The file isn t compatible with QuickTime Player

Older or specialised media formats might require other software. 

Apple apps such as QuickTime Player, Photos and Keynote work with many kinds of audio and video formats. Some apps prefer specific formats, but QuickTime movie files (.mov), most MPEG files (.mp4, .m4v, .m4a, .mp3, .mpg), some AVI and WAV files, and many other formats usually work in most apps without additional software.

Older or specialised media formats might not work in your app, because the format requires software designed to support it. If that happens, your app won’t open the file or won’t play back its audio or video.

How to search for an app that works with your file

You might already have an app that supports the format of your file. If you don’t know which of your installed apps to try, your Mac might be able to suggest one:

1. Control-click (or right-click) the file in the Finder.
2. From the shortcut menu that opens, choose Open With. You should see a submenu listing all of the other installed apps that your Mac thinks might be able to open the file.

If none of your installed apps can open the file, search the Internet or Mac App Store for apps that can play or convert the file:

• Include the name of the media format in your search. To find the format, select the file and press Command-I to open an Info window. The format might appear after the label “Kind”, such as “Kind: Matroska Video File”.
• Include the filename extension in your search. The extension is the letters shown at the end of the file’s name, such as .avi, .wmv or .mkv.

Learn more

• QuickTime Player (version 10.0 and later) in OS X Mavericks to macOS Mojave converts legacy media files that use certain older or third-party compression formats.
• Learn about incompatible media in Final Cut Pro  and iMovie.

Information about products not manufactured by Apple, or independent websites not controlled or tested by Apple, is provided without recommendation or endorsement. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the selection, performance or use of third-party websites or products. Apple makes no representations regarding third-party website accuracy or reliability. Contact the vendor for additional information.

Published Date: November 26, 2020

Fix Corrupt Videos That Cannot Be Opened By QuickTime Media Player

Are you facing QuickTime player not working while opening your files? It may be due to corrupt videos. You can download the video repair software - Wondershare Repairit to start repair process.

Apple offers you various media handling options, with QuickTime player being one of the main video display services. However, there might be times when no matter how much you try, the QuickTime player cannot open and play videos that you want to watch. This situation can be extremely frustrating and disappointing. But, you don't have to worry as there are several ways to get around this situation. Read this post to get solutions that you can use to get rid of the "QuickTime Player can't open files" error.

In this article

• 01 Why Can't QuickTime Player Open My File?
• 02 QuickTime Player Makes Video Files Not Open on Mac
• 03 Videos Are Corrupted and Cannot Be Opened on Mac
• 04 Fix Mac Errors and Open Files on QuickTime
• 05 FAQs to Help You Know More About QuickTime

Why Can't QuickTime Player Open My File?

Most Mac users prefer QuickTime player to open and play files with different formats. However, sometimes due to corruption in files, incompatible file format, or issue with the operating system, you might not be able to open some files. Before discussing how you can solve "QuickTime player not working" problems, let us first see the different causes behind it.

• QuickTime Player Cause

  If QuickTime fails to access your file, then either it is incompatible or outdated. You might be running the old version, due to which it cannot read the file data you are trying to play. In this case, you need to update the QuickTime player and run the latest version. This will help you to play with all types of files without any inconvenience.

• Video File Cause

  The video files can be corrupted for many reasons, which may prevent QuickTime players from opening your files. Some of the reasons include: QuickTime does not support the file's format; The video file has a codec missing; The video file has a wrong extension

In such a situation, you need to ensure that you activate the right codec supported by QuickTime, confirm if your video file name is accurate, and check if your video has the correct format.

QuickTime player supports plenty of formats like MPEG-4 files (MP4, M4V, M4A, MP3), QuickTime movie files (MOV), DV Stream, MPEG-2, Mjpeg, and more.

• Mac System Cause

  A problem in your operating system may also cause QuickTime to stop working. For instance, if your computer is infected with malware, it may prevent QuickTime player from opening your files. So you need to resolve all the internal Mac errors and make sure to download reliable antivirus software that helps you scan all the issues and get rid of the virus that infected your computer.

QuickTime Player Makes Video Files Not Open on Mac

It can be discouraging to find out that QuickTime Player cannot open video files on your Mac. There can be several reasons for it, like codec issues, software issues, filename inaccuracy, and more. Whatever the reason, you can overcome these problems using the right method and enjoy the video viewing experience.

What Format of Video Files Can QuickTime Player Open?

