AVI, short for Audio Video Interleave, is a multimedia container format introduced by Microsoft to store audio and video using a variety of codecs, like DivX and XviD. If you are using a Windows computer, you can double-click the AVI file and open it on Windows Media Player. If you are using macOS, things are not easy because the default QuickTime player doesn’t support AVI format.
Click a save folder and click Open (Optional). After you open the file browser window, navigate to a folder you want to save the converted MOV file to. Then click Open in the lower-right corner of the file browser window. This selects the location you want to save the AVI file to after it is converted to a MOV file. Open AVI file on Mac Click the play button, and start to watch your AVI movie imported. If you want to watch another one when playing one movie with this video player, you can drag the second one to replace the first one and start your new watching. Look at the toolbar on the top menu. How to Convert AVI Files for Smooth Playback on Mac To begin with, free download the AVI video converter on your MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, Mac mini, or Mac Pro. Install and run it. Step 1: Click '+ Video' button to load the AVI file you want to convert for playback on Mac.
So, still want to play AVI files on Mac? Well, you can convert the unsupported AVI file to MP4, MOV, M4V that are compatible with QuickTime Player. Well, you can also install a powerful AVI Player on your MacBook for smooth playback.
How to Play AVI Files on MacPart 1. How to Play AVI on Mac with QuickTime Plug-in
If AVI files failed to play on Mac, you can get a QuickTime plug-in installed on your Mac. Perian is a free and open source QuickTime component that support any media format like AVI, FLV, MKV. It is easy to install and works instantly once it’s set up. One disadvantage of Perian is that it doesn’t work with QuickTime 10 or more. Nor will be under development.
Part 2. How to Convert AVI to Mac Supported Format
As we know, QuickTime doesn’t support playing AVI files. If you want to play AVI files on your MacBook, you can use the ultimate method to convert AVI to QuickTime Player supported format. Apeaksoft Video Converter Ultimate comes in handy when you want to convert AVI files. It is a versatile video converter for Mac, which you can adjust video/audio codec, enhance video, compress AVI video files , or enhance video quality in an all-round way.
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Convert AVI to MP4, MOV, M4V and more for playing on Mac.
Tweak the frame rate, bitrate, sample rate, audio codec, and more settings.
Provide 4 different methods to enhance video quality and reduce noise.
Edit videos, add watermark, apply video filters, and compress the AVI video.
Step 1Install AVI Converter for Mac
After downloading this AVI Converter for Mac, install and launch the program. Click Add File at the top side to import the AVI video to the program.
Step 2 Choose output format
Click and open the drop-down arrow next to Profile, go to a certain catalog and select your preferred resolution from the list. For playing the AVI file in QuickTime Player on Mac, choose MOV, MP4 or M4V as you like.
Step 3Edit AVI file
Click the Edit menu to edit the AVI file with these editing features. You can rotate the AVI file, add 3D effect, crop AVI file, add effects, enhance AVI file and add watermark to it.
Step 4Convert and play AVI on Mac
Make sure you have chosen an output folder in the Destination area at the bottom. Click Convert button at the bottom right to start converting AVI file. After a while, you can open the converted AVI file in QuickTime Player on your Mac.
If you’ve ever wanted to play AVI files on Mac, without installing other desktop software, Apeaksoft Free Online Video Converter is an online converter to convert and play AVI file on Mac and Windows computer.
Part 3. How to Play AVI Files with Best AVI Player for Mac
Another convenient way you can try is to play AVI files with an AVI player for Mac. Apeaksoft Blu-ray Player is the top choice for many users. Besides playing AVI files, it can also play common video and audio formats like MP4, M4V, TS, MTS, MXF, WMV, MKV, AVI, MP3. What’s more, this AVI player for Mac also plays Blu-ray/DVD disc, folder or ISO file on macOS Big Sur/Catalina.
FAQs of Playing AVI Files on Mac
1. What is An AVI File Format?
AVI is a multimedia container format, containing both audio and video data. AVI format has great video fidelity and compression capability. Due to the availability of a large number of codecs, it is easy to obtain the compression ratios required for the AVI format.
