/PowerMyMac /The Best Ways On How To Play MKV On Mac [2021 Updated]
The Matroska or also known as the MKV file format is known to be one of the most popular formats of videos there is nowadays. Through this format, you will be able to watch any videos or movies in HD or high definition. This is actually the reason as to why those HD files that contains 720 or 1080 pixel are commonly made on a .mkv file extension.
Jul 21, 2020 Since Windows 10 and Apple Mac Mojave do not offer native playback support for Blu-ray movies, it is necessary to find a third-party media player. VLC Media Player is a widely used media player around world. I have tried a variety of the usual fixes to no avail, which includes: restarting. Updating my macOS to the latest Mojave 10.14.4. Uninstalling VLC (latest update Version 3.0.7.1) Reinstalling Version 3.0.7.1. Uninstalling the latest version and installing an older build, in this case VLC 2.2.8.
For Windows devices, it can easily play MKV file format because of the reason that it has the built-in codec. But this goes differently with Mac computers. For a Mac to be able to play an MKV file format, you will be needing some options in order for you to do. Some of these options are the following.
- On Mac OS Mojave 10.14.6; VLC Version 3.0.8 Vetinari (Intel 64bit), whatever metadata information I enter and save in the text fields only remains visible as long as that instance of VLC is still running. Meaning that if I close VLC, and then open the same files again in VLC, the field I have filled in now appear empty.
- See full list on download.cnet.com.
- The next common VLC playback issue is associated with AVI files. In some cases, VLC Player tends to play these files very slow and in short segments. According to some experts, the best idea is to reset the preferences. It turns out that many issues linked to VLC Player result from improper settings or broken plugin caches. MP3 Playback Issues.
- Getting a Plugin for your Mac’s QuickTime.
- Getting a third-party application.
- And lastly, converting your MKV file format into a format that is compatible with your macOS.
So, for you to know more about how to play MKV on Mac, here are some of the best ways that you can definitely consider doing.
Article GuidePart 1: The Best Way to Play MKV on MacPart 2: Never Forget to Clean Up Your MacPart 3: In Conclusion
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Part 1: The Best Way to Play MKV on Mac
Here are some ways that you can do for you to be able to play your MKV file format video using your Mac device.
Option #1: Getting a QuickTime Plugin to Play MKV on Mac
PROS:
- There is no add on player needed.
- It is very easy to install on Mac.
- It is an open-sourced.
- It can convert your MKV file format to mp4 file format.
CONS:
- The loading process of the videos is a bit slow.
QuickTime Player is one of the built-in applications that you have on your Mac. This is known to be as one of the videos players that you can use to watch movies or videos. However, it is true that it actually has some lack of features that other video players have. That is why we will be needing a plugin to make this work on your Mac.
One plugin that we can use on QuickTime Player is the Perian which is the most popular plugin for this application on Mac. And with that, here is how you can use the Perian plugin with QuickTime Player that will let you play your MKV file videos on your Mac device. And for you, to begin with, you have to install the Perian Plugin. Don’t worry, this is very easy.
Step 1: Goa head and download the Plugin setup file from their official website.
Step 2: Then, once that the file has been downloaded, you can then go ahead and view the downloads by hitting on the downloaded button from the tray. And from there, go ahead and choose “Perian.dmg” for you to be able to start the setup process.
Step 3: Then on your screen, you will be able to see a message that says “Perian can’t be opened because it is from an unidentified developer”. Do not worry because this message is very easy to take off. All you need to do is to temporarily disable the barrier of your GateKeeper. Here is what you need to do.
- On your Mac, go ahead and launch your Spotlight application located from your Apple menu.
- Then go ahead and choose System Preferences.
- From there, go ahead and choose Security & Privacy.
- Then, you will see an option saying “Allow apps downloaded from”. You will also see a button that says “Open Anyway”. So from there, just go ahead and hit on that button.
