It happens to all of us. There is a MKV file you wanna watch on your MacBook or iMac. You click on it, trying to open with default player QuickTime, but end up with an error message 'There is no application set to open mkv' or mkv no sound in QuickTime even if you opened it. Similar case, when you play MKV on game consoles, your MKV video is still unplayable. What's worse, you transfer MKV videos to iPhone iPad to watch on the trip, but iTunes tells you the MKV file is incompatible with your device. In other cases, when uploading MKV files to YouTube or Facebook, you encounter a heavy Waterloo, again.

Why could these be? Mainly because MKV is incompatible with majority of the modern mobile devices and platforms, alongside with its comparatively large file size. To make MKV playable on most devices and platforms, you need to convert MKV to MP4 since MP4, also a container format, keeps quite a good balance between high quality and file size. And more importantly, it's compatible with almost all the players, devices and platforms. So first things first, you need a MKV video converter that has good peformance in 2020.

How to Play Matroska MKV Files on Mac (1080p, 720p, etc.) Method 1: Convert MKV to something a little more univeral for Mac OS. The best choice to play MKV videos for Mac. Load MKV (Matroska) movie files via drag-and-drop or by 'Add File' button on the main interface. To play MKV videos in Mac (El Capitan included), we have two solutions right here for you! Solution 1, a QuickTime alternative player will be your choice to open MKV on Mac. Solution 2, you can try a video converter to convert MKV to MOV. In this way, watching MKV files on Mac.

To Convert MKV to MP4 on Mac (Big Sur) with Better Compatibility

MacX Video Converter Pro is your best mate. It is a totally safe yet clean video transcoder, letting you freely decode and encode MKV videos to MP4, MOV, H.264, HEVC, and any other video and audio formats at the highest performance.

Free Download MacX Video Converter Pro to Convert MKV to MP4 without Quality Loss!

How to Convert MKV to MP4 on Mac OS X Mountain Lion or Higher

MacX Video Converter Pro (32-bit and 64-bit) supports converting 4K and HD 1080P MKV videos to MP4, MOV, AVI, FLV, M4V, H264, H265 and 370+ others. It has various editing features available for you to trim, cut, crop, rotate, add subtitles, add effects, and do more. The support of unique Intel QSV/Nvidia/AMD hardware acceleration, built-in hyper-threading tech and Multi-core CPU utility ensures the fastest speed to convert videos into H.264 or H.265 MP4 video. Additionally, the 'Auto Copy' mode helps you realize 1:1 lossless quality as long as your MKV and ouptut MP4 are kept with the same codec. Now follow the steps below and learn how to encode MKV videos to MP4 on your Macbook or iMac.

Step 1: Import MKV file by clicking 'Add File'.

Free download the MKV to MP4 converter on Mac, or your Windows PCs ( MacX HD Video Converter Pro for Windows). Then click 'Add File' button to load the MKV files. You can load multiple MKV videos as it supports batch conversioin. First, select the video track, audio and subtitle you want to keep in the output MP4 file by click the up and down arrow icon behind the source video. You can select multiple audio tracks and subtitle tracks at the same time.

Step 2: Choose the Output Video Format.

After the input MKV video importing, you can see video formats options at the bottom of the window. It allows to freely convert MOV to MP4, WMV/WebM to MP4, MKV to H.264, and even transcode MP4 to MP3, MOV, MKV, and more like a piece of cake. Select MP4 format in HEVC, H.264, MPEG4 as you like, or simply choose preset profiles of iPhone iPad Android.

Note: how to change video format from MKV to MP4 without decoding & re-encoding? Choose 'Auto Copy' mode. As its name implies, it will 1:1 copy MKV input video/audio, subtitle tracks to MP4 without re-encoding as long as the same codec is detected. Zero quality loss and 10X faster than transcoding!

Step 3: Edit MKV Video (Optional).

Meanwhile, you can also see some icons of editing like cut, crop, subtitle, effect, rotate below the video information. If you need to cut off certain parts from MKV video, free set up video Start Time and End Time, add fans made funny subtitled to MKV or rotate MKV video 90 or 180 degrees, you can click the corresponding icon to edit MKV video before conversion.