2. Why do AVI files not play on Mac?
If the AVI file doesn’t come with the right codecs, you might not play AVI files on Mac. Also you need to check out if the AVI files are corrupted. If you have corrupted AVI files, you still cannot play AVI on Mac.
3. How can I convert AVI to MP4 on Mac?
With Apeaksoft Video Converter Ultimate, you can convert AVI to MP4 on Mac with ease. Click Add File to load the AVI file to the program. Select MP4 from the drop-down button next to Profile, and click Convert button to convert AVI to MP4 on Mac.
Conclusion
After reading this article, playing AVI files on Mac tends to be easier. You can get the right AVI codec, an AVI player or an AVI converter for Mac. Apeaksoft Video Converter Ultimate provides the ultimate solution to convert AVI to QuickTime supported format. Don’t hesitate and let us hear what you want to say.
My QuickTime player is not playing .avi files and says I need a codec. I am not able to play any .avi files on QuickTime. How could I fix this because I want to play these files with QuickTime?
Playing AVI files is one of the biggest worries for a Mac user. None of the four major Indeo codecs that are required to decode AVI files have been integrated into QuickTime. In some cases, even if the required codecs are available, the AVI video file does not play due to corruption. So, before we get to know how to play AVI files on Mac or how to fix AVI files that are not playing on Mac, let’s get a quick look at Audio Video Interleave (AVI) format.
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Why AVI Files don’t Play on Mac?
Just like any other media player, QuickTime on Mac also examines both the audio and video codecs within the video file whenever you open any file on Mac. If the codecs are not used by the media player it won’t play the video. QuickTime media player does not recognize the Cinepak and ALaw 2:1 codecs used in the AVI video file format. And as a result, when you try to play AVI files in QuickTime, the player doesn’t play the video.
What is an AVI file?
The full form of AVI is Audio Video Interleave. Like any video file format, AVI is a container format that defines how video data is packed into a file. Unlike other video formats, it does not predefine or specify the protocol or procedure involved while recording or creating a file. As an AVI file structure has the organizational format of streams and stream data, it is defined by two lists namely List Chunk and Index Chunk.
List Chunk: The list chunk has metadata, the size of the file, frame rates, and audio/video information.
Index Chunk: The index chunk is responsible for saving the locations of data within the container.
Note: If any of these crucial chunks are missing in your AVI video file, then your AVI file will not play.
What is a Codec?
A codec that is short for compressor and decompressor is responsible for decoding the video and audio tracks that have been encoded or packed in the .avi file.
It is to be noted that an AVI file or any video file does not come with codecs. Codecs are a part of the video player package like QuickTime.
However, if the codec used to encode the AVI file is not available in the QuickTime player, then your AVI file will not play. Thus, you can expand the codec library of the player by downloading the specific codec required to play the AVI video file.
Problems Associated With Running AVI on Mac Using QuickTime
When an AVI file is opened using QuickTime player, it scans the file to see which codecs have been used to encode the data in the container/AVI file.
The AVI format video will play as expected if the video and audio in the codec are compressed using a codec that exists in the QuickTime package. Nevertheless, problems arise while playing AVI files on Mac when the codec does not exist in the library and leads to an unplayable AVI file on Mac. The file may also refuse to play if the AVI file is corrupt. Fix corrupt AVI files on Mac before trying any workaround.
Unplayable AVI Files Return The Following Errors:
- “QuickTime is missing the software needed to perform this operation. Unfortunately, it is not available on the QuickTime server”
- 'You may experience problems playing a video track in 'file.avi' because the required compressor could not be found”
Additionally, the latest version QuickTime X does not have a few major codecs like Indeo or native DivX support and you might end up with the question “How to play unplayable AVI file on Mac?”.
Now that you have understood the complications associated with AVI files that are unplayable on Mac, the following workarounds mentioned below have been provided to help you fix if Mac or MacBook not playing a video.
