QuickTime Player is a media player developed by Apple Inc. It was first released in 1991 and has since become one of the most popular choices for playing various types of media files on both Mac and Windows operating systems. With its sleek and user-friendly interface, QuickTime Player allows users to view, edit, and share high-quality videos, music, and images effortlessly. In addition to its basic playback functions, QuickTime Player also offers a range of advanced features, making it an essential tool for multimedia enthusiasts and professionals alike.
The multimedia platform QuickTime Player is incredibly versatile and has completely changed how we interact with and watch digital content. QuickTime Player has been around since 1991 and has evolved from a simple video player to a full-fledged media player with advanced features such as video editing, screen recording, and file conversion. With its intuitive interface and numerous capabilities, QuickTime Player has become the go-to choice for playing various types of media files, making it an indispensable tool for anyone who loves consuming digital content.
What is more…
It is known for its ability to play a wide range of video file formats. However, sometimes users may encounter an issue where QuickTime Player is unable to open certain videos. This can be due to various reasons, such as outdated software, corrupted files, or missing codecs. In this post, we are going to delve into the 9 ways to solve the problem.
Table of Contents
Installing QuickTime Player
To its credit, Apple makes it simple for Windows users to install QuickTime on their computers. Your PC can play video clips recorded on Apple devices, HD movie trailers that Apple streams online, and other videos that are broadcast over the internet once you have QuickTime installed.
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Note:
You might notice that the QuickTime download page only supports Windows Vista and Windows 7, but don’t worry—we tested this download and it functions properly on Windows 10. You can find a link to a website containing a large number of videos in QuickTime format, as well as instructions on how to install QuickTime, here.
1. Click Download Now on the QuickTime download page. You may choose not to check the “Keep me up to date” box and are not required to enter your email address.
2. Launch the quicktimeinstaller.exe file that you downloaded.
3. select Next
4. Select Yes.
5. Press the symbol adjacent to “Typical.”
6. Select Install. You are welcome to leave the Install Desktop Shortcuts box unchecked. If it is installed, you will most likely end up removing that shortcut.
7. Click the finish button
Congratulations, You’re done installing QuickTime for Windows.
Why can’t QuickTime Player open my videos?
The majority of Mac users prefer to open and play various formats of video files using QuickTime Player. Nevertheless, occasionally you might not be able to open certain video files because of video corruption, incompatibility with certain video file formats, or problems with the operating system. Let’s look at the various reasons why “QuickTime player not working” occurs before talking about how to fix it.
Cause of QuickTime Player Not working
Your file may be out-of-date or incompatible with QuickTime if it is unable to open it. You may be using an outdated version, which prevents it from reading the file data you’re attempting to play. You must use the most recent version of the QuickTime player in this situation. This will make it easier for you to play with different kinds of files without any problems.
Reasons Video Files Not Working
There are various reasons why the video files could be corrupted, making it impossible for QuickTime players to open your files. Among the causes are a few of the following:
- The file format is not supported by QuickTime
- There is a missing code in the video file
- The video file’s extension is incorrect.
In this case, you should make sure you activate the appropriate QuickTime codec, verify that the file name for your video is correct, and see if the format of your video is correct.
Many file formats are supported by the QuickTime player, including DV Stream, MPEG-2, Mjpeg, QuickTime movie files (MOV), MPEG-4 files (MP4, M4V, M4A, MP3), and more.
Problem with Mac System
If QuickTime is not functioning, it could also be an issue with your operating system. For example, QuickTime player might not open your files if your computer is infected with malware. Therefore, you must fix every internal Mac error and ensure that you download trustworthy antivirus software to help you scan your computer for problems and remove any viruses that may have infected it.
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QuickTime Player Does Not Open on Mac? Let’s fix it.
Finding out that your Mac’s QuickTime Player is unable to open video files can be disheartening. Numerous factors, such as incorrect filenames, software issues, codec issues, and more, could be the cause. Whatever the cause, you can enjoy watching videos and get past these issues with the appropriate approach.