- Then, your Mac will ask you to enter your password if you have any. If you have set up a password on your Mac, just go ahead and enter your Admin password and then hit on “Modify Settings”.
Step 4: One that you are done disabling your GateKeeper, you will then be able to launch the installer. So all you have to do now is to hit on the “Perian.prefPane” for you to start with the installation process.
Step 5: Then you will be able to see a warning message on your screen. So from there, just go ahead and simply click on the “OK” button for you to disregard it.
Step 6: Then once that you are completely done with the installation procedure, you can go ahead and close the window on your screen because the Plugin is already installed successfully.
Option #2: How to Play MKV Files on Mac Using VLC
PROS:
- It can support a large variety of Plugins
- It comes with native support to use o MKV files.
- It has a Sleek UI
CONS:
- There are some issues with a 4K playback
The VLC media player is known to be as one of the most popular media players nowadays. And because it is consistent and its reliable work that comes with a wide range of formats and codec, its popularity just grow more and more. This media player is also capable with many different types of devices such as your macOS, Android device, Windows and iOS devices.
And for you to be able to play your MKV format video on your Mac, then you can definitely download the VLC player and not needing to get any plugins to do the job. Here is what you need to do.
Step 1: Go to the VLC website and download the most recent package available.
Step 2: Then, this will launch the page where you can download the player. Just go ahead and simply click on the “Download VLC” button and the process will then start.
Step 3; After that download process is done, just go ahead and double-click on the package from your Download folder for you to be able to install it on your Mac.
Step 4: Then, from the window that you see on your screen, all you have to do is to drag down the cone icon towards your applications folder.
Step 5: Then you will be able to see a message on your screen. From that message, just go ahead and hit on the “Authenticate” button from the pop-up message and the installation process will then start.
Vlc Pour Mac Mojave
Step 6: At times, the program will ask you to enter your username and password that you have set up on your Mac. All you have to do from here is to key in your Admin username and your passwords. After that, go ahead and hit on the “Modify Settings”.
Then after completing all the steps, the VLC media player will then completely be installed on your Mac. And with that, you will be able to play MKV on Mac using this player. And in order for you to do, all you have to do is to right-click on the MKV format video and then choose “Open with”. Then from there, just go ahead and choose the VLC icon.
Option #3: How to Play MKV on Mac Using Handbrake
PROS:
- You can convert two or more files at the same time.
- There are several presets offered.
- You can control the dimension, audio, and other aspects of your videos.
CONS:
- It can only convert files to MP4 format
While the first two ways that we have mentioned above is already great, there is somewhat a better option that you can do. And that is by converting your MKV file format videos to the format that is supported by your Mac device.
And with that, the Handbrake is one of the open-sourced tools that is actually commonly used for people to rip DVD videos. And at the same time, you can actually convert your MKV file format video to MP4 format which is supported locally by your Mac device.
And getting Handbrake on your Mac is very easy to do. Just follow the steps below.
Step 1: Go to its official website and then hit on the download link for you to be able to get the package for installation.
Step 2: Once that the download is complete, then go ahead and click on the downloaded file from your Downloads folder.
Step 3: After that, you will be able to see its contents. From there, all you have to do is to click on the Handbrake icon that you see on your screen.
Step 4: Once that you click on the Handbrake icon, the converter will then be opened up on your Mac.
Step 5: Then from there, just go ahead and choose the MKV file that you want to convert. Just go ahead and hit on the option “Open Source” located at the upper left corner of your window.
Step 6: After choosing all the files that you would like to convert, you can then have the power to choose the preset and as well as adjust its duration. You will also have the power to make some edits such as on its filters, video, audios, dimension, and as well as the output of the file.
Step 7: And once that you are done with all the editing process that you wish to do, then go ahead and hit on the Start button.
And once that the conversion process is complete, the file will then be automatically be saved on a certain folder on your Mac. From then on, you can then be able to open the converted file and have it played on any video that you have on your Mac. Or, you can also send the video with the use of your iTunes.
