Generally MKV videos won’t open up in a standard application and you need to download a MKV plater for the movie to open. We’ve created a list of the best MKV players for Mac OS users that you can download for free so you can start watching those MKV videos. Some of these softwares are focussed as a MKV player, while others are media applications that can do all tore than just run MKV files on a Mac El Capitan.
Now I’ll share the top 5 free MKV players for Mac (El Capitan included) with you so you can easily playback the MKV files on your Mac without any trouble.
Top 1: Cross-platform MKV Media Player - VLC Media Player
★★★★☆ Rating: 4.5 Type: Free OS: Windows, Mac & more
With the VLC player you are actually getting two things: a fine MKV video player with full compatibility with Matroska, and support for most video and audio streams you will find in an MKV file. This means that you most likely will not have to install any extra codecs or filters, depending on what your streams are. Besides, choose VLC as your MKV file player, you can organize and operate MKV video's multiple video/audio/subtitle tracks in a decent way.
Somehow, VLC Player lacks user friendly interface, and though armed with advanced features but it is just too complicated to handle with them. And once you drag MKV video into a VLC playlist, it cannot change position on the list. By the way, VLC does not willingly accept Blu-ray Disc and rm video which is also to some extent disappointing.
Hot Search: Copy DVD with VLC | Play H.265/HEVC Files on VLC | VLC Files to MP4 Files | ISO to VLC | Blu-ray to M3U8 for VLC | 4K Videos to VLC |
Top 2: MKV File Player in High Repute Worldwide - DivX Plus Player
★★★★☆ Rating: 4.5 Type: Commercial OS: Windows & Mac
DivX Plus Player not just play MKV video files back, but play it in a good way. There are some enhanced MKV playback features to DivX Plus Player like: supports up to 8 MKV multiple subtitles and audio tracks, offers smooth fast-forward and rewind MKV playing process and auto-generated MKV chapters.
Unfortunately DivX Plus Player is a commercial software which means not free available for users. And as a MKV video player under the old label, it sometimes need to consider about adding Blu-ray video playback function, which gives a larger range of MKV media playing options (since some of MKV video file contains in Blu-ray Disc).
Top 3: MX Player
★★★★☆ Rating: 4.5 Type: Free OS: Windows, Mac & more
MX Player is another app to play MKV video. It is the reigning favorite of a lot of Android users. Especially those who use set top boxes, XMBC, and other uncommon set ups. It has most of the best features available and it's been a mainstay in the Android video player game for a very long time. It's worth your time to check it out.
Releated guide: Convert Video to MX Player accepted video format
Top 4: QuickTime + Perian
★★★★ Rating: 4 Type: Free OS: Windows, Mac & more
Perian is a free-source QuickTime addon, which lets QuickTime extend support to a large number of file formats, such as MKV, AVI, DIVX, FLV, GVI, VP6, and more. So if you find your QuickTime player can’t play MKV files in Mac, you can install the plug-in to add extra support for playing MKV in QuickTime.
However, some people find that QuickTime Player 7 can play MKV files better without having to install any plug-ins. In fact, compared with the later version of QuickTime, the earlier ones feature better support of older codecs. So if you don’t mind using the older version, just use QuickTime Player 7 as your MKV player for Mac (mountain lion supported). You’ll find it’s not a bad idea afterall.
Top 5: M Player
★★★☆ Rating: 3.5 Type: Free OS: Windows, Mac & more
Although MPlayer is not as popular as VLC, it is one of the most widely used video players among the Mac users. It plays mostly the MPEG, VOB, Matroska(MKV), ASF/WMA/WMV, VIVO, QT/MOV/MP4, AVI, Ogg/OGM, RealMedia, NUT, NuppelVideo and much more.
Which is the best? That's up for debate. For general versatility, MX Player is a must-have app for all Android users, Mobo Player is really giving it a run for it's money, but for overall media center functionality VLC is great. Try out a few and see which fits your needs. Enjoy your movies!
Additional Tips: How to Play MKV files with Any Player
Want to play MKV files on more players like the iPhone, iPad or iPod, you’d better convert the MKV to other formats like the MP4, MOV, M4V or etc. If you havn’t found a proper free video converter from above, never mind, take a look at this paid mac converting tool-Pavtube iMedia Converter for Mac (Compatible with latest El Capitan and Yosemite).
Overall, this all-in-one mac app tool can easily handle pretty much anything threw at it and then spit it back out in a new format with the fastest encoding speed, while limits the loss of quality as much as possible, so you can view your videos on virtually any device including iPhone, iPod, iPad, Android, Blackberry, Windows device; playing converted videos via any media player software; edit videos files for further use.
Plus, as a BD/DVD ripping tool, it offers comprehensive BD/DVD solution to backup/copy Blu-ray and DVD with original structure, and convert 2D/3D Blu-rays and standard DVDs to watchable video/audio format for mobile devices. Just import the video, choose the output format from the Format window, and press the “Convert” button, you can get the video converted.
Read articles below to learn how to use:
Free Download this Top MKV Video Converter for Mac:
Other Download:
- Pavtube old official address: http://www.pavtube.cn/imedia-converter-mac/
- Cnet Download: http://download.cnet.com/Pavtube-iMedia-Converter/3000-2194_4-76177788.html
Equipped with more format & devices compatibility and advanced features and received lots of praises from reputable Mac software review sites, it is no doubt your first choice. Worthy of trying!
Read More:
Now I’ll share the top 5 free MKV players for Mac (El Capitan included) with you so you can easily playback the MKV files on your Mac without any trouble.
