This article gives you two solutions to open and play WMV files on Mac OS X including macOS Sierra, El Capitan. Learn details now.
As you see, Mac OS X doesn’t come with any software that can play WMV files. If you have got some WMV videos and want to play them on your Mac(Sierra, El Capitan included), you may be wondering how to play WMV on Mac. Well, we’ve worked out two different methods to help you open and view WMV files on Mac OS X with ease.
Method 1. Download a WMV player for Mac
Playing Windows Media Files on QuickTime. Yes, you can play a WMV file on your Mac. With the recent release of Windows Media Components for QuickTime, you can play Windows Media audio and video files (WMA, WMV) directly in the QuickTime Player and also view Windows Media content on the Internet using a Web browser.
The good news that here are some free WMV players for Mac that lets you watch WMV videos on Mac for free. Based on our testing and other users’ feedback, we list top 3 WMV players for Mac here.
Top 1. Flip4Mac Plugin + QuickTime
This is probably the easiest solution to watch WMV files on Mac because it enables QuickTime playback of WMV files. This plugin, created by Telestream, allows you to import, export and play Windows Media video and audio files on your Mac. The Flip4Mac WMV plug-in also works with other QuickTime based apps like iMovie and Final Cut Pro, meaning you can even edit WMV files on your Mac too.
Top 2. VLC Media Player
Play Wmv On Mac Free
- VLC Media Player - a Long-Standing WMV Player for Mac. VLC Media Player has been around longer than most apps that play WMV on Mac. This open-source and free video player has the ability to play 360-degree videos and media files in resolutions up to 8K, as well as compressed video. VLC comes with an expansive set of features.
- Now, VLC free converter begins to convert WMV to MP4 on Mac. Support Mac and Windows. Editing metadata isn't as straightforward as in some other players. Related article: VLC alternatives. Extended Knowledge for WMV and MP4 Format What Is WMV? WMV, short for Windows Media video, is a compression video format.
The most versatile player out there, VLC media players lets you play WMV files without the Flip4Mac Plugin, although it’s only a playback solution; it doesn’t let you edit WMV files in QuickTime supported apps including iMovie and Final Cut. The great thing about VLC Media Player, however, is that it’s lightweight, fast, and can handle almost any media format you throw at it.
Top 3. MPlayer OSX
This player emerged out of the Google Codes project as an attempt to create an all-round player. MPlayer OSX is a simple but powerful video player designed specifically for Mac and can handle WMV playback. It features more options and preferences than VLC Player, with the only drawback being that the first time it plays a video, it has to build a font cache, which can take a while. Luckily, it only has to be done once.
Method 2. Convert WMV to MOV for playing on Mac
Meanwhile, there are many programs can help you convert WMV to Mac friendly MOV, MP4 and M4V format. Here we recommend Brorsoft Video Converter for Mac.
Constantly updated to fit with the latest technology, this video converting software is fully compatible with Mac’s latest macOS Sierra and can convert any video WMV, MKV, AVI, FLV, MPG, MTS, MP4, etc up to 30X faster and without quality loss. With it, you can encode any file format to Mac or any other device, editing software, and media player friendly formats. Get it now and play WMV videos on OS X or anywhere you like!
Tutorial: Convert WMV Video on Mac OS X
Step 1. Load WMV movies
Run this software and then import your WMV files onto the interface by convenient drag-and-drop feature. You can add several videos for converting at one time as this Mac video converter supports batch conversion.
Step 2. Set output format
Click on “Format” bar to select output format. Here you can choose to encode WMV to .mov, .mp4, .m4v for playing on Mac OS X Yosemite. Plus, iPad, Apple TV, iPhone, iMovie, etc preset profiles are provides as well. You can choose any output format according to your playback preference.
Step 3. Start the WMV conversion
Hit Convert on the bottom-right corner of the interface. It will start converting WMV on Mac OS X immediately. After conversion, you can play the converted WMV files on macOS Sierra, El Capitan, Yosemite without hassle.
Related Guides:
Top 3 Ways to Play FLV on Mac (El Capitan included)
Tips for Playing ISO on Mac OS X (El Capitan/Yosemite)
Best Way to Play Video_TS on Mac (including El Capitan)
Top 3 Ways to Play VOB on Mac (El Capitan/Yosemite)
Top 3 Ways to Play MTS on Mac (El Capitan/Yosemite)
Can’t play MKV in VLC on Mac El Capitan- Solution
Summary :
Do you know to convert WMV to MP4? Do you know how to convert WMV to MP4 on Mac to play it? Now, try the best free video converter, MiniTool MovieMaker, to easily convert WMV to MP4 or convert MP4 to WMV.