Step 4: Start to Convert MKV to MP4 on Mac.

Hit Folder button to select a destination folder. Followed by a click on 'RUN' button, which gives an order to this top video processing tool for Mac to begin to transcode MKV video to MP4 on macOS. Only seconds and you will get the output MP4 files with lossless quality (High Quality Engine tech built-in).

Step 5: Time for MKV to iPhone Transfer. (Optional)

This is not a must-have step, but the one for those who gonna transfer MKV video from Mac to iPhone. You can just use iTunes or free download and launch MacX MediaTrans, if you are annoyed by iTunes complex process, and then enter its 'Video' section to 'Add Video' from Mac to this video transfer app. Afterwards, give a hit to 'Sync' button and then the MKV videos are transferred to your iOS iPhone iPad iPod within seconds only.

Solution 2: Handbrake

Handbrake is a famous converter for both MKV and MP4. It supports macOS 10.7 and later. The free MKV converter remains popular mainly for its fast speed and good output quality in 2020. Plus, it has some advanced features to let users adjust the bit rate, resolutions, video codecs, quality, other video parameters, add subtitles etc. It will also convert videos to various ready presets for mobiles directly. Therefore, it's another good choice when you need to convert videos from MKV to MP4 on Mac computers.

Step 1: Download Handbrake from it's official site. Then launch the program downloaded on Mac and click Source > Open File to load the MKV file. You can also select all your MKV files into Handbrake.

Step 2: Select MP4 in the Output Setting. Then customize the video settings if necessary.

Step 3: In the destination section, set an output folder. Then click Start on the top bar to begin MKV to MP4 conversion process.

See Also: Encounter Errors While Converting MKV to MP4 with Handbrake? Here's How to Fix It >>

MKV to MP4 Conversion Test: MacX Video Converter Pro vs Handbrake

You get the detailed steps to convert MKV to MP4 on Mac with 2020 top free video converter from MacXDVD. Yet, some of you might be curious about the specific conversion datas: how long it will take? any loss on output MP4 video quality? would output file size be smaller? any crashes?...

To answer your guys questions, we compare MacX Video Converter Pro with Handbrake to let you clearly see the differences. Let data do the work. Afterwards, I guess you can make a decision to download free MKV video converter or not.

From the above table, we can see there is no big gap between these two free MKV converters for 2020. In general, MacX Video Converter Pro performs better than Handbrake in video converting speed and video compressing side. Certainly, it's just a single test. You can still download both free MKV to MP4 converter to have a test if you have spare time. This comparison table just provides you with a reference.

[Update] FAQ on MKV to MP4 Conversion on Mac

Q1:I want to convert mkv to mp4 without re-encoding to keep the same file size and video quality. I need a program that allows me to just drag my 720P MKV video file onto, set it to mp4 and get the file with no quality loss. Any help?

A1: If the video streams in the MKV file are in an mp4 compatible codec like H.264, then you can move content from mkv to mp4 intactly by simply changing the format. In MacX Video Converter Pro, the Auto Copy box on the right lower interface is designed for that job. There are many other demuxers on the market for the same task. An extra benefit is that it can copy a large high-definite MKV to MP4 few hundred times faster than re-encoding.

Q2:I have a MKV file with subtitle muxed, now i want to convert it to mp4 without losing the subtitle. I already tried the other softwares like Handbrake, rebox.NET and VLC to convert it but the subtitles didn't carry over.

A2: It will depend on the type of subtitles. You should note that MP4 supports less types of subs than MKV. If the subtitle is in XSUB, SAMI, MPSub, SubRip or others, you can't pass-through the subtitle into MP4. To keep the subtitles, you can either: 1; extract the subtitles out of MKV and convert them to .srt format. 2; go to handbrake, select subtitles tab, select the subtitle track and then burn in the subtitle. With MacX Video Converter Pro, it will pass-through supported subtitles from MKV to MP4 as soft subtitles, and automatically burn in subtitles to MP4 when it's not supported. Not o mention that this program can extract subtitles and save them in .srt format in one stop.