Top 1: Cross-platform MKV Media Player - VLC Media Player
★★★★☆ Rating: 4.5 Type: Free OS: Windows, Mac & more
With the VLC player you are actually getting two things: a fine MKV video player with full compatibility with Matroska, and support for most video and audio streams you will find in an MKV file. This means that you most likely will not have to install any extra codecs or filters, depending on what your streams are. Besides, choose VLC as your MKV file player, you can organize and operate MKV video's multiple video/audio/subtitle tracks in a decent way.
Somehow, VLC Player lacks user friendly interface, and though armed with advanced features but it is just too complicated to handle with them. And once you drag MKV video into a VLC playlist, it cannot change position on the list. By the way, VLC does not willingly accept Blu-ray Disc and rm video which is also to some extent disappointing.
Hot Search: Copy DVD with VLC | Play H.265/HEVC Files on VLC | VLC Files to MP4 Files | ISO to VLC | Blu-ray to M3U8 for VLC | 4K Videos to VLC |
Top 2: MKV File Player in High Repute Worldwide - DivX Plus Player
★★★★☆ Rating: 4.5 Type: Commercial OS: Windows & Mac
DivX Plus Player not just play MKV video files back, but play it in a good way. There are some enhanced MKV playback features to DivX Plus Player like: supports up to 8 MKV multiple subtitles and audio tracks, offers smooth fast-forward and rewind MKV playing process and auto-generated MKV chapters.
Unfortunately DivX Plus Player is a commercial software which means not free available for users. And as a MKV video player under the old label, it sometimes need to consider about adding Blu-ray video playback function, which gives a larger range of MKV media playing options (since some of MKV video file contains in Blu-ray Disc).
Top 3: MX Player
★★★★☆ Rating: 4.5 Type: Free OS: Windows, Mac & more
MX Player is another app to play MKV video. It is the reigning favorite of a lot of Android users. Especially those who use set top boxes, XMBC, and other uncommon set ups. It has most of the best features available and it's been a mainstay in the Android video player game for a very long time. It's worth your time to check it out.
Releated guide: Convert Video to MX Player accepted video format
Top 4: QuickTime + Perian
★★★★ Rating: 4 Type: Free OS: Windows, Mac & more
Perian is a free-source QuickTime addon, which lets QuickTime extend support to a large number of file formats, such as MKV, AVI, DIVX, FLV, GVI, VP6, and more. So if you find your QuickTime player can’t play MKV files in Mac, you can install the plug-in to add extra support for playing MKV in QuickTime.
However, some people find that QuickTime Player 7 can play MKV files better without having to install any plug-ins. In fact, compared with the later version of QuickTime, the earlier ones feature better support of older codecs. So if you don’t mind using the older version, just use QuickTime Player 7 as your MKV player for Mac (mountain lion supported). You’ll find it’s not a bad idea afterall.
Top 5: M Player
★★★☆ Rating: 3.5 Type: Free OS: Windows, Mac & more
Although MPlayer is not as popular as VLC, it is one of the most widely used video players among the Mac users. It plays mostly the MPEG, VOB, Matroska(MKV), ASF/WMA/WMV, VIVO, QT/MOV/MP4, AVI, Ogg/OGM, RealMedia, NUT, NuppelVideo and much more.
Which is the best? That's up for debate. For general versatility, MX Player is a must-have app for all Android users, Mobo Player is really giving it a run for it's money, but for overall media center functionality VLC is great. Try out a few and see which fits your needs. Enjoy your movies!
Additional Tips: How to Play MKV files with Any Player
Want to play MKV files on more players like the iPhone, iPad or iPod, you’d better convert the MKV to other formats like the MP4, MOV, M4V or etc. If you havn’t found a proper free video converter from above, never mind, take a look at this paid mac converting tool-Pavtube iMedia Converter for Mac (Compatible with latest El Capitan and Yosemite).
Overall, this all-in-one mac app tool can easily handle pretty much anything threw at it and then spit it back out in a new format with the fastest encoding speed, while limits the loss of quality as much as possible, so you can view your videos on virtually any device including iPhone, iPod, iPad, Android, Blackberry, Windows device; playing converted videos via any media player software; edit videos files for further use.
Plus, as a BD/DVD ripping tool, it offers comprehensive BD/DVD solution to backup/copy Blu-ray and DVD with original structure, and convert 2D/3D Blu-rays and standard DVDs to watchable video/audio format for mobile devices. Just import the video, choose the output format from the Format window, and press the “Convert” button, you can get the video converted.
Read articles below to learn how to use:
- Import YouTube Video to iMovie on Mavericks/Yosemite
- Best Ultra HD MKV Converter Software Review
- Convert MKV/AVI/VOB/MPG/Tivo/FLV to QuickTime MOV on Mac
Free Download this Top MKV Video Converter for Mac:
Other Download:
- Pavtube old official address: http://www.pavtube.cn/imedia-converter-mac/
- Cnet Download: http://download.cnet.com/Pavtube-iMedia-Converter/3000-2194_4-76177788.html
Equipped with more format & devices compatibility and advanced features and received lots of praises from reputable Mac software review sites, it is no doubt your first choice. Worthy of trying!
Read More:
- Convert H.265/HEVC to PS4 for Samsung TV via Mac El Capitan
- VOB to iMovie: Open and Edit VOB files in iMovie via Mac El Capitan
- Playing YouTube (FLV) files on a Keynote on Mac OS X El Capitan
- Three Methods of Lossless Backup Blu-ray on Mac El Capitan
- Play M2TS with Plex media server via Mac OS X El Capitan