Player - media player for Mac with wide range features

Elmedia Player also has a Pro version which offers even more access to its features. For $19.95 you can upgrade to wireless streaming on any Chromecast, Smart TV, or DLNA-based device. In addition, it holds many other custom features and options we’ll let you discover if curious.

Top features:

  • One-click streaming via AirPlay and DLNA
  • Can open external audio and subtitles with sync
  • Adjustable speed and frame-by-frame playback
  • Customizable color theme
  • Playlist and bookmark features

icon pros Pros

  • Supports various file formats
  • Wireless connectivity and streaming
  • Customizing playback, audio, and video feature
  • Subtitle support
  • Playlist creation

icon cons Cons

  • Compatible with the latest macOS version
  • No Windows support, only Mac

Supported formats: MP3, MP4, FLAC, AVI, M4A, APE, OGG, AC3, M4A, AAC, WMV, WMA, WAV, and many more.

Elmedia — Universal Mac Media Player

How to Play Media Files on Mac with Elmedia Player

1
Download and install Elmedia Player on Mac.
Install Elmedia Player on Mac
2

Find the file you want to play and open it. You can do it in several ways:

  • Drag and drop file to the main window or to the Dock icon.
  • Right-click a file and select “Open with” or use the file browser in the application itself.
You can open the file and enjoy watching
3

Once done, the file will open so that you can enjoy watching the video clip. To improve your viewing experience, adjust the settings.

Mac Media Player: Explore the Best Solutions


QuickTime - Standard Mac Media Player

QuickTime is the standard Mac player. It comes pre-installed and does a great job as long as you don't need to play additional formats. QuickTime is convenient and easy to use and also works as a screen recorder. You can record a video or anything else on your current desktop in a few clicks. But since it supports a limited number of formats, you need to opt for a QuickTime alternative.

QuickTime is a built-in media player with limited format support.

Top features:

  • Screen recording
  • Customizable playback speed
  • Support for PiP mode

icon pros Pros

  • Does not require additional installation
  • Easy to use
  • Offers advanced H.264 video compression technology

icon cons Cons

  • Limited format support

Supported formats: MP3, MP4, M4A, M4B, M4V, M4R, AIFF, WAV, MOV.

OmniPlayer - Mac Media Player Worth Trying

OmniPlayer is the type of media player for Mac that’s perfect for those who know what they want. It can be found in AppStore and has a compact and straightforward interface. It offers a simple design, intuitive navigation set up, 4K quality playback, subtitles, and many other various features, similar to other media players.

Mac Media Player with various file formats supported, but the free version is quite limited.

Top features:

  • Video image adjusting
  • Comes with audio and subtitle control
  • Wireless display

icon pros Pros

  • Easy to use by any type of user
  • Various file formats supported
  • Playlist management and customization

icon cons Cons

  • The free version is quite limited in its features. For the full experience, you need to pay.

Supported formats: MKV, AVI, MOV, WMV, FLV, F4V, F4A, MPG, MPV, MP4, M4V, WEBM, MP3, M4A, WMA, WAV, and more.

IINA - Outstanding Media Player Mac Compatible

We find this app absolutely intriguing, and that’s because of its minimalist design. It has a similar Mac interface, so when you navigate through it, you’ll feel like it’s part of Apple’s aesthetics. This Mac media player also has excellent full media capabilities and has macOS features supported such as Force Touch, Dark Mode, Touch Bar, and so on. If you’re not blown away by its appearance, you will definitely be by the experience it offers. Extremely enjoyable!

IINA is a nice Mac Media Player with a similar Mac interface and has excellent full media capabilities.

Top features:

  • Customizable user interface
  • Comes with PiP Mode
  • Thumbnail preview
  • Touchpad integration

icon pros Pros

  • Similar Apple design and navigation
  • Quick access due to its browser integration

icon cons Cons

  • Slowdowns due to CPU solicitation
  • Can experience bugs when least expect it

Supported formats: AVI, MP4, FLV, WMV, MKV, M4A, MP3, AAC, FLAC, and more.

VLC Media Player - Veteran Media Player for Mac

VLC Media Player, one of the most popular Mac media players. Anyone who watched a video or a movie on their device has used this media player at least once. VLC is with us for so many years and has set the scene for other apps to reach popularity. VLC became famous for its versatility in playing any type of file format, from most popular to uncommon ones. The VLC media player is and has always been free, and even though other players outshine it in terms of design and user interface, it remains one of the best.

One of the most popular Mac media players - VLC Media Player.

Top features:

  • Advanced audio settings
  • Provides video and audio filters
  • Screen recording
  • Can be used to stream media

icon pros Pros

  • Free and accessible to everyone
  • Has the largest file format support
  • Compatible with all operating systems - Mac, iOS, Android, Windows, etc.

icon cons Cons

  • Outdated user experience and design
  • Its best feature is the playback quality

Supported formats: MP4, MP3, MPEG, AVI, MOV, 3GP, WMV, WMA, ASF, MK, FLV, and more.

