Formats & codecs
Video formats and codecs, explained
MKV, MP4, HEVC, AV1, subtitles and file names: what is inside a video file, and how to play any of them on a Mac.
"This file isn't compatible with QuickTime Player": how to fix it
QuickTime says your file is not compatible? Learn why macOS rejects MKV, AVI, and WMV, and how to play them directly or remux them to MP4 in seconds.
1080p vs 4K: can you see the difference on a Mac?
1080p vs 4K on a Mac screen. Learn how viewing distance, Retina displays, video bitrate, and HDR determine which resolution looks sharper.
Does my Mac support AV1? Hardware decoding, explained
Wondering if your Mac supports AV1? Learn which Apple Silicon chips decode AV1 in hardware, how M1 and M2 play it in software, and what it means for battery.
H.264 vs H.265 (HEVC) vs AV1: video codecs compared
Compare H.264, HEVC, and AV1 video codecs. Learn how compression efficiency, licensing, encoder speeds, and Apple Silicon hardware decoding differ.
How to add subtitles on a Mac (and fix sync drift)
Learn how to add subtitles to any video on Mac, understand SRT vs ASS formats, fix sync delays with shortcuts, and keep subtitles readable over HDR.
How to convert MKV to MP4 on a Mac (free and lossless)
Convert MKV to MP4 on Mac in seconds without losing quality. Learn how to remux with ffmpeg, tag HEVC for QuickTime, or convert using HandBrake.
How to play FLAC on Mac (without converting to ALAC)
Learn how to play FLAC audio on Mac without converting to ALAC, why Apple Music rejects FLAC, how to manage your FLAC library, and when to convert.
How to play AVI and WMV files on a Mac: the complete guide
QuickTime can't open AVI or WMV files. Learn why macOS rejects them, why Flip4Mac no longer works, and how free players like MacLC open them on Apple Silicon.
How to play MKV files on a Mac (no converting)
Learn how to play MKV files on Mac without converting. See why QuickTime fails, how to open MKVs instantly in MacLC, and how to set a default player.
How to read a video file name: 2160p, x265, and HDR
Learn what 2160p, x265, WEB-DL, and DDP5.1 mean in video file names. Decode resolution, codec, audio, and source tags for the best playback on your Mac.
MKV vs MP4: what is the difference, and which is better?
MKV and MP4 are containers, not codecs. Discover why their quality is identical, what MKV can store that MP4 cannot, and why Mac QuickTime refuses MKV.
REMUX vs WEB-DL vs WEBRip: what video release types mean
Learn what REMUX, WEB-DL, WEBRip, and BluRay mean in video file names, how their video bitrates and audio quality compare, and whether remux files are worth it.
What is video bitrate? How bits per second define quality
Understand what video bitrate is, how constant and variable bitrate work, why bitrate matters more than resolution, and what good 1080p and 4K bitrates are.