How to Play MKV Files on PC and Mac without Quality Loss

"I have downloaded several movies from the internet, and they are saved in MKV format, but my computer cannot open them, how to play MKV files?" MKV is a popular video format, partly because it is open source. However, it is not as compatible as MP4. Windows Media Player, for example, does not support MKV by default. Moreover, MKV is able to store multiple tracks and video codecs. That makes MKV playback more difficult. This guide will show you how to play MKV files on Windows and Mac easily.

Part 1: What Is MKV

MKV, also known as Matroska, is a versatile and popular multimedia container file format. It can hold various multimedia data types in a single file, including video, audio, subtitles, etc. The MKV format has a high degree of flexibility, compatibility, and extensibility, features that make it capable of accommodating a wide range of codecs and different types of content and has become the preferred storage format for many high-definition videos and TV programs. Overall, MKV is a powerful and versatile container format.

Part 2: How to Play MKV Files on PC/Mac

The biggest downside of MKV is compatibility. Chances are that you cannot play MKV files if you do not have the right media player. Here, we share two ways to play MKV files on PC and Mac directly.

Solution 1: How to Play MKV Files with the Best MKV Player

AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player, a 4-in-1 multimedia player, can play any digital video files, including MKV, on Windows or Mac computers smoothly and losslessly. It is very easy to use with its intuitive interface and simple operation. Before playing MKV files, users can also select subtitles and audio tracks, adjust audio and visual effects, take snapshots, and more according to their needs. Briefly speaking, it is the easiest and best option to watch MKV files on Windows/Mac!

1. Download and install the best MKV player.

Click the download button above to download and install the latest version on your Windows/Mac computer. Then, launch it when you want to open an MKV file.

2. Open MKV file

There are two ways to open your MKV file. Click on the Open File button in the main interface to trigger the open-file dialog. Find the MKV file and click the Open button. Alternatively, click File menu on top ribbon choose Open File, and open the MKV file. If prompted, choose a proper subtitle.

3. Control MKV playback

Then the MKV file will play in the media player. The buttons at the bottom let you control the playback quickly, such as Stop, Pause, and Play. To make a screenshot at important frame, click the Camera icon. You can play the MKV file in full screen by hitting the Fullscreen icon or adjust the volume at the bottom right side. If you need other options, like more screen size or audio channel, set then on the top menu bar.

Solution 2: How to Play MKV Files with Windows Media Player Codec Package

Windows Media Player (WMP) is a media player developed by Microsoft that has been built into the Windows operating system. This media player is no longer under active development, so it may be a little outdated. It can only handle basic audio and video playback and is less suited to modern multimedia content. Although Windows Media Player does not support MKV files, it can also allow you to play MKV on it by installing additional codecs. So, this method can be a bit complex.

1. Firstly, open Windows Media Player from the Start menu at the bottom left corner.Click Tools menu, choose Options. Go to the Player tab, and select either Once a day or Once a week under Automatic updates.

2.If it is not enough, download Media Player Codec Pack from https://www.mediaplayercodecpack.com/. Then install it to your PC.

3.Next, go to the Videos tab, drag and drop the MKV file into the main interface. Then click the video to start playing MKV file in Windows Media Player.

Part 3: Ultimate Solution to Play MKV on Any Media Player

Another way to play MKV files on PC and Mac is to convert them to more compatible formats like MP4, MOV, MPG, etc. However, converting MKV files is not simple because it contains multiple codecs. Here, we recommend AnyMP4 Video Converter Ultimate, a powerful video converter that integrates video conversion, playback, editing, and compression. It can convert any video to more than 500 digital formats and let you edit and adjust MKV files before conversion.

How to Convert MKV Files for Playback on Any Device

1. Import MKV files

Launch the best MKV converter after you install it on your PC. There is another version for Mac. Then go to Add Files menu and choose Add File or Add folder to import the MKV files you want to play. Alternatively, open a file explorer, locate the MKV files, drag and drop them into the main interface. The MKV converter is able to process multiple files at one time.

2. Set the output format

Click the format icon at the right side to open the profile dialog, go to the Video tab, choose the proper video format and preset. You can adjust the parameters, such as resolution, bitrate, and more by hitting the Gear icon. If you want to play the MKV files on mobile device, go to the Device tab and select your device model on the list. Go back to the main interface, and you can edit the video file, by hitting the Edit and Cut buttons next to the thumbnail.

3. Set the output format

Select audio track and subtitle in the Subtitle and Audio options to each title. Next, locate the bottom area, and click the Folder icon to set a specific folder for saving the output. Finally, click on the Convert All button to start converting MKV files. A few seconds later, you can play the MKV files on Mac, PC, iPhone or Android.

Conclusion

This guide has talked about how to open and play MKV files on PC and Mac. As a multimedia container, MKV is widely used for storing high quality movies. However, many people find it difficult to open it. In such situation, forget the default media player, and use AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player directly. Another solution is to convert your MKV files with AnyMP4 Video Converter Ultimate. If you have other questions, please leave a message.