Q3:I'm trying to convert an MKV container to MP4/M4V with the existing video and audio codecs (HEVC x265 and AAC audio). I used the 'Convert/Stream' function and selected the 'keep original video track' and 'keep original audio track' checkboxes. But the M4V output file contains only the audio track; the video is missing. If I use the 'Streaming/Exporting Wizard' instead of the 'Convert/Stream', the MP4 output option is greyed out and can't be selected unless I enable transcoding to 264 (which I don't want to do). Any ideas? Running VLC 2.2.1 on OS X El Capitan.Thanks!

A3: The highest possible reason why you fail to convert MKV to MP4 on Mac with HEVC x265 is that x264 works fine in MP4 file container while x265 is not supported in an MP4 container, at least not in VLC. So if you insist on transcoding MKV to HEVC x265, you're suggested to ditch away VLC player, instead using MacX Video Converter Pro to decode MKV to HEVC x265.

Q4: I have a lot of HD MKV files that I wish to convert for iTunes. I want a converter, but need to keep the same good quality!! (the videos/movies are 720 and 1080p) Any suggestions please? OS X or Windows, I can use both. Linux too if it crops up..Thanks - Vortar from mac-forums

A4: You see, iTunes supports video formats including MP4, MOV, M4V, limited types. If you're itching to convert MKV to iTunes, one way is to change MKV format to MP4 iTunes acceptable format. Another better way is to directly convert MKV codec to iTunes profile, with iTunes best parameter settings. In case you are a layman and don't know much about iTunes suitable video parameter settings, you'd better resort to the MKV to iTunes conversion with most ideal profile offered.

Q5: Hi anyone know who is best .mkv to .mp4 video converter with high quality video and audio and low Mb size so if its possible. Now I'm using Handbake to convert a 4K MKV file but it takes much mb size (10 mins for 1.5GB). Which will give me the smallest output size with best possible quality?

A5: First of all, you should know that file size = bitrate * running time, and bit rate will influence the video quality. If you don't nitpick the video quality, lower the bitrate and resolution to one level below will result in smaller size with acceptable quality. Beyond that, editing features like cropping and trimming will also help. Put aside the objective factors, software design will lead to difference in output size. MacX Video Converter Pro has a unique compression engine which will be worth your try.

Watching movies on a laptop is not the best way to do it but you can’t carry a TV on the Plane, yet. While the Quicktime Player handles all of my media content with ease, there are certain formats that it still can’t recognize. The MKV format is one of the popular ones in the movie industry because of it’s unlimited storage capacity. In this guide, I’ll show you how to play MKV files on a mac. Let’s get started.

The MKV format is an open and free container format that can hold an infinite number of audio, video, and text files in a single file. This makes it an excellent format for TV shows, movies, etc.

There are various options to play MKV files on Mac but we’ll choose the easiest three;

• Installing a QuickTime Plugin
• Installing a third party Player
• Converting the Video

1. Play MKV Files on Mac – QuickTime Plugin

Quicktime Player is the default video player for macOS. Yes, it does lack a few features which other players have but it’s nothing a plugin won’t fix. Perian is a popular Plugin for QuickTime Player which lets you play MKV videos on your Mac.

Download the Plugin setup file from the official website or by clicking this link.

Read: Best Font Manager for Mac

Your download should automatically start and once the file is downloaded, you can simply open the downloads by clicking the downloaded button on the tray. Click on ‘Perian.dmg’ to begin the setup.

It would show the error just like the figure below, which says “Perian can’t be opened because it is from an unidentified developer”. Fret not, you can easily remove this error, by temporarily disabling the security blanket of GateKeeper.

To disable Gatekeeper, open ‘System Preferences’ by searching in the Spotlight or from the Apple  menu. It would open the settings window and you can click on ‘Security & Privacy’.

After that, you’d see the section which says ‘Allow apps downloaded from’ and a button ‘Open Anyway’. Click the button to override the default action.

If your Mac has a password, you need to enter it again to authenticate it. Make sure you enter the Administrator’s name and password or else it won’t install the plugin.

Now, this will open the installer and you just have to click ‘Perian.prefPane’ to begin the installation.