QuickTime Player supports multiple file formats. Some of them include MPEG-4 files (MP4, MP3, M4V, M4A), QuickTime movie files (MOV), DV Stream, MPEG-2, Mjpeg, AVI, and even some audio files such as AIFF, WAV, and AAC. The QuickTime Movie format supports video or audio tracks encoded using different types of codecs.

Apart from these formats, you can expand QuickTime to utilize more media formats by installing additional QuickTime components on your Mac.

Now, let us look at different solutions to fix "QuickTime player not playing video" issues.

Solution 1. Update QuickTime Player on Mac

When you cannot open your file with QuickTime player, it either means your application is either incompatible or outdated. The QuickTime player might be too old, which is why it cannot read the file. So, how do I update QuickTime player on Mac?

When it comes to updating QuickTime player applications, it is unnecessary to uninstall the app and then reinstall it again. All you have to do is go to the "Help" tab located on the QuickTime player window, select "Update Existing Software." Follow the instructions given on the screen and complete the update process.

Solution 2. Use Other Installed Apps to Play Videos on Mac

If the above solution does not work, you can try playing your video on other installed media player applications on your Mac. You can use players like MplayerX or VLC whenever you experience QuickTime video playback issues.

It is recommended that you use VLC to open video files as it is configured to play videos with different formats. Here are the steps you need to follow to play videos with VLC by default on Mac.

Step 1: Find a video file that you want to open with VLC, like an MP4 file, and then right-click on it. After that, select "Get info" from the list of options you see on your screen.

Step 2: Now, a dialog box will open; choose the "VLC.app" option. If you cannot find the "VLC.app" option, make sure VLC is installed on your Mac. A window will open, click on the "Change All" button — this will open the file you want to play using VLC.

Step 3: Now, a confirmation dialog box will appear on your screen, click on continue to proceed further.

Step 4: The final step is to close the window. You are now ready to open your media file with VLC.

Solution 3. Use Suggested Mac Apps to Open Videos

Besides QuickTime Player, you can also use other applications to play your videos, depending on your video file formats. You can use popular apps like MPlayerX, 5K Player, Elmedia Player, VLC, Plex, and more. Follow the steps below to search for an application that works with your video file:

Step 1: Right-click the file in Finder. A drop-down menu will open. Select "Open With."

Step 2: You will see a list of installed applications that you can use to open your file type. Choose the desired application through which you want to open your video file.

Note: If none of the installed applications can open your video, go to the App Store or the internet to look for the applications that can play your file.

Solution 4. Fix QuickTime Player on Mac

Corruption in your video files or your operating system can prevent you from opening videos with a QuickTime player. However, you can fix this issue and enable the QuickTime player to work again. All you need to do is follow the steps below:

Step 1: Open the "Applications" folder, locate "Utilities," click on it, and then double-click the "Activity Monitor" program to launch it.

Step 2: Now, under the "Process Name" column, choose "QuickTime Player." After that, click the "Quit Process" button, located at the top left of the window.

Step 3: A confirmation window will appear. Click "Quit" again. Once you have quit the Activity Monitor program, you can restart Mac and check if QuickTime player opens your video file.

Videos Are Corrupted and Cannot Be Opened on Mac

QuickTime player is a great app for Mac users to play their video files. However, sometimes, you might not open your file with QuickTime player because it is corrupted or some codecs are missing.

Unlike other media players like Windows Media Player and VLC, QuickTime players cannot help you repair corrupted video files. It can just help you to edit, play, save, and export files.

Whenever you try to open a video file on QuickTime player Mac, and the screen turns black, do not panic! You can easily fix this problem by considering the solutions mentioned below.

Solution 1. Check Video File Extension

Another potential way to fix a corrupted video file that cannot be opened on Mac is to change the file extension. It will help you repair damaged files like m4v, mp4, or mov files that are not compatible with QuickTime. Let us see how you can change the file extension.

Step 1: Download and install the VLC media player on Mac. After that, make a copy of your damaged and corrupted media file on your computer.

Step 2: The next step is to change the file extension name (for instance from .mov to .avi). Ignore any error message that displays on your screen.

Step 3: Open the VLC player, and from the "Menu" tab, select "Tools." A list of options will open. Click "Preferences".

Step 4: Now, in Preferences, choose "Input and Codecs," make the required changes, and save it. In the end, choose the option "pf Always fix" to continue the video repair process on Mac. Within a few seconds, you would be ready to play the video again.