Part 2: Never Forget to Clean Up Your Mac
With all the things that you need to do for you to be able to play MKV on Mac, you also have to take considerations on getting your Mac all cleaned up from all unwanted apps, files, and documents. This way, you will be able to make your Mac perform at its best and recovering some of your storage space which you can use for you to save more videos.
And speaking of cleaning up and optimizing your Mac, there is only one tool that you can rely on for this job. And that is no other than the iMyMac PowerMyMac.
This amazing software is known to be as a powerful tool that you can use for you to be able to optimize, and at the same time clean up all the considered junks that you have on your Mac. The iMyMac PowerMyMac can become whatever you want it to become such as:
- Performance Monitory – wherein you will be able to see details on your Mac such as your CPU usage, Memory usage, and as well as your Disk usage.
- Cleaner – which will allow you to take out all of the unwanted files that you have on your Mac. And with this, you will be able to gain more of your storage space and optimize its performance.
- Uninstaller – wherein you will be able to properly uninstall apps that you no longer need on your Mac and at the same time, remove all the files that are associated with the applications.
- Virtual Toolkit – wherein there are some features that you can actually use if you would want to move on your Mac that will help it run smoothly as it can.
Part 3: In Conclusion
As you can clearly see, there are actually three different ways on how you can play MKV on Mac easily. One is the Plugin method which is considered to be the easiest way to do if you do not want any other apps on your Mac.
The second one is by using the VLC player which actually have a wider range when it comes to filing formats so you will no longer have to worry about playing any videos on your Mac using the VLC media player.
And lastly, the Handbrake, which you can use when wanting you to want aside from converting your MKV file to mp4 format to watch it on your Mac device, you can also have those videos send over to other devices such as your iPhone, iPad, and more.
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Free DownloadCan VLC play Blu-ray disc? Why is VLC not working to play Blu-ray? Those questions are commonly asked by people who want to play Blu-ray on VLC media player. Actually, VLC doesn't offer direct support for Blu-ray disc, but the 2.0 and later version of VLC support Blu-ray media playback with some extra operations. So, it is possible to get VLC to play Blu-ray disc on computer. To help you know the whole process, we will show you how to use VLC to play Blu-ray movie step by step.
The setup might be troublesome and tricky to play Blu-ray on VLC. If you have followed the instructions correctly and it is not working, or you don't want to use such a cumbersome method, feel free to try VideoSolo Blu-ray Player. It is simple and powerful to play Blu-ray disc on Mac and Windows without setting anything.
How to Use VLC to Play Blu-ray on Windows 10/8/7
Step 1. To play Blu-ray with VLC on Windows, you'd better upgrade to VLC 3.0 first if you are still using the old version. Please note that you will need to download the VLC Windows 64bit version if it is a 64bit Windows computer.
It would be better to keep the default installation path while installing VLC. Otherwise, you can't completely follow the steps below.
Step 2. Go to https://vlc-bluray.whoknowsmy.name/ to download the keys database and AACS dynamic library. Please notice that you should download the 32bit file for VLC 32bit, and 64bit file for VLC 64bit.
After downloaded, two files - the keys database file (KEYDB.cfg) and the AACS dynamic library file (libaacs.dll) should already exist on your Windows computer.
Step 3. Go to 'C:ProgramData', create a new folder in it and name it 'aacs'. After that, place your downloaded 'KEYDB.cfg' file into it.
Step 4. Go to 'C:Program FilesVideoLANVLC', then drop your downloaded 'libaacs.dll' file into it. If running 32bit VLC, you will need to find your VLC directory in 'C:Program Files (x86)'.
Step 5. Now, you can easily launch VLC and use it to play Blu-ray disc on Windows for free. Just need to click on 'Media' > 'Open Disc' > 'Blu-ray'.
