MOV is a multimedia container file format that is mainly designed for QuickTime Player. Why QuickTime Player cannot open MOV files? If you just exported some MOV files from Final Cut Pro or other video editors, the QuickTime Player won’t open MOV files with a message that QuickTime Player can't open xxxx.mov. Just learn more about the reasons as well as the 5 most efficient ways to fix the related problems from the article.
Part 1: Why QuickTime Player Won’t Play MOV?
Just as mentioned, MOV is a QuickTime-supported video file. If there is a problem with encoding and decoding, QuickTime Player cannot open the MOV files directly. MOV is a container format for a variety of different video and audio codecs, not a simple file format. It contains many different audio and video encoders, such as MPEG-4, AAC, etc.
When QuickTime Player cannot open MOV, it is likely the computer is not ready to read the codec of the file. If any specific encoding in the MOV file cannot be recognized quickly, the MOV file cannot be played. You can either change the video codec for the MOV, or use another MOV player.
Part 2: 5 Solutions to Fix QuickTime Cannot Open MOV
Solution 1: Choose QuickTime Player Alternative for MOV
If you cannot open MOV with QuickTime Player, you can simply change to another media player that supports all video codec. Vidmore Player is one of the best QuickTime Player alternatives, which is compatible with videos, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs. It offers a range of flexible multimedia playback options to achieve extraordinary playback performance.
In order to solve this problem and play your AVI file smoothly, we provide some simple solutions. Download necessary plug-ins. If you want to play the AVI file in Quick Time player, then you can install a plugin called Perian. Perian is a free component that is referred to as a Swiss Army knife for QuickTime player. 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.
How To Open Avi Files With Quicktime Player
- Support MOV, MP4, AVI, and MKV with different video and audio codecs.
- Provide flexible multimedia playing options, like full, half, and more others.
- Play MOV files with an easy navigation menu to get the desired chapter.
- Use the shortcut key to take a quick snapshot while watching the MOV.
Step 1. Download and install Vidmore Player, you can launch the program on your computer. Click Open File on the main interface to load the MOV files that you cannot play with QuickTime Player. It supports all video codec and audio codec for the MOV files without extra downloading.
Step 2. You can change the video playback settings via the top menu bar, such as Video and Tools, to get better visual experience. Click the Play Movie option to play MOV files on your computer. You can take a screenshot of the highlights during the process.
Solution 2: Update QuickTime Player to The Latest Version
When you are using an old version, QuickTime Player might not open MOV videos. Just search for the latest QuickTime version to find whether it works. But one thing you have to know is that Apple has stopped its QuickTime support for the PC version.
Step 1. Open your player and click the Help menu at the top of the player.
Step 2. Find and click the Update Existing Software option, follow the instructions to install the latest version of the player.
Step 3. When the player is updated, restart your computer. Return the QuickTime to play the MOV file again.
Solution 3: Install Missing Codec for QuickTime Player
It should be easy to find a solution when there is a prompted message that the video encoder is not supported. All you can do is install a codec to fix QuickTime Player that cannot open MOV. You can download and install the MOV-related video file type support codec directly from the network. You can also install a complete codec package, which contains almost all the codecs of file formats. But be aware that there may be malicious advertisements, which will put your computer in danger.
Solution 4: Repair Corrupted MOV in VLC Media Player
When your QuickTime Player cannot open MOV files that are related to the damaged MOV files, you need to repair the corrupted MOV. You can simply take advantage of the repair feature of VLC Media Player to fix damaged MOV files on your computer accordingly.
Step 1. VLC has a feature that automatically fixes damaged AVI files. Therefore, you need to convert MOV files to AVI format. Run VLC, and click the Media tab.
Step 2. Find the Convert/Save option in the drop-down list. Select the format conversion tool. Click the Add button to import the damaged MOV file.
Step 3. Select the AVI file as the output format, and click the Start button. When the conversion is complete, click the Tools menu to find the Preferences option.
Step 4. Jump to the Input/Codecs section, find the damaged AVI file and select the Always Fix option, click the Save option to start repairing the MOV files on your computer.
Can Quicktime Open Avi Files
Solution 5: Fix QuickTime Player on Mac
The damage to the MOV file will cause the QuickTime player to fail to open the file. When there is any problem with the QuickTime Player, you cannot open MOV with QuickTime. Just fix this problem by following the steps below and make your QuickTime work again
Step 1. Find the Utilities app from the Applications folder and click on it. Start the Activity Monitor option with a double click.
Step 2. Select the QuickTime Player option in the Process Name list. Then click on the Quit Process in the window.
Step 3. Click the Quit button from the new confirmation window. When you exit the Activity Monitor program, restart the computer and run the program to check whether it can play your MOV files normally.
Part 3: FAQs about Fixing QuickTime Player Won’t Play MOV
What are the Supported Video Formats of QuickTime Player?
QuickTime Player supports MOV, MP4, M4V, MPEG-2 (OS X Lion or later), MPEG-1, 3GPP, 3GPP2, AVCHD (OS X Mountain Lion or later), AVI (Motion JPEG only), and DV with following video codec MPEG-2 (OS X Lion or later), MPEG-4 (Part 2), H.264, H.263, H.261.
Where to Download Video Codec to Fix QuickTime Player Won’t Play MOV?
To fix the QuickTime Player cannot open MOV; you can download an extra video codec, such as Windows Media Component Flip4Mac. You can simply go to the Windows official website to search for the free video codec and install it on your computer accordingly.
Should I Upgrade to QuickTime Pro to Fix MOV Playback Issue?
Yes. One of the major differences between QuickTime and QuickTime Pro is the playback of various media formats. But when you need to play some MOV files on QuickTime Player only, you can choose some alternative MOV players instead.
Conclusion
If you play MOV files with QuickTime Player, you may often encounter video playback failures. Whether it is a problem that the format is not compatible, or maybe because the MOV file is corrupt, you can find the ultimate ways to fix the problem from the article. Vidmore Player is one of the best MOV player alternatives when you cannot open MOV files with QuickTime Player.