Searching a lot and want to get the answers on how to open MKV files on Mac? We got you covered — in this article you will find everything you need to know how to play any MKV on Mac without effort.

Part I. What app plays MKV files on Mac

There is nothing native on macOS to open or play MKVs. To play MKV files on your Mac, you need third-party help. VLC Media player from VideoLAN, Plex or 5KPlayer can play MKV files on Mac without additional plugins or codecs.

Part II. Can you play MKV on QuickTime?

The default media player on macOS is QuickTime. Unfortunately, the files have to be in a QuickTime compatible format. MKV is not QuickTime native. QuickTime used to support Perian — a component that allowed to open MKV files, but it has been discontinued.

Part III. How to Convert MKV videos on Mac for easier playback?

As mentioned above, the best way to play MKV on your Mac is with a third party application. Otherwise, the only way is to use a video converter application to convert MKV to a QuickTime-friendly format like MOV, M4V, or MP4.

You can easily convert MKV files to any QuickTime-friendly format in a handful of steps. First, you’ll need a third-party application to convert and open MKV files on macOS. DumboFab Video Converter for Mac is a great choice.

It can convert your Ultra HD 4K, HD videos at a fast speed on Mac(macOS Catalina included). Even if they are big files, they won’t lose the original quality. It supports up to 500 file formats, including almost all the video, audio formats, as well as the preset formats for devices like iPhone, iPad, Final Cut Pro, iMovie, and so on.

Main Features of DumboFab Video Converter for Mac:

• Convert MKV to MOV, M4V, MP4 or a variety of video formats
• Change the video settings (merge, trim, rotate, add subtitle, watermark, effects to the video) with built-in video editor before conversion
• Presets for iPad, iPhone, Apple TV, etc
• Fully compatible with the latest macOS Catalina

Steps to transcode MKV on Mac with DumboFab Video Converter for Mac

1. Download and install it.
2. Add the MKV file to the converter (some allow drag-and-drop, others have other methods).
3. Select the output file type (MOV, M4V, MP4 for QuickTime).
4. Make any necessary video adjustments such as selecting a certain clip or choose to convert the entire file.
5. Click “Convert” or a similar button, and sit back and relax. Your MKV file conversion is on the way!

Conclusion:

Which is the best way to open and play MKV file on Mac? That’s up for debate. Someone turns to a third-party video player, someone would like to get a new file by transcoding. Personally I prefer converting MKV to a Mac format for easier playback as it can also be compatible with iPad, iPhone, Apple TV.