How to Play MKV on Mac in 2025 [3 Easy Ways]

Matroska Video (MKV) is one of the popular video formats. Usually, an MKV file is used for storing high-quality HD 720p or 1080p videos and movies. It can be played on Windows directly. However, it cannot be supported by the default QuickTime Player on Mac. So, can I play MKV on Mac in other ways? The answer is yes. This article will share 3 easy ways to play your favorite MKV movies and videos with you. Just keep reading and get one MKV player from this article.

Part 1. What Is MKV File and Can Mac Support MKV File Format

MKV files, which stands for Matroska video files, is an open-source multimedia container format whose open-source nature makes it free for anyone to use and modify. In addition, it can hold an unlimited amount of video, audio, subtitles, chapter information, menus, and much more in a single file. Coupled with its ability to balance flexibility and picture quality, it is suitable for long-term storage or sharing movies, TV shows, and other video content with others.

Mac computers support many video formats, allowing you to play and work with various types of video. Some commonly used video formats work well on Mac, such as Apple-specific MOV, MP4, MPEG-2, AVI, 3GP, M4V, WMV, etc. However, Mac and its default QuickTime player have limited support for certain video formats such as MKV, WMV, and FLV. Therefore, if you want to play videos directly, you should check the compatibility of video formats first. Besides, you can also play MKV video files that are not compatible with Mac through some third-party players.

Part 2. 3 Best MKV Format Players to Play MKV on Mac

1. How to Play MKV with AnyMP4 Mac Blu-ray Player

AnyMP4 Mac Blu-ray Player is one of the best MKV players on Mac. It has a user-friendly interface for beginners. And this player can support various video formats, including MKV, MOV, MP4, AVI, 3GP, M4V, WMV, FLV, MTS, M2TS, etc. Meanwhile, the MKV player also supports playing audio formats, such as MP3, AAC, M4A, WMA, OGG, WAV, etc. More importantly, it can let you enjoy MKV videos with a resolution of 720p, 1080p, and even 4K. By the way, it can play your Blu-ray and DVD files at home. Here are the steps to play MKV on Mac.

1.Click the Free Download button below to download this high-quality MKV player and install it on your Mac. After installation, run the program.

2.Click the Add File to add your MKV video file to this software. You can also click File > Open File on the top menu to load the video.

3.After loading, this MKV player for Mac will play the MKV video automatically. You can control the video playback from the top menus, including play, stop, pause, adjust volume, set audio track, subtitles, and more.

2. How to Play MKV on Mac with VLC

VLC Media Player is another well-known multimedia player, which can be available on Mac, Windows, and Linux. This player supports playing MKV with a few clicks. Besides MKV and other videos, it can play DVDs, Audio CDs, VCDs, and more. Moreover, it is completely free when you want to play any files. But the process is a little complex if you want to edit an MKV video with VLC. Now, you can use the free software to play your MKV files on Mac.

1.Download the MKV player on your Mac. Run and enter the main interface.

2.Click File on the top left screen and select Open File to add an MKV video.

3.The media player will play your MKV video directly. And you can click the Forward or Backward icon to control the playback.

3. How to Play MKV on Mac with MPlayerX

MPlayerX is also a great program to play MKV files on Mac. It can directly play MKV and other popular videos with easy steps, such as MP4, AVI, MOV, and more. Meanwhile, this MKV player seamlessly supports playing your favorite videos from YouTube, Vimeo, and many platforms by a URL. But you must purchase it at the price for $1.99 before playing your MKV files.

1.Get the MKV player from the official website. Open it on your Mac.

2.Click the File option on the left screen. Then, select Open to add an MKV video.

3.The play will play the .mkv file on Mac directly without other clicks.

Conclusion

As a Mac user, you may ask, ‘Why can't I play MKV on Mac?’. By reading this article, we can learn that it is mainly because the default player of Mac does not support MKV videos. If you want to watch MKV on a Mac, you can try the three ways mentioned in this article. Each way gives steps to help you open MKV files quickly. Among them, AnyMP4 Mac Blu-ray Player is one of the best MKV format players for Mac, which allows you to play MKV video files smoothly on your Mac computer. If you encounter any playback problems while playing MKV, comment below.