What are the Formats of video files that QuickTime Player can open?
QuickTime Player can support numerous file formats. DV Stream, MPEG-2, Mjpeg, AVI, QuickTime movie files (MOV), MPEG-4 files (MP4, MP3, M4V, and M4A), and even some audio files like AIFF, WAV, and AAC are among them. The QuickTime Movie format supports various codec types for encoding audio and video tracks.
Installing extra QuickTime components on your Mac will enable you to use more media formats in addition to these. Let’s now examine several fixes for the “QuickTime player not playing video” problem.
Solution 1: Update QuickTime Player
If QuickTime Player is unable to open your file, it may indicate that your application is out of date or incompatible. It’s possible that the QuickTime player is too old to read the file. So, how can I update my Mac’s QuickTime player?
It is not necessary to uninstall and then reinstall QuickTime player applications to update them. All you need to do is choose “Update Existing Software” under the “Help” tab on the QuickTime player window. To finish the update process, adhere to the instructions displayed on the screen.
Solution 2: Use Other Installed Apps to Play Videos
Try playing your video on other installed media player apps on your Mac if the aforementioned solution doesn’t work. If you have problems playing QuickTime videos, you can use players such as MPlayerX or VLC.
Since VLC is set up to play videos in a variety of formats, it is advised that you use it to open video files. The steps to play videos on Mac by default with VLC are as follows:
Step 1: Locate a video file—such as an MP4 file—that you wish to open with VLC and then right-click on it. Next, choose “Get info” from the menu that appears on your screen.
Step 2: Select “VLC.app” from the dialog box that now appears. If the “VLC.app” option is not visible, confirm that VLC is installed on your Mac. Click the “Change All” button to open the file you wish to play with VLC. A window will open.
Step 3: Click continue to move on after a confirmation dialog box pops up on your screen.
Step 4: Shutting the window is the last action to take. You can now use VLC to open your media file.
Solution 3: Use Suggested Mac Apps to Open Videos
Depending on the format of your video files, you can play your videos using programs other than QuickTime Player. Popular programs like MPlayerX, Plex, VLC, Elmedia Player, 5K Player, and more are available for use. The following procedures will help you find an application that is compatible with your video file:
Step 1: In the Finder, right-click the file. There will be a drop-down menu. Choose “Open With.”
Step 2: To open your file type, a list of installed applications will appear. Select the program that you want to use to open your video file.
Tip: Check the App Store or the Internet for apps that can play your file if none of the installed programs can open your video.
Solution 4: Fix QuickTime Player
You might not be able to open videos with a QuickTime player due to corruption in your video files or operating system. You can, however, resolve this problem and make the QuickTime player functional once more. All you have to do is take the following actions:
Step 1: Locate “Utilities” in the “Applications” folder, open it, and double-click it to start the “Activity Monitor” program.
Step 2: Select “QuickTime Player” in the “Process Name” column. Next, select the “Quit Process” button, which is situated in the upper left corner of the window.
Step 3: A window requesting confirmation will open. Click “Quit” once more. You can restart your Mac after quitting Activity Monitor and see if the QuickTime player opens your video file.
Fix “Videos Are Corrupted and Cannot Be Opened by QuickTime”
QuickTime Player is a great tool for Mac users to play their video files. On the other hand, sometimes corruption or missing codecs prevent a file from opening in QuickTime player.
In contrast to other media players such as VLC and Windows Media Player, QuickTime players are unable to assist you in fixing corrupted video files. It only aids in file editing, playing, saving, and exporting.
Don’t panic if the screen goes black when you try to open a video file in QuickTime Player on a Mac. By taking into consideration the below-mentioned solutions, you can easily solve this problem.
Solution 5: Check Video File Extension
Changing the file extension is another possible solution for a corrupted video file that won’t open on a Mac. It will assist you in restoring corrupted files, including QuickTime incompatible MOV, mp4, and m4v files. Let’s look at how to modify the file extension.