Methods to Fix Unplayable AVI files on Mac
1. Find the Right Codec to Play the AVI File on QuickTime:
Find the codec used to encode the file using QuickTime by opening the file using QuickTime and select the Show Movie Info option from the Window menu.
The video file information is listed, and you will be able to find codec information after format properties. Check if the QuickTime version supports the codec that is listed in the video properties.
Check on the QuickTime support site if the codec is supported by the player if you don’t find the codec preinstalled with QuickTime. If you don’t find the respective codec or if it is an unsupportive codec, then your AVI video won’t play. In case it is supported then you can go ahead and install the codec after downloading it from the author or the publisher’s site.
Note: Download the codec from genuine and trusted sources to avoid compromising your system security.
2. Download and Install Standardized Video Encoders
There are two major industry-standard codecs for Mac that can extend the playback capabilities. The following codecs have been referred to as the most preferred codecs that enable you to open .avi files on Mac:
- Install 3ivx D4 codec:
This codec enables greater video quality at lower file size values up to fifty percent when compared to the MPEG-4 standard designed by Apple. This decoder increases the efficiency of the video storage and transmission of files that are rendered too large. It is an integration of a huge set of video and audio codecs that allow playback of almost all the AVI files with AAC audio and video of MPEG-4. You can fix your unplayable AVI file by installing 3ivx D4 on your Mac. Further, there is no need to download any other components like plug-ins to play the AVI file unless a proprietary codec is used to encode the file.
How To Open Avi Movie On Mac
- Install DivX for Mac free codec to fix AVI files in Quick time:
While you can play the majority of AVI files after you install this free codec for Mac, its major disadvantage is that the audio sometimes might be distorted or only the video is played. For this reason, the DivX codec for Mac is a secondary option when compared to 3ivx D4 codec.
Note: Only one among the above two codecs are to be used at once as they share the same set of library files to decode the video. Hence it is recommended to install only one codec to avoid malfunction of the QuickTime player.
3. Use an Alternate player to Play AVI files on Mac:
VLC or Video LAN Client is a cross-platform media player that supports a wide variety of AVI video and audio codecs. Therefore, choosing VLC as an alternative media player to play the unplayable AVI file on Quick Time is one of the easiest ways.
Because of its large library of free encoding and decoding libraries, you will no longer need any additional codec download or proprietary plug-ins.
4. Play AVI Files By Converting Into QuickTime Supported MOV Files:
Another workaround to fix the unplayable AVI video on Mac is to convert the AVI file into a QuickTime supported file format like MOV.
Post conversion, the file will be playable on Mac. However, most of the converters break the index of the AVI file while conversion, this method is least recommended. Lastly, if the converted video file stops playing halfway try AVI index repair on Mac.
Note: Have a copy of your AVI file before converting them to any other compatible format as your AVI file might get corrupt due to improper conversion and leads to permanent inaccessible AVI files.
AVI Still Not Playing In Mac?
How To Open Avi Movies On Mac
If the AVI video file remains unplayable even after getting the correct codecs, using the compatible player, or converting to MOV, it is probably because the video file is corrupt. The only solution to this is to try an AVI video repair software. Choose a professional AVI video repair tool like Remo AVI Repair.
Remo Repair AVI fixes and works on a duplicate version of your original AVI file to prevent modification on the original file. The self-explanatory interface helps you to fix the video in just 3 clicks. Download the Remo Repair AVI tool now to fix your unplayable video and preview it for free before saving.
How To Open Avi In Mac
Remo Repair AVI Can Also:
- Repair AVI files that are corrupted
- Repair AVI files if their index is corrupted
- Repairs AVI files if there is no audio or playing only audio in the video file
Conclusion:
With the mentioned free workarounds or by using the above-mentioned AVI repair tool, you must have fixed your unplayable AVI videos on Mac. However, you can always make use of Remo Software’s technical assistance team as they will guide you with the repairing process of the software if needed.