Can VLC Play Blu-ray Movie on Mac? – Yes
Vlc Media Player For Mac Os Mojave
VLC is one of the free Mac Blu-ray players. In this part, the way to play Blu-ray movies with VLC on Mac will be described in detail as below steps. It is similar to that of on Windows computer.
Step 1. Download the latest version of VLC for Mac OS X from Videolan.org.
Step 2. Go to: https://vlc-bluray.whoknowsmy.name/ and get two necessary files.
*1. KEYS Database*
Mac OS: put 'KEYDB.cfg' in ~/Library/Preferences/aacs/ (create it if it does not exist).
*2. AACS Dynamic Library*
Mac OS: right-click on VLC, choose 'Show Package Contents' and put the 'libaacs.dylib' file in 'Contents/MacOS/lib/' (create it if it does not exist).
Step 3. Run VLC and insert your Blu-ray disc into the Blu-ray drive, and open it with VLC, then your encrypted Blu-ray movie will start playing in VLC.
Errors You May Encounter When Playing Blu-ray in VLC
Even you have successfully installed VLC 3.0 or above and follow all the steps above, you likely still encounter errors like:
• This blu-ray disc needs a library for bd+ decoding, and your system does not have it.
• This blu-ray disc needs a library for aacs decoding, and your system does not have it.
• No valid processing key found in AACS config file.
• Missing AACS configuration file!
• Your input can't be opened.
• VLC keep Blu-ray loading but nothing presents.
This is because not all the commercial Blu-ray discs are supported by VLC media player so that you might encounter the problem from time to time. VLC can only deal with discs which its library has the corresponding AACS keys, yet the AACS and BD+ DRM libraries and keys won't ship with the Blu-ray discs, as their publishers seem to take everyone as a pirate, even you already spend money just for personnel movie enjoyment.
So, the problem that 'VLC won't Play Blu-ray' is difficult to fix. But, in this case, a more powerful Blu-ray player software comes as an alternative to play Blu-ray on Windows and Mac computer.
Best Way to Play Blu-ray on Computer with VLC Alternative
If you thought that using VLC to play Blu-ray disc is too complex to handle and you don't want to face the problem when VLC won't Blu-ray, then you will loveVideoSolo Blu-ray Player.
As one of the best Blu-ray player software, VideoSolo Blu-ray Player can play encrypted Blu-ray disc, Blu-ray folder, also theBlu-ray ISO image without downloading any extra file. It is much easier to play Blu-ray compare to VLC. It supports playback advanced audios like Dolby, DTS, AAC, TrueHD, DTS-HD, etc. For better user experience, it provides detailed navigation and full playback control and allows users to choose their favorite Blu-ray subtitles, audio tracks, and scenes during playback on Windows and Mac computer.
What's more, the Windows version can serve you as a DVD player and common video player. That is to say, all your BD discs, DVD discs and digital media files can be loaded with VideoSolo Blu-ray Player.
This software is easy-to-use. You can just insert the Blu-ray disc and then open the program to play it. Follow the 3 steps below to play Blu-ray with the easiest way.
# Step 1. Install VideoSolo Blu-ray Player
Click the 'Download' button above to get the free trial version of VideoSolo Blu-ray Player on your Windows or Mac computer.
# Step 2. Insert a Blu-ray Disc into the Program
Connect an external Blu-ray drive to your computer and then insert a Blu-ray disc to the drive. Then, click 'Open Disc' to load the Blu-ray disc to the program.
You need to be connected to the Internet so that the software can decode the copy-protection used on the commercial Blu-ray disc.
# Step 3. Successfully Play Blu-ray Movie
After loading, you can see the cover of your Blu-ray movie. Here you can choose the title, chapter, audio track, or subtitle track. Or you can directly click on 'Play Movie' to start playing the Blu-ray main movie.
Now, no matter you choose VLC media player or VideoSolo Blu-ray Player, there is one thing can be confirmed. Right, you are able to watch almost all your Blu-ray movies without difficulty on Window and Mac.