Step 1: On a Mac, download and install the VLC media player. Next, use your computer to create a duplicate of the corrupted and damaged media file.
Step 2: The file extension name needs to be changed (for example, from.mov to.avi). Any error message that appears on your screen should be ignored.
Step 3: Launch the VLC player and choose “Tools” under the “Menu” tab. An option list will appear. Select “Preferences.”
Step 4: Select “Input and Codecs” under Preferences, make the necessary adjustments, and save the file. Ultimately, select “pf Always fix” to proceed with the Mac video repair procedure. You would be prepared to play the video again in a matter of seconds.
then select…
Fix Mac Errors and Open Files on QuickTime
You can use additional techniques in addition to the ones mentioned above to resolve Mac errors and open files in QuickTime Player. Read on to find out more about solutions.
Solution 6: Install the latest version of QuickTime Player
Try installing QuickTime 7 Pro, the newest version, if you are using an older version. The most recent version successfully opens and plays a variety of files without any issues and manages all file formats better.
Solution 7: Use A Different Cod
Your Mac computer may be unable to read the file’s codec if the QuickTime player isn’t playing video. Navigate to the “Window” tab in QuickTime Player and choose “Show Movie Inspector.”
to find the codec for your file. Now, under the “Format” section, you will see a list of various codecs.
The media file won’t open; you have to activate the QuickTime codec to play it. You can use several programs, such as Autodesk, Xvid, DivX, and the MPEG-2 Playback Component, to accomplish this. The following are a few video codecs that QuickTime Player supports:
- H.263
- H.261
- MPEG-4 (Part 2)
- MPEG-2 (OS X Lion or later)
Solution 8: Play Files Using a Different Media Player
You can try other media players like MPlayerX or VLC if your Mac’s QuickTime player stops functioning. You can easily play any file with these players since they support the majority of file formats.
Solution 9. Convert File Format to QuickTime Supported Format
Try converting your file format to one that is compatible with QuickTime if none of the aforementioned methods work. You can repair corrupted video files and play them with QuickTime player by converting the file format.
Using VLC, you can change the corrupted video’s file format or codec. The following is a detailed process to finish the action:
Step 1: On your Mac, first download and install the VLC media player. After installation, launch VLC, choose the “Media” tab, and then select Convert / Save from the drop-down menu.
Step 2: A dialog box will now show up. To add the desired file to be converted, click the “Add” button. Next, click the bottom-mounted Convert/Save button.
Step 3: Select the desired Input codec for the converted video and give the file a new name in the new window that opens.
Step 4: Saving all of the modifications is the last step. You will receive a repaired file as a result.
Bonus Solution: Force quit and relaunch QuickTime Player
Your Mac’s QuickTime Player may become corrupted, making it unable to open videos normally. If this is the case, restarting QuickTime Player on a Mac after forcing a quit can help you get it back on track. On Mac, you can use Activity Monitor or the Force Quit option in the Apple menu to force quit troublesome programs.
1. Select Force Quit by clicking the Apple logo in the upper left corner.
2. Choose QuickTime Player from the prompt window and press the Force Quit button.
3. To end the application, click Force Quit once more when prompted for confirmation.
Other capabilities of QuickTime Player
Apple Inc.’s QuickTime Player is a well-known multimedia program that lets users play, record, and edit a variety of digital media files. Many people who want to play their audio and video files easily choose it because of its straightforward and user-friendly interface. Screen recording, file format conversion, and playback of both audio and video are just a few of the many features that make QuickTime Player a flexible and dependable tool for all your media needs.
1. Loop a video
- Open the video in QuickTime.
- Click View in the top menu bar.
- Select Loop.
2. Zoom in on a video
3. Play multiple videos at the same time
- Choose multiple videos from your Mac’s folder while holding down the Command key.
- Select Open With > QuickTime Player with a right-click. Each video will launch in a separate QuickTime window. Reduce their sizes to enable you to view multiple windows on your screen.
- Now, to play or pause all of those videos at once, hold down the Command key and press the return/enter keys.
