Wondering how to open MKV file on Mac? It’s not a herculean task, especially with the right tool. QuickTime, sadly, does not apply. But a quick internet search can introduce you to Elmedia Player - a top-shelf solution to open MKV on Mac. No plugins, no configuration required.
Once you’ve tried Elmedia, you’ll wonder how to watch MKV on Mac without it. Indeed, it’s an essential tool, offering a huge library of supported codecs and a rich selection of settings to boot. Watch, listen, stream - it’s all available on your Mac.
It won’t take long to get the hang of this - This Mac video player can be used in 3 steps:
2. Find your files. There are several ways to do this:
3. Cozy up and start watching.
If you thought that we’re done listing off Elmedia Player’s benefits, think again. Other than resolving your MKV issues, it also offers extra features to further enhance your viewing experience. While some of these features are included in the free package, others may be a part of the Elmedia Player PRO edition - available for 19,95$.
If you aren’t willing to get a better player, you could take the difficult route and convert your tracks. Be sure to keep the list of playable formats in mind - that way, you’ll know which ones to choose. For example, QuickTime can play standard MP4s or MOVs. This way has its downsides - it takes quite a bit of time, and the video might lose quality.
UniConverter by Wondershare is a neigh-universal converter. AVI, MKV, MTS, FLV, MP4, VOB and more can be converted between each other. But it will be just as easy to convert anything and everything to common, highly-compatible formats.
Here’s how to open MKV file on Mac and convert it:
This solution will save you the trouble of installing new software, but it will come at a metaphorical cost. Online conversion services are slow and, often, riddled with ads. When accounting for single operations, it’s quick to launch and start using; however, if you’re going to convert in bulk, an offline application will serve you better. Our recommended service is convert-video-online.com.
It’s not that different from using an offline tool:
Perian used to be an alternative to other MKV-opening apps, one that didn’t require you to switch to a different player. A definite plus if you prefer to use stock applications. Sadly, it’s been abandoned. Many websites keep a reference to Perian, but it isn’t available for installation anymore.
So, what is MKV? If we want to use this format to any success, it would certainly help if we determined its nature, origins and field of use. MKV is short for Matroska Video File, which is a reference to Russian Matryoshka dolls. Just like these dolls, MKV can contain numerous video and audio tracks, not to mention the metadata.
It’s often used for high-definition online videos specifically because of its capacity for extra content. MKV has become an all-purpose format for TV shows and movies. Since we’re talking about MKV, it’s worth mentioning that MKA is an audio-only subtype.
Much like any other format out there, MKV has its ups and downs:
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