JustPlay - One Of The Most Popular Media Players Mac Related

If you’re a Mac user, you’ve most definitely used JustPlay. It’s one of the best Mac media players, thanks to its user-friendly interface and design. It offers HD videos, up to 8K, it also supports different video and audio formats. JustPlay also offers excellent playback, accelerated decoding even for the largest files. Pretty awesome, if you ask us.

JustPlay is one of the best Mac media players with user-friendly interface, design and different useful features.

Top features:

  • Comes with video tuner
  • Advanced controls
  • Can resume playback
  • Touch Bar support

icon pros Pros

  • No additional codecs are needed to play videos or audio files
  • Fast decoding even for large files
  • Excellent HP playback

icon cons Cons

  • No video editing or downloading
  • Paid too, no free version available

Supported formats: MP3, MP4, AVI, MOV, FLAC, M4A, OGG, APE, and more.

5KPlayer - Versatile Media Player for Mac

5KPlayer is another best media player Mac users can rely on. It is free and allows you to play 2K and 4K Ultra HD videos without slowdowns. 5KPlayer boasts a variety of supported files as well as a media organizer and streaming feature. Finally, with 5KPlayer, you can download videos from YouTube and other platforms. But still there is a downside: the app contains ads.

5KPlayer is free media Player for Mac that Comes with TrueTheater technology.

Top features:

  • Seamless HD playback
  • Can be used as an online downloader
  • Wirelessly stream audio and video

icon pros Pros

  • Supports many formats
  • Free to use
  • Doesn't require a lot of resources
  • Comes with TrueTheater technology

icon cons Cons

  • Users have access to a limited set of audio settings

Supported formats: AVI, M4V, MKV, MOV, MP4, MPG, WMV, M3U, M4A, MP3, WAV, and more.

Breakdown of the Features Every Media Player for Mac Needs to Have

If you’re still interested in knowing the key components and features that make a player the best media player for Mac, continue reading. We’ve put together a list in order for you to check and see if your player of choice has these features.

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Top features
VideoDuke
Elmedia
Omni
IINA
VLC
JustPlay
Multiple file formats supported
Multiple file formats supported
yes (AVI, FLV, SWF, MP4, WMV, MKV, DAT, DivX, MKV, MP3, WMA, AC2, MKA, OGG, FLAC, AAC, etc.)  
yes ( AVI, MP4, FLV, SWF, WMV, MKV, M4V, AAC, FLAC, MP3, WAV, WMA, etc. )  
yes ( AVI, MP4, FLV, SWF, WMV, MKV, M4V, AAC,FLAC, MP3, WAV, WMA, etc.)  
yes (MKV, MP4, VOB, WMV, MPG AVI, FlAC, AAC, MP3,WMA, etc.)  
yes ( MKV, MP4, FLV, SWF, WMV, AVI, M4V, AAC, FLAC, MP3, WAV, WMA, etc. )  
File format conversion
File format conversion
no  
no  
no  
yes  
no  
Subtitle support and integration
Subtitle support and integration
yes  
yes  
yes  
yes  
yes  
Hardware-accelerated decoding
Hardware-accelerated decoding
yes  
yes  
yes  
yes  
yes  
Screen-recording and screenshot capturing
Screen-recording and screenshot capturing
no  
yes (PRO)  
no  
yes  
no  
Playlist integration, managing, and customization
Playlist integration, managing, and customization
yes  
yes  
yes  
yes  
yes  

Must-Have Options of the Best Media Player for Mac

So, what options should have the best media player for Mac? First and foremost, it must support as many file formats as possible. Secondly, the media player should keep up with every macOS upgrade, in terms of performance. This is fundamental for a smooth and complete experience.

Since today’s digital content only gets more and more high-def, the media player should be able to play Ultra HD videos. A crystal clear video experience is impressive for a user’s first impression.

Design is essential as well. Make sure you choose a media player that has easy and intuitive navigation, so you’ll know exactly where to go and what to press. Besides, if Mac media player offers the option of building playlists, that’s also a big plus.

Finally, the best Mac media player should be ad-free. No one likes to be interrupted by annoying pop-ups every two clicks. So, look for the media player that at least offers you the option to turn it off.

FAQ

We’ve done our best to illustrate to you the best media player for Mac. And we hope you’ll find the best one to suit your needs. But for any questions you may still have about these players, you can find them down below!
You can use Elmedia Player to play video and audio files on Mac for free. This free mediaplayer for Mac comes with many useful options, including subtitle support and flexible settings.
To get a media player on Mac, you need to download it from the player’s official website or from the App Store.
The Mac comes with QuickTime Player by default. It’s not terrible, and for most casual users, it seems to be alright for light tasks. But if consuming media is a priority to you, then QuickTime simply isn’t good enough. That’s why we recommend opting for a more powerful, well-rounded third-party player instead of QuickTime Player.

There are multiple media players for Mac, and we have reviewed some of them in this article. Elmedia Player is a good alternative to VLC. It supports almost any video and audio format. Besides, you can use it to connect to AirPlay 2, DLNA and Chromecast devices and start streaming the content.

Elmedia Player
Requirements: macOS 10.12+ , 89.14MB of free space
Version 8.5(3120) (8 Jun, 2022) Release notes
Category: MultimediaApplication
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Purchase PRO
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