4. Play videos from the internet
5. See the metadata of media files
6. Record your Mac’s screen
- To access the screen recording tools, press Command + Shift + 5.
- Select the fourth icon from the left to record the full screen.
- Select the fifth icon from the left if you want to capture just a portion of your screen. Next, choose what you want.
- To begin the video recording, click Record at the end.
- In the top menu bar, select the stop icon once you’re finished.
7. Use it as an audio recorder
8. Reduce the video quality or change video codecs
9. Save a video frame as an image
- Launch a video in the Mac QuickTime Player.
- To save a frame as an image, pause the playback and scroll to it. For more accuracy, use the arrow keys.
- Select Edit > Copy now. The video frame is copied to the clipboard on your Mac.
- Lastly, open any application (such as Notes, Keynote, Pages, Word, etc.) and use the Command + V keyboard shortcut to paste the image.
9. Split a video
- Launch the video in the Mac QuickTime Player.
- Choose View > Show Clips from the top menu bar.
- To split the video clip, move the red line to the desired location.
- Select Split Clip under Edit.
- After that, select the other undesirable clip and press the delete key to remove it.
- Lastly, save the last bit of video. All you have to do is click the red “close window” button.
Bonus: Create a video or GIF using an image sequence
- Launch the Mac QuickTime Player.
- From the top menu bar, select File > Open Image Sequence.
- Next, click Choose Media after selecting every image or a folder containing those images.
- Adjust the codec, frame rate, and resolution as necessary. Click Open when you’re done. After QuickTime has finished preparing the video, you can click the red window close button to play it or save it as a MOV file.
- After you have a brief video, you can turn it into a GIF by using websites like ezgif.com.
FAQs
1. Where is the file on QuickTime Player?
Any of the following options can be used to add an audio or video file to the QuickTime player:
- Select the file you wish to open by clicking on the File tab and then selecting “Open.”
- To open the file, open Finder, search for it and then double-click it.
2. How do I open QuickTime Player?
The QuickTime player is pre-installed on your computer and works with Macs. All you have to do to start QuickTime Player is double-click the player’s icon in the “Applications” folder.
3. How Do I Open a QuickTime File?
As previously stated, all it takes to open a QuickTime file is to double-click it in the Finder. If your audio or video file is stored in iCloud Drive, on the other hand, you will need to double-click the file to open it after choosing “iCloud Drive” from the Finder sidebar.
4. How do I prevent QuickTime Player crashes?
Restarting your computer is the simplest way to prevent the QuickTime player from crashing. Try updating the QuickTime player if it doesn’t work. Another way to resolve the crashing problem on your Mac is to open the “Utilities” folder, choose the “Applications” folder, and double-click the “Disk Utility” application. Choose the hard drive from the program’s left column after it has opened. After that, select “Repair Disk Permissions” and “Quit” to end the application. Your Mac can now be restarted.
5. How Do You Prevent Video from Getting Damaged?
On a Mac, there are multiple ways to prevent video damage. The following advice can help you avoid having damage to your video:
- Regularly scan your Mac device to guard against malware attacks on your video files.
- Verify that the power supply mode on your Mac is stable. Make a copy of your video file just in case.
- To prevent damage or corruption to your Mac and video files, use a strong and dependable antivirus program.
- Cache the program on a laptop or PC.
- Make sure your Mac’s battery is fully charged, especially when you’re moving the data.
6. How do I open movies on QuickTime Player on PC?
Try one of the following methods to open a video or audio file in your Mac’s QuickTime Player app.
- In the Finder, double-click the file.
- Click iCloud Drive in the Finder sidebar, then double-click your video or audio file if it is stored there.
- Select the file and click Open after choosing File > Open File.
7. How do I watch Quicktime videos on Mac?
- On your Mac, launch the QuickTime Player app and select a movie or audio file.
- To view the playback controls, move the cursor anywhere in the movie. (Audio file controls are always visible.)
- To play a movie or audio file, use the Playback controls. You can also drag the controls to reposition them.