What Is an MKV File and How You Can Play It?

Nataliia Paraskeva Jul 23, 2025

If you download videos online or receive them from others, you'll likely come across MKV files. This popular video format is known for storing high-quality video, audio, and subtitles in a single container. It’s widely used for movies, TV shows, and other multimedia content. In this article, we’ll explain what the MKV format is, explore its key characteristics, and show you how to open MKV files.

Users situation:

Still diving into this whole new world of Mac after switching from Windows. The hardware is sleek, the interface is smooth, but here's the hiccup - MKV files. Recently I downloaded a couple of movies, and it turns out they are all mkv format. Tried the default QuickTime player, but no dice. So, I'm open to alternatives - something reliable, user-friendly, and won't make me regret pressing play — from Reddit

The MKV extension is used by the Matroska project, as a catch-all multimedia container. Like MOV and AVI files, they can be used to store video media. But unlike those formats, they can also hold MP3 or FLAC files as well, making them a complete audio and visual file compiler. MKV files can hold audio formats at the same time as video formats, art files, chapter points, even subtitle files as well, making them perfect for creating complete movie or video experiences. The .mkv format can also incorporate files that use different encoding as well - for example, there’s undoubtedly thousands of people playing mkv files that contain H.264 video and AAC audio! It turns several media formats into one cohesive MKV file format.

How to Play MKV on Mac with the Elmedia Player

Elmedia Player is a reliable choice for Mac users who want to open MKV files without any hassle. It supports the format natively, so there’s no need to install extra codecs or plugins, just open the file and start watching.

1. First, download the app from the homepage, and install it on your Mac.

2.Open up the Elmedia Player app.

There are a number of different ways you can play files.

You can drag and drop the file onto the desktop icon.
You can also use the app to search for the file you want to play.
Or, you can simply right click on the file, and use Open With to select Elmedia.

3. Simply sit back and enjoy your content.!

When to use .MKV Format Files

When you want to combine multiple audio tracks, subtitle options, and video streams into one convenient file.
When you're archiving content and want the option to use lossless compression, but is MKV lossless? It can be, depending on the included codecs.
When you're working with high-efficiency video codecs like HEVC or AV1 and need a container that can handle large, high-quality files efficiently.

MKV Files: Key Features

Matroska MKV files are a flexible and open multimedia container format designed to bundle multiple types of content into a single file. Key features include:

Multiple Track Support: Holds unlimited video, audio, subtitle, and metadata tracks in one file.
High-Quality Codec Compatibility: Supports a wide range of video and audio codecs, including HD and Blu-ray quality formats.
Metadata Customization: Stores detailed file information, such as tags, cover art, and language settings.
Open-source: As an open standard, Matroska is supported by a wide range of media players and platforms, ensuring long-term usability and development.

These features make the Matroska format a versatile choice for storing and distributing rich multimedia content.

Categories of Matroska Files

The Matroska MKV container supports four main file types: MKV (video), MKA (audio), MKS (subtitles), and MK3D (3D video). If you’re looking for how to play an MKV file on Mac, these are your best choices, and what follows is a quick breakdown of them.

MKV Files: Used for HD movies, TV shows, and videos with subtitles. Supported by players like VLC, Elmedia Player, and 5KPlayer (with the MKV codec).
MKA Files: Designed for audio, supporting formats like MP3, AAC, and DTS. Can include chapters and karaoke subtitles.
MKS Files: Handle subtitle formats such as VobSub (.sub), SubRip (.srt), Sub Station Alpha (.ssa/.ass), and Core Media Player XML universal subtitle format (.usf). Easily launched in MKV-compatible players.
MK3D Files: Typically found in home theaters, as it enables 3D visuals in .MKV media files. Using two isolated video tracks, they provide 3D video support.

Conclusion

MKV format is one of the most versatile multimedia containers. Developed as part of the open source Matroska project, MKV supports a wide range of multimedia elements, including video, audio, and images. Despite its large file size and limited compatibility with some media players, MKV supports virtually any combination of codecs and streaming. Players such as Elmedia Player can easily handle MKV files, allowing users to seamlessly access the advanced features of this format.

FAQ:

Here’s a list of the most frequently asked questions we get about MKV files. If you still have questions, let us know in the comments and we’ll answer you as soon as possible.

What can play MKV files?

Elmedia MKV Player for Mac is how to open a mkv file on macOS without downloading extra plugins or codecs. It’s quick and easy.
Third-party video players such as Infuse 6, Playable Pro, or Flex can play MKV on iPhone.
Playing MKV files can be done on Android with MX Player.

How do I convert MKV files on Mac?

If you’re looking for a software-free option, head to https://convert-video-online.com/. It’s simple, easy, and the only thing you download is the converted MKV file. All you do is select the MKV file you want to convert, select “Apple” as the format it’s going to convert to, and what resolution it’s going to be in. You can also select “.mov” in the file extension selection, which is Mac’s default video file format. Select “Convert,” and you’ll download the converted file that you can immediately play! What format to choose, