Fast and Efficient MP4 Video Player for Mac

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Elmedia 4.8 Rank based on 131+ users, Reviews(131)
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After a long day of work, it’s very relaxing to watch a movie on your Mac. And with MP4 being among the most popular format for videos and movies, you need to make sure you can play these files on your Mac. Luckily, you won’t have to worry too much since the format is big among Apple devices like the Apple TV or iPad. Even so, issues can always occur if you don’t have a reliable .mp4 player. QuickTime, the default video player for Mac devices, can have issues when it comes to playing MP4, because of the codecs not being supported. However, you won’t spend too much time asking yourself how to play MP4 on Mac because we’re offering you the best alternative to easily play MP4 on Mac. Adding Elmedia on your Mac is the best solution not to worry about playing MP4 ever again.

Quick Navigation:

  1. Elmedia - the Best App to Play MP4 on Mac
  2. How to play MP4 on Mac using Elmedia Player
  3. Top Features of Elmedia Player PRO
  4. Other Solutions to Watch MP4 on Mac
  5. More About MP4 - What is an MP4 File
  6. Can I play MP4 files on my Mac?
  7. Does QuickTime play .mp4
  8. Does QuickTime support mp4
  9. Is MOV better quality than MP4

Elmedia - the Best App to Play MP4 on Mac

Elmedia logo
Elmedia Player
Requirements: OS X 10.9+. 59.49MB free space. Version 7.16(2296). (27 Oct, 2020). 4.8 Rank based on 131+ users, Reviews(131)
Category: MultimediaApplication
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Installing Elmedia on your Mac delivers a universal tool to solve QuickTime’s issues in playing certain MP4 files. This versatile media player gives you the highest playback standards and a wide range of settings to get the best viewing experience ever. You won’t ever have to deal with the situation in which MP4 won’t play on Mac, no matter if you are playing a 1080p, 4K or 8K video. Elmedia Player guarantees a smooth playback with no issues whatsoever.
What is an MP4

Besides MP4, Elmedia Player supports a wide range of formats without needing any additional codecs. Thanks to the numerous playback enhancement tools, all your videos will play smoothly and without buffering. Being able to adjust the playback speed, deinterlace videos, play videos in the loop, and the built-in video tuner are just a few of the perks you get with Elmedia. The range of formats includes MP4, SWF, FLV, AVI, WMV, MOV, DAT, MP3, FLAC, M4V, MPG, and even Blu-ray, as well as many more.

How to play MP4 on Mac using Elmedia Player

We’ve put together a step-by-step guide on on playing MP4 files on your Mac through the Elmedia Player.

  1. Download, install the app and run it on your Mac.
    Downloading the app from our site and installing it on your Mac is the first step you’ll take towards watching all your favorite videos.
  2. Add the MP4 files to Elmedia’s library to be able to play them. There are various ways to open MP4 on Mac using Elmedia Player:
    • Drag and drop the MP4 file on the player window or directly onto the icon in the Dock;
    • Right-click the MP4 file and choose "Open With:, then choose Elmedia Player from the list;
    • From the Main Menu, click on File and then Open to select the MP4 file you wish to access.
  3. Enjoy watching your favorite videos!
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System Requirements

Mac OS X 10.9 or later

64-bit processor

55.3 MB of available disk space

play MP4 on Mac

Top Features of Elmedia Player PRO


Using Elmedia Player PRO, the paid version of Elmedia Player, you will unlock even more features that will turn watching MP4 on Mac into an amazing experience.

Download Stream Manage subtitles Adjust video and sound
MP4 is one of the most popular formats for YouTube downloads. Get all your MP4 files in just one click. Delivers both streaming and receiving functionality. Integrated subtitles search via opensubtitles.org. Deinterlacing to get rid of annoying horizontal stripes.
Get the soundtrack from videos. Streams MP4 and many other formats to Apple TV, Chromecast or Smart TV. Customization of appearance (font, size, color, encoding). Progressive video tuner delivering fine adjustment of color parameters.
Streams video and audio files in the original format. Files incompatible with your smart TV are converted on the go. Synchronization adjustment. Full-screen playback to multiple monitors connected to the computer.
Streams videos from YouTube, Vimeo or Dailymotion without ads with the player's Open Online Video feature. Endless loop for any video segment.

Other Solutions to Watch MP4 on Mac


Even though with all the functions it provides, there’s no doubt that Elmedia Player PRO is the best answer to how to open MP4 on Mac, we’re giving you other suggestions as well. We want our readers to have all the information possible.


Converting MP4 Into a Mac-friendly Format


If you don’t want to go with another media player than the built-in QuickTime, the solution is to convert MP4 files into formats that the player will easily recognize and play. Here are some apps that answer how to watch MP4 on Mac by converting the file format:

iMedia Converter Deluxe

MacX Video Converter Pro

convert MKV to MP4 Mac

More About MP4 - What is an MP4 File


An MP4 file, or the .mp4 format, is a multimedia container created to store audiovisual data. It was created by the Moving Picture Experts Group (abbreviated MPEG) and it’s one of the most popular video formats out there. It can handle digital video and audio streams, as well as subtitles and images. Being capable of Internet streaming is yet another advantage you get from using an MP4 file.