Quick Navigation :
Short for Windows Media Video, WMV is a compressed video file format developed by Microsoft. WMV file works well on Windows and even Mac with the help of Windows Media Player. However, some users have noticed that the WMV file is not very friendly with other operating systems. How to solve this problem?
The most simple and direct method is to convert WMV to MP4 which is a most widely used or highly compatible format. How do I convert a WMV file to MP4? Today, this post will introduce 3 ways to convert WMV to MP4 or MP4 to WMV.
Part 1. MiniTool Movie Maker – Best Free Video Converter for Windows
If you want to change video format without any difficulty and convert unlimited videos, you can try MiniTool Movie Maker, a free and simple video editing software.
Developed by MiniTool® Software Ltd., MiniTool Movie Maker allows conversion between popular file formats like MP4 to MP3, AVI to MP4, MOV to MP4, and others. And, there is no watermark on the converted files.
Recommend article: YouTube to WAV: How to Convert YouTube to WAV.
Also, the best WMV to MP4 converter allows you to edit your video before converting. Below enlisted are the steps on how to convert WMV to MP4 or convert MP4 to WMV without any quality loss.
Flip4mac Wmv
How to Convert WMV to MP4
Step 1. Launch the free video converter.
Subscribe to it to get MiniTool Movie Maker.
Then, install the best free video converter on PC to convert WMV to MP4 or convert MP4 to WMV without any quality loss. This software can be installed on Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10 computer. You won’t face any ads or bundle software during the installation process. After installing, you can click the desktop icon of the MiniTool software to launch it.
Please close the Movie Templates window or click Full-Feature Mode to enter the main interface of this free video converter. If you want to create movie easily, you can choose a template, import your files and then share your movie with others.
Step 2. Add WMV files.
In the main interface of this free WMV to MP4 converter, you can click the Import Media Files button to import your WMV files. You can import files of any length, dimension, and size. Also, you can add multiple video files such as WMV, AVI, GIF, MP4, and others, then combine videos into one.
After importing file, you can drag and drop the file (files) to the timeline.
Step 3. Edit the file (files) - optional
You can edit the files you’ve uploaded to the free video converter as you like.
- Double click the video file on the timeline to change its brightness, contrast, and saturation, and rotate video if necessary.
- Add animated titles, subtitles and end credits to complete your story.
- Add visual effects to video to make a better movie.
- Add video transitions (Advanced Mosaic, Burn, Burst, Clock, etc.) between two shots or clips to make a mind-blowing video experience.
- Fade in and fade out music to smooth the video, music and audio transitions.
- Split video or trim video to remove some unwanted parts from your original videos.
Step 4. Convert WMV to MP4.
Click the Export button in the toolbar to get the following window.
MP4 file format is selected by default, and you need to keep it since you are going to convert WMV to MP4. If you want to convert video to other formats, like convert MP4 to MOV, you need to choose MOV file format.
Related article: QuickTime Converter can convert MP4 to MOV and vice versa.
Also, you can change the name for the newly converted file, specify a place to store the file and change video resolution if you like.
After specifying all settings, you can click the Export button. Then, MiniTool Movie Maker begins to convert WMV to MP4 for free. After converting, you can click the Find Target to check your new converted file.
MiniTool video converter also can convert MP4 to WMV without any quality loss.
How to Convert MP4 to WMV with the Best Free Video Converter
- Launch MiniTool Movie Maker, and import your MP4 files.
- Drag and drop MP4 file to the timeline, edit your video as you like and click the Export
- Select WMV file, choose video resolution and click the Export Then, this free video converter begins to convert MP4 to WMV.
As you can see, MiniTool Movie Maker is a pretty simple and straightforward video converter and video editing software without watermark.
Many users reported that this tool has another great advantage – flexibility. MiniTool Movie Maker can help you convert video into other common video formats, including convert video to MP3.
Related article: how to convert YouTube to MP3.
Features
- Supports lots of video formats conversion
- High conversion speed
- No size limits
- No limitations on conversions and downloads
- No register accounts needed
- No quality loss
- Allow editing video before converting
- Transfer to devices – directly convert videos to presets for mobile device models
- A free and no ads video converter as well as MP4 editor
MiniTool Movie Maker can help you convert video file formats with ease. However, some users want to change video format without installing any software.
Is it possible to convert WMV to MP4 online?
Of course, the answer is affirmative.
Part 2. How to Convert WMV to MP4 Online
Some online converters like Online-Convert can change the format of video without installing any software.
- Visit the official website of Online-Convert, select the Convert to MP4 option in the Video Converter, and click Go.
- Click Choose File to import the WMV file you want to change its format, and then click Start conversion to convert WMV to MP4.
Online-Convert covers the basics information for converting files but it doesn’t offer a lot of options for the conversion. And, this WMV to MP4 online converter doesn’t display any metadata about the source file that you upload. If you don’t know some details about your source file, it is a little difficult to choose the right settings.