Solution 2. Repair Not Opening Videos

If the previous solution does not work, you can Wondershare Repairit Video Repair Software for Mac, a reliable and professional tool that can help you scan and fix corrupted MP4, MOV, M4A, M4V, and F4V video files on Mac.

Wondershare Repairit

5,481,435 people have downloaded it.

• Support to repair damaged videos with all levels of corruption, such as video no sound, out-of-sync video or audio, sluggish video display, flickering video, missing video codec, etc.

• Support to repair videos of diverse formats, including MOV, MP4, M2TS, MKV, MTS, 3GP, AVI, FLV, MXF, KLV, INSV, M4V, WMV, MPEG, ASF, etc.

• Repair critically damaged or corrupted videos available on SD cards, phones, cameras, USB flash drives, etc.

• Repairit has a quick and advanced scanning mode. You can use either depending upon the level of corruption the video file has undergone.

• Compatible with Windows PC, Mac OS, and supports PC to mobile transferring/sharing.

Let us find out how you can fix your corrupted video using Wondershare Repairit.

Step 1 Upload Video Files you Want to Repair

Download and install Wondershare Repairit on your Macbook and launch it. Now, add your damaged MOV, M4V, or MP4 video files from the computer folder to repair corrupted videos. You can also drag the file to the interface.

Step 2 Begin the Repairing Process for Damaged Video

Select multiple damaged or corrupted videos, and click the Repair button on the bottom right to begin the repair process.

Step 3 View the Repaired Video

Within minutes, when the repairing process is complete, you can preview different videos to check the repair results.

Step 4 Start Advanced Video Repair

If you did not get the desired result, you could conduct "Advanced Video Repair," through which you can add a sample video and review its data for video file repair. The sample video should have the same device source and format as your corrupted videos.

Step 5 Preview and Save Repaired Video

Finally, you are ready to preview the repaired videos and save them to the desired location on your Mac.

Fix Mac Errors and Open Files on QuickTime

Apart from the solutions listed above, you can use other methods to fix Mac errors and open Files on QuickTime.

Solution 1. Install Latest Version of QuickTime

If you are using an old version of QuickTime, try installing the latest version, QuickTime 7 pro. The latest version handles all file formats better and enables you to open and play different files without any trouble successfully.

Solution 2. Use A Different Codec

If the QuickTime player is not playing video, then it is possible that your Mac computer cannot read the codec of your file. To find the codec of your file, go to the "Window" tab of QuickTime player, then select the option "Show Movie Inspector." You will now find a list of different codecs under the "Format" section.

The next step is to activate the QuickTime codec to play the media file, which you cannot open. To do so, you can use a few programs like Autodesk, MPEG-2 Playback Component, Xvid, and DivX. Here are some of the video codecs supported by QuickTime player:

• H.263
• H.261
• MPEG-4 (Part 2)
• MPEG-2 (OS X Lion or later)

Solution 3. Play Files Using a Different Media Player

When the QuickTime player on your Mac stops working, you can try other media players like MPlayerX or VLC. These players support most formats and will enable you to play any file with ease.

Solution 4. Convert File Format to QuickTime Supported Format

If none of the above methods work, then try converting your file format to QuickTime supported format. Sometimes, your video file can be corrupted, and by converting the file format, you can fix it and open it on QuickTime player.

You can convert the file format or codec of the corrupted video with VLC. Here is a step-by-step procedure to complete the action:

Step 1: First, download and install the VLC media player on your Mac. Once installed, open VLC, select the "Media" tab, and then, from the drop-down menu, choose the option Convert / Save.

Step 2: Now, a dialog box will appear. Click the "Add" button to add the desired file you want to convert. After that, press the Convert / Save button at the bottom.

Step 3: Another window will open up, where you need to provide a new name for the file and choose the preferred Input codec for the converted video.

Note: Select the format that the QuickTime player supports

Step 4: The final step is to save all the changes. This will provide you with a repaired file.

FAQs to Help You Know More About QuickTime

Do you want to learn more about QuickTime on Mac? Here are answers to some of the most asked questions by Mac and QuickTime users. These answers will help you to get detailed information about the QuickTime player on Mac.

1. Where Is File on QuickTime Player?

To add an audio or video file to the QuickTime player, you can choose any one of the following options:

• Click on the File tab, choose a file that you want to open, and then click "Open".
• Open Finder, look for the file and then double-click it to open.

