MP4 Player for Mac: Top 8 Players

Let’s Find the Best MP4 Players for Mac

MP4 files are the most commonly encountered form of videos on any device, meaning that most computers–including your Mac–have built-in video players that can display MP4s; for Apple computers, QuickTime is the default player. While this sounds convenient, some MP4 files will not play without additional codecs, and higher-quality MP4 files may not play smoothly on native video players such as QuickTime. Here are eight of the best video players for Mac that will always play your MP4 videos.

Top Choice: Elmedia Player

If you’re looking for one strong solution for playing MP4 video files on your Mac, look no further than Elmedia Player. Elmedia Player is a simple yet robust video player that boasts a variety of both novice and intermediate features like playlist creation, video equalizer and speed adjustments, and other intuitive controls. At its core, it supports codec-free playback of many different video types, including MP4s. Opening MP4 videos with Elmedia Player rewards the viewer with smooth and clear playback every time, even in full HD. Elmedia also supports multimedia, making it suitable for both video playback and an alternative music library. It even runs natively on M1 and M2 Macs, making it the best MP4 player for Mac on this list.

While Elmedia Player has a paid option that adds things like picture in picture, advanced streaming via AirPlay, and customization options such as the color of the player, it is also perfectly usable in its free format, and users never need to upgrade to continue using Elmedia for smooth MP4 playback.

JustPlay

JustPlay is another MP4 player for Mac users that has been designed for Apple computers from the ground up. While JustPlay has a relatively simple interface, it has everything you need to watch your favorite MP4 videos with no interruptions or visual distractions. It also offers picture-in-picture and Touch Bar integration for Mac users who want a little bit more off-screen control over video playback.

From the menu bar, JustPlay users can adjust a large number of surprisingly complex video options including equalizers, different picture-in-picture display options, subtitle tracks, aspect ratio, and lots more. Since all of this information is outside of the player itself, JustPlay maintains a very clean and open look that is reminiscent of Apple’s own QuickTime, minus that video player’s codec and playback issues.

VLC Media Player

VLC media player is an open-source multimedia player that specializes in hosting a variety of different video formats, including MP4s–all without requiring codecs to be downloaded. This video player has a very simple interface and builds playlists easily, though some of the settings for more advanced things like streaming and adding subtitles can be difficult to use. VLC can also be a bit of a memory hog on older Mac computers.

Nevertheless, VLC’s ability to play virtually any video smoothly and without issue is one of the reasons it is still available after so much time on the market. And, since VLC Media Player is open-source, it will always be free, making this Mac MP4 player one of the best ones on this list with a free download.

GOM

GOM is a Mac MP4 player that makes creating video libraries and playlists extremely easy, and it supports a wide range of video file formats to boot. Once your video is loaded, GOM has a few different tools for editing it directly within the interface, allowing you to change the saturation or color temperature of the video or add subtitles as it plays. GOM also allows for streaming from various websites via a URL directly inside the player.

Unfortunately, macOS doesn’t support GOM as a default video player for MP4 files without some modifications; without that support, double-clicking a video to open it simply doesn’t work, and you’ll have to open video files from within GOM’s own file manager. It’s only a few extra clicks that you would have made anyway, but some might find it inconvenient.

5KPlayer

5KPlayer is a UHD-oriented media player that prioritizes MKV files, but can play MP4s. This app supports 4K video playback, MP3 audio playback, and streaming, especially via AirPlay. It also allows you to download videos from websites like Dailymotion by simply entering a video’s URL into the appropriate space in the player. Its interface and playback options are surprisingly detailed, even including the option to convert videos to audio files within the Library tab.

Generally speaking, 5KPlayer performs well, but it has a tendency to stutter occasionally when playing UHD videos. Nevertheless, it remains a strong choice as a Mac MP4 video player for HD and UHD alike.

Cisdem Video Player

Cisdem Video Player is a relatively lightweight player that nevertheless supports almost any video file type, MP4s naturally included; it even claims to be able to handle up to 8K playback for the right file types. The majority of audio formats are also included, making Cisdem a true multimedia player as well as a sturdy video player.

Cisdem also tends to run smoothly despite processing some fairly large videos, and its interface is quick and easy to use without intruding on the video-viewing experience. While some features in this video player are restricted in the free version–the ad-free version runs $9.99–even the basic Cisdem app is an excellent choice for viewing MP4 files on your Mac.

Movist Pro

Despite requiring a purchase–a one-time fee of $7.99 after the free trial ends–Movist Pro is a strong contender on this list. Apart from allowing MP4 playback in addition to the usual additional video support, Movist Pro boasts simple and intuitive menus that fade to transparent while your video is playing and become highlighted as the mouse moves over them. This video-first presentation makes Movist Pro a good choice for those looking to maximize their playback experience without a lot of frills.

It is also worth noting that Movist Pro is now available in the App Store, so it will integrate flawlessly with your Mac’s architecture. It even has built-in options to detect your Mac’s theme setting to default to light or dark mode based on what your system settings are.

DivX Player

DivX is a relatively old media player that still works for macOS Ventura. This app can handle MP4, MKV, AVI, and other formats of video files, many of which support 4K playback. Additionally, downloading the DivX player from their website also downloads the DivX converter, meaning you can change videos that won’t play into the MP4 format if you need to.

Perhaps the best selling point for DivX is its reputation as a reliable option in the video player market. You’ll certainly see some mildly intrusive ads in the free version of DivX, and the interface of the player itself is tough to navigate at first. That said, this video player is perfectly serviceable on a Mac, and more than capable of running your MP4 videos.

Converting MP4 Videos on MacOS

While any of the video players on this list will allow you to view MP4 files, you may already have a preferred video player that doesn’t support an MP4 file in its current state. If that is the case, try using Wondershare UniConverter to turn your MP4 into a different file type.

Once you have installed and opened Wondershare UniConverter on your Mac, converting the video requires just four simple steps:

1. Find the video you want to convert and drag it into the UniConverter window.
2. Click the conversion icon to the left of the Convert button.
3. Select the format you want on the left of the drop-down menu, then click the quality you want for that format.
4. Click Convert.

Choosing the Best MP4 Player for MacOS

It is crucial to consider your computer’s age and needs when choosing an MP4 video player for your Mac. While Elmedia Player runs natively on newer Macs and has support for many older ones, some of the video players on this list will only do well with newer Macs, while others–like VLC, for instance–should work on virtually any version of Mac software that is still around. If you need an MP4 player that macOS supports with no trouble, sticking to entries on this list that can be downloaded from the App Store is the best choice to ensure your app will work.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the most important thing to consider when downloading a new MP4 player is whether or not it will actually play your MP4 files in an acceptable manner for you. Since each of these video players supports MP4 files, your choice will probably come down to personal preference; any number of Mac MP4 player software options can solve the issue of MP4 files refusing to play. However, our top choice–Elmedia–treads the line between offering complex video playback solutions and being easy to use. The Pro app is recommended for advanced users, but Elmedia’s free version will undoubtedly do the job.