Play MKV Files on Mac, Windows, Portable Devices

Method 1: Convert MKV to other Video Formats; Method 2: Install MKV Player

I have received many feedbacks from users saying they can not play MKV files on their Mac or Windows. And now the following article will explain why Mac users or Windows users can not play MKV files as well as offer two solutions to successfully playing MKV files on Mac or Windows or portable devices like iPad, Android, iPhone etc.

Why Can not Play MKV on Mac or Windows?

The reason why Mac users or Windows users can not play MKV files is that there is no MKV codec installed on their Mac or Windows. So the Mac default player, QuickTime, and the Windows default player, Windows Media Player can not play MKV file.

 

Solutions to Successfully Playing MKV on Mac or Windows or Portable Devices

Solution One: Convert MKV file to a more compatible format

Mac QuickTime player and Windows Windows Media Player can not natively support to play MKV, so in order to play MKV on Mac or Windows, we can use a professional MKV converter to convert the MKV to QuickTime or Windows supported video format, such as MOV for QuickTime and WMV for Windows Media Player. As far as I know that Avdshare Video Converter is a good and professional MKV player and is adopted by most users.

  1. Avdshare Video Converter can convert MKV to QuickTime supported MOV and to Windows Media Player supported WMV with no quality loss.
  2. Besides, this MKV converter supports to convert MKV to iPhone, iPad, iPod, Android, Samsung, BlackBerry, Apple TV supported video format.
  3. Furthermore, this professional MKV converter supports to convert MKV to MP4, AVI, FLV, ASF, WTV, MTS, M2TS, and any other video format.
  4. Also this MKV converter is equipped with many extraordinary video editing features which can help to edit MKV, MOV, WMV or any other video format (trim, crop, split, merge, cut, rotate, change video resolution, video volume, video bit rate, video sample rate, etc, add or remove subtitles, watermark, special effects, etc.)

Guide on Converting MKV to More Supported Video Format

The following guide will take converting MKV to Mac QuickTime supported MOV as the example, and also it can work to convert MKV to Windows supported WMV or convert MKV to any other video format supported by iPad, Android and more portable devices.

 

Make Preparation: Free download MKV Converter

Free download the professional MKV Converter - Avdshare Video Converter (for Windows, for Mac), install and then launch it, the following interface will pop up.

 

Step 1 Import MKV files

Support to import MKV to Avdshare Video Converter by clicking "Add file" button or use drag and drop function.

 

Step 2 Targeted output format setting

Click  "Profile" button and then easily select MOV as the output format from the  "General Video" category.

 

Step 3 Start the conversion

Click "Convert" button to complete converting MKV to Mac QuickTime supported MOV.

 

Solution Two: Install another MKV player

Since Mac default QuickTime player and Windows default Windows Media Player do not natively support to play MKV we can install another MKV player on Mac or Windows and use the installed MKV player to play the MKV file on Mac or Windows. Luckily, the Avdshare Video Converter mentioned in Solution One can also work as a MKV player to work on Mac or Windows to play MKV file. Other choices, like VLC, MPlayer, etc can also be installed to Mac or Windows to play the MKV file on Mac or Windows.

 

Steps on Using Avdshare Video Converter to Play MKV file

First you need to install Avdshare Video Converter Mac version or Windows version.

Step one: Click  "Add file" button to import the MKV to Avdshare Video Converter.

Step two: Click "Play" button to play your imported MKV file.