What is an MP4

Advantages of MP4 file format:


Advanced streaming compatibility, perfect for broadcasting and sharing over the Internet.

A quality lossless compression pattern meaning a more pleasant and unforgettable experience for users while playing Hi-Res videos. This also means that one can store far more video content in just about the same disk space volume.

Ability of storing multiple types of data, way beyond audio and video. The list includes scene descriptions, object descriptions, as well as other file structures also object-oriented.

Separately encoded streaming information for better performance.

Highly compatible MPEG-4 files with most systems, audio and graphics cards out there. This is also what makes MPEG-4 such a reliable format and also what contributes further to a much wider distribution. By comparison, other formats such as MOV, cannot offer the same level of versatility across all platforms.

The images generated with MP4 file format are precise, sharp, and clear.

Disadvantages of MP4 file format:


The only noticeable disadvantage of the MP4 file format revolves around movie making and editing. This is due to the fact that MP4 media is not easily updatable or editable. For instance, when importing MP4 video format documents within video editing apps, long delays or a total crash of the apps is a strong possibility. The same thing applies to audio format, which can fall out of sync, or cause the video to be distorted from time to time. Codec issues are the main adjacent cause for this. Editors are also unable to import or apprehend MPEG layouts at all. Lastly, documents imported in MP4 container layouts may require more assets for editing and playing.

The codecs to view MP4 on Mac are:

  1. Video — MPEG-4 Part 10 (H.264) and MPEG-4 Part 2.
  2. Audio — AAC, ALS, SLS, TTSI, MP3, and ALAC.
  3. Subtitles — MPEG-4 Timed Text.

The MP4 comes with various filename extensions that can indicate the content of a file. This generated some confusion among users regarding what MP4 is and how this format is organized. Furthermore, some MP4 files are also encrypted through FairPlay Digital Right Management, the technology used by Apple to protect content from illegal duplication.

Now that you have the answer for how to view MP4 on Mac, let’s check out the most common file extensions for the container:

  1. MP4 — The only official extension.
  2. M4A — Non-protected audio.
  3. M4P — Audio encrypted by FairPlay Digital Rights Management.
  4. M4B — Audiobooks and podcasts.
  5. M4V — MPEG-4 Visual bitstreams.


Frequently asked questions:

After delivering you the best suggestion for an MP4 player, we also thought it’s a good idea to put together some of the most popular questions about these files and Mac devices. Of course, if you want to know the answer to any other questions, we encourage you to post a comment and we will reply in the shortest time possible.

Usually, Macs should be able to play .mp4 files natively. Double-clicking on the MP4 and opening it in the default application is the most straightforward way to do it. However, sometimes QuickTime fails to play MP4 files correctly due to various video or audio codecs that are usually included in an MP4 container. In situations like these, you need a reliable MP4 video player to do the job. Follow the link to download the best MP4 player for Mac that will deal with all file formats with ease: https://mac.eltima.com/list-of-mp4-players-mac.html

According to the Apple Support Website, QuickTime is capable of supporting MPEG-4 (.mp4, .m4v, .mp3, .mpg). However, since MP4 is a highly complex video container with many other codecs for audio and video, QuickTime will sometimes have issues with the playback.

To easily get around this hiccup, you have various other video players at hand. Elmedia Player is a great choice for playing any type of .mp4 file on your Mac. Using it, you will be able to easily and efficiently play any MP4 in a few clicks.

Alternatively, you can convert MP4 video to another format that is compatible with QuickTime. MOV is a good example of such format and we’ve given you some apps to easily convert MP4 files in this article.

Sometimes, MP4 files can easily be opened on Mac devices using the QuickTime Player, while on some other occasions, they may not work at all. And this is why. MP4 does not have one particular file extension, but instead, several different ones, based on the files that are encoded within. As such, QuickTime does support .mp4 and .m4v, but it may have some trouble when attempting to run other types of extensions behind the MPEG-4 format. This is why we strongly recommend purchasing a third-party application able to run absolutely all MP4 files without any errors whatsoever.

MPEG-4, MP4 and MOV are all using the exact same compression system, which makes them quite similar. Even more so, given the fact that MP4 was developed through the MOV framework. Nevertheless, there are some key differences between these two formats.

In general, MP4 is much better perceived than MOV, mostly due to its vast compatibility with a wide range of platforms, as well as its tagging options. As such, MP4 appears as far more versatile and flexible than MOB, even though in terms of quality, the differences between the two are indistinguishable.

Elmedia Player
Requirements: OS X 10.9+ , 59.49MB free space
Version 7.16(2296) (27 Oct, 2020) Release notes
Category: MultimediaApplication
Free website version