2. How Do I Open QuickTime Player?

QuickTime player is compatible with Mac and is on your computer by default. To open QuickTime player, all you need to do is go to the "Applications" folder, double click the icon of QuickTime player and launch it.

3. How Do I Open a QuickTime File?

Just like mentioned before, you can open a QuickTime file by simply going to the Finder and double-clicking it. However, if your audio or video file is in iCloud Drive, you need to select "iCloud Drive" in the Finder sidebar and then double-click the file to open it.

4. How to Prevent QuickTime Player Crash?

The easiest way to stop the QuickTime player from crashing is to restart your computer. If that does not work, try updating the QuickTime player. You can also fix the crashing issue by going to the "Utilities" folder on your Mac, selecting the "Applications" folder, and double-clicking on the "Disk Utility" program. Once the program is opened, select the hard drive from the left column of the program. Then, click the "Repair Disk Permissions" button and "Quit" the program. You can now restart your Mac.

5. How to Prevent Video Getting Damaged?

There are several ways to avoid video damage on Mac. Here are some of the tips you can follow to prevent your video from getting damaged:

• Run a regular scan on your mac device to protect your video files from malware attacks.
• Make sure that your Mac is in a stable power supply mode. As a backup, make a copy of your video file.
• Use a powerful and reliable antivirus to protect your Mac and video files from any damage or corruption.
• Cache the application via Pc or laptop.
• Ensure that the battery of your Mac is full, particularly while transferring the data.

6. How to Open Quicktime Movie on PC?

To open a video or audio file in the QuickTime Player App on your Mac, do one of the following.

• Double-click the file in the Finder.
• If your video or audio file is located in iCloud Drive, click iCloud Drive in the Finder sidebar, then double-click your file.
• Choose File > Open File, then select the file and click Open.

7. How to Watch Quicktime Videos on Mac?

• Open a movie or audio file in the QuickTime Player App on your Mac.
• Move the cursor anywhere in the movie to display the playback controls. (Controls for audio files are always visible.)
• Use the Playback controls to play a movie or audio file, and you can drag the controls to move them out of the way.

Closing Words

The above solutions should fix all your issues related to "QuickTime Player Can't Open Files" on Mac. By simply reading and following these methods, you will have a high chance to resolve all your problems. However, if you cannot solve the problem, you can rely on a professional and effective video repair tool like Wondershare Repairit. It allows you to repair all inaccessible, corrupted, damaged, and non-playing video files within a few minutes.

Related Content You Might Want to Know

• 1. Is MP4 A QuickTime File?

  Yes, QuickTime supports MP4 files. It can play most MP4 videos with MPEG-2, MPEG-4, H. 264 video codecs, and other codecs like AAC and MP3.

• 2. Why Can't QuickTime Player Open MP4 or MOV?

  Sometimes, you cannot open MP4 or MOV files with the QuickTime player due to filename inaccuracy, codec, corruption, or software update issues. An outdated QuickTime player can also prevent MP4 or MOV files from opening.

• 3. Why Can't I Open QuickTime Player on My Mac?

  If you are using an older version of QuickTime player, you might not open it. So make sure to use the latest version, which is QuickTime7 pro. Using the latest version will enable you to open the application without any hassle.

• 4. What Opens MP4 Files on A Mac?

  To play an MP4 file on your Mac, all you have to do is double-click on the file that you want to open. You can also right-click on the file and select 'Open with' to open the MP4 file with QuickTime Player or any other installed media player application.

• 5. What to Do When QuickTime Player Cannot Open Files?

  Even after trying too hard, if you still face the 'QuickTime player not working' issue, try another media player. You can use popular players like VLC, MPlayerX, Elmedia Player, or 5K Player. These players support most media formats and can open any file.

• 6. How to Fix Video Not Opening on Mac?

  If you face a 'video not opening' issue on your Mac, this means your video is either corrupted or missing a codec. You can fix this issue by trying different measures like scanning your Mac for malware or reinstalling Adobe Flash Player. However, if none of these methods work, you should use Wondershare Repairit to help you fix and repair all your video files in different formats and sizes.

* Some of the above codec formats may need to be supported by system.

What format is compatible with QuickTime Player?

Why is MP4 not compatible with QuickTime?

Why won't my MOV file open in QuickTime?

Why is QuickTime Player not working on Mac?