Pros:
Convert WMV to MP4 online.
Cons:
- Premium membership required for some tasks.
- Can be a little slow with larger files.
- Too many ads.
In a word, if you just want to change video format without worrying about the details, you can try Online-Convert.
Part 3. How to Convert WMV to MP4 with VLC
WMV (Windows Media Video) file is the flagship file format of Windows OS. Mac users will find that neither QuickTime player nor iTunes can recognize WMV files, and they cannot edit WMV in iMovie. WMV file is not compatible with Apple devices including Mac, iPhone, iPod, and iPad.
If you try playing a WMV file in QuickTime Player, you will get some error messages, such as, “The document (filename) .wmv could not be opened'. Now, how to solve this issue?
Converting WMV to MP4 might be the easiest way to play WMV videos on macOS. But, how to convert WMV to MP4 on Mac? VLC video converter is recommended here.
How To Play Wmv On Mac Free
How to Convert WMV to MP4 with VLC on macOS
Step 1. Launch VLC video converter to convert WMV to MP4 on Mac.
Step 2. Click on the File menu and select the Streaming/Exporting Wizard option.
Step 3. Click on Transcode/Save to File, and then click on the Choose button to select the WMV file you like to convert.
Step 4. Select the compression format of the audio or video tracks. Here, for instance, you can select the H.264 codec, with the 1024 kb/s. option.
Step 5. Choose MPEG 4/MP4 option in the Encapsulation format option.
Step 6. Click the Choose button, and select the Save As option. Click Choose to select a destination folder for the target file and add a name to the file. Click on Finish button. Now, VLC free converter begins to convert WMV to MP4 on Mac.
Pros
Support Mac and Windows.
Cons
Editing metadata isn't as straightforward as in some other players
Related article: VLC alternatives
Part 4. Extended Knowledge for WMV and MP4 Format
What Is WMV?
WMV, short for Windows Media video, is a compression video format. Developed by Microsoft, WMV file supports multiple video codecs for streaming of video on the Internet.
Pros
- WMV file can maintain the highest levels of quality.
- WMV is a good choice for files that will potentially benefit from DRM.
- WMV file is smaller than the size of MP4.
Cons
- WMV is not suitable for some of the more common video applications today.
- WMV file is developed by Microsoft, and you cannot play it on Mac. To play WMV files on Mac, you will need to either convert them to a Mac supported format (MP4, MOV) or download a media player that supports WMV file.
What Is MP4?
The MP4, MPEG-4 Part 14, file format contains video, audio, and subtitles. MP4 video file provides high compression levels and relatively low quality loss. Thus, it is widely used by many different operating systems and devices.
Pros
- MP4 file format is fairly universal and standard.
- MP4 file is compatible with almost all devices and operating systems.
- MP4 file can be compressed.
Cons
- MP4 file size is generally fairly large.
- MP4 file is a lossy file format since the process of encapsulation in MP4 does discard unnecessary data.
How to Play WMV File on Mac?
All Window computers can play WMV files because they have a built-in media player (Windows Media Player). If you want to play WMV files on Mac, you need to convert WMV to MP4. More details can be found in How to Convert WMV to MP4 with VLC.
How to Send a WMV File with WhatsApp?
WhatsApp is widely used to exchange text messages, pics and videos with your mates in a safe way. But, this app only supports MP4 (H264 + AAC) video. Therefore, if you want to send a WMV file, you need to convert it to MP4 with the best free video converter before sending.
Related article: How to send large video files.
Bottom Line
How To Watch Wmv On Mac Free
Now, it’s your time to convert WMV to MP4 if you can’t play WMV file or want to convert it to a more universal format like MP4
Which free video converter would you like to choose? Please let us know.
In my opinion, MiniTool Movie Maker is a good option because it can easily convert WMV to MP4 or MP4 to WMV for free, and there is no watermark on the converted file.
If you have any other good WMV to MP4 converters, please share them with us. Thanks in advance.
Should you have any question, please contact us via [email protected].
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Convert WMV to MP4 FAQ
- Launch MiniTool Movie Maker.
- Import WMV files to this free video file converter.
- Drag and drop this WMV file to timeline.
- Click Export button to save it as MP4 in your PC.
- Launch VLC video converter.
- Click on the File menu.
- Select the Streaming/Exporting Wizard option.
- Click on Transcode/Save to File.
- Click on the Choose button to select the WMV file.
- Select the compression format of the audio or video tracks.
- Choose MPEG 4/MP4 option.
- Save the MP4 file on Mac.
- Open MiniTool Movie Maker.
- Import your video files, drag and drop these files into the timeline.
- Click Export button to save the movie as MP4.