Watching videos is one of the most entertaining activities people do. But, not all video files are easily watched on a computer, especially when you do not have the right player or codec for it.
Take MOV video files for instance. Since it is an Apple Quicktime container for MPEG 4 format, it will take some effort to play it on Windows. Most users cannot play MOV files in their Windows 10 PC because they do not have the right player or doesn’t have the needed codecs installed.
What is a MOV Video File?
MOV file is a default video format for iPhones, iPads, or Mac. When a video is created on an iOS or macOS device, it is often saved with the .mov extension.
Still, MOV files are also compatible with Windows although it is an unsupported format natively. You need to use the right player for it. As MPEG 4 container, MOV files can be used to save both audio and video.
Ways on How you Can Play MOV Videos & Install a Player for .mov Video Files in Windows 10
If you come across a MOV video file in your Windows 10 computer, there are different ways on how you can play it. Simply opening the file will not allow you to play the video. You will need to download and install the best MOV players.
Method #1 – Install QuickTime Player
QuickTime Player is the default video player for MOV files. While it is often used in macOS, you can also download and install the QuickTime video player on your Windows 10 PC.
- Install QuickTime for Windows 10.
- To play your MOV video using QuickTime, go to your MOV file.
- Right-click on the name and click Open with.
- Select QuickTime Player.
- QuickTime Player will open your video.
Method 2 – Using 5KPlayer
Another way is to use 5KPlayer – a more powerful MOV file player to help you play MOV files on Windows 10 with up to 4K resolution support. It was created to be the best 4K video player that can digest highly-compressed videos in diverse formats without the need to convert or install extra codec packs for MOV videos.
With 5KPlayer, you can play any MOV videos from iPhone, GoPro, DJI, etc. without encountering common issues like MOV won’t open, not recognizing file, can’t play video, audio-video out of sync, black screen, choppy playback, and other errors.
- Download 5KPlayer, install and launch it on your Windows 10 PC.
- Drag and drop your MOV file to 5KPlayer to play it quickly.
- Or click on the Video button on the main UI to add a MOV file to 5KPlayer to play.
- Lastly, you can also just right-click on your MOV file and select to play it with 5KPlayer.
Method #3 – Using Windows Media Player
Another way is to use Microsoft’s built-in Windows Media Player. It is the default player for Windows and fortunately, it also supports MOV files now. However, you will need to make sure that your Windows Media Player is currently at the 12.0 or higher version. Only these higher versions can support and play MOV files.
- To check the current version, open your Windows Media Player.
- Right-click the top bar, or you can press the Alt key.
- Select Help and click About Windows Media Player.
- Now, check the current version. If it falls below 12.0, you will need to install the latest version first before playing the video file.
- To play the video file, right-click on your video file and select Open with.
- Choose Windows Media Player and it will play your video.
Method #4 – Play with VLC Media Player
The VLC media player is your go-to player for just about anything including MOV files. It can play most video file formats and is compatible with Windows 10.
- If you don’t have the VLC media player, download and install it on your computer.
- Open your VLC media player and click Media from the top bar.
- Select Open File and choose your MOV file.
If the above video players do not work for you, you can try to convert your MOV file to other file formats using a reliable video converter tool. However, if you have a damaged or unplayable video file, you will need to use a safe video repair tool like Remo Video Repair Software to recover your file.
Which video player above did you install that works best for you in playing your MOV (.mov) video files on Windows 10 computer? You can tell us what you think in the comments section below.