Ignore this warning and allow it by clicking ‘Okay‘. It automatically installs all the necessary files and you just have to wait for it to finish.

After the installation is finished, you’ll see the window similar to one below. You can close it now as the Plugin is successfully installed.

Play the MKV file with Plugin

Now, you can open any file from your system with QuickTime Player and it would start loading instead of showing you an error. Depending on the Size of the file, it may take some time.

This Plugin converts the MKV file to MP4 and that’s why it takes a little while to load. Once it does, you can watch the video without any problems on your QuickTime Player. If you close the window, you’ll get a pop-up that would suggest you save the file in MP4 format. You can save the file in MP4 format and play that instead.

Pros

• No additional Player required
• Easy installation and integration
• Open-sourced
• Converts MKV to mp4 as well

Cons

Mkv For Vlc Mac Os High Sierra

• Slow loading speeds

2. Play MKV Files on Mac with VLC

The last method works great if you want to keep using QuickTime Player as your main media player on the computer. The Plugin is still a workaround and slow when compared with other media players.

The VLC media player is one of the most popular video players out there and the popularity keeps growing because of its consistent and reliable performance and support for a wide range of formats and codecs. You can install VLC to play MKV files and other formats without installing any special plugin. You can even set it as a default media player on mac.

Go to the VLC’s website and download the latest package or click this link.

It opens the download page and beings the download in a few seconds.

Once the download is finished. Double click the package in the Downloads to install it.

Mkv For Vlc Mac Os 10.12

As it unwraps the container, you’ll see the window like the one below, you have to drag the traffic cone to the applications folder by clicking and holding the icon.

Must Read: VLC for Apple TV: Fixing 3 common problems

It would prompt you with an authentication pop-up, Click ‘Authenticate’ button to begin the installation.

It may ask you the login credentials. Enter the administrator username and password and click ‘Modify Settings‘.

VLC media player would install and now you can play any MKV file with VLC media player. Simply right-click the MKV file and select ‘Open With’. Click on the VLC icon. It begins to play the video without a hiccup.

Pros

• Support for a wide variety of Plugins
• Native support for MKV
• Sleek UI

Cons

• Problems with 4K playback

3. Play MKV Files on Mac With Handbrake

If for any reason, you can’t use the above two methods. Converting the MKV files to a supported format is the best option. Using a web converter is both time-consuming and slow, considering you have to first upload, convert, and then download the converted file again.

Handbrake is an open-sourced video transcoder that is used to rip DVDs and it also lets you convert MKV files to mp4. Installing Handbrake on your mac would take no more than five minutes. Go to the website or click this link to download the installer package.

Start by clicking the downloaded package in the Downloads folder.

It would open the container and you can click on the Handbrake icon to launch the converter.

To select an MKV file for conversion, click the ‘Open Source’ button on the top left corner of the window.

Select the file from the computer by browsing to the desired folder.

After selecting the file(s), you can select presets, and adjust video duration. You can edit dimensions, filters, video, audio of the output file. After you’re done with the tweaks, choose the output folder, and click start.

After the conversion, The output file is automatically stored to the destination address. You can open the folder and play the file on any media player or send to other devices using iTunes.

Pros

• Multiple files can be converted at once
• Multiple presets are available
• Full control over dimensions, audio, chapters, etc

Cons

Mkv Player Mac Os X

• Only converts to MP4

Mkv To Mp4 Mac Vlc

Also Read: 5 Best Time tracking apps for Mac to boost your productivity

Vlc Download Mac Os

3 Ways to Play MKV Files on a Mac

Vlc Media Player Mkv Mac

These were 3 ways with which you can play MKV files on a Mac. Installing a Plugin is the easiest way to play MKV files if you don’t want to move to a new media player considering QuickTime is already powerful. Installing a VLC is my recommended choice because it gives you so much more than just MKV playback, even AirPlay(coming soon). Handbrake is best when you need to convert and transfer the file to the iPhone, iPad, and iPod. This gives you more control over the quality and you can optimize the video for specific devices. Tell us which method would you use to play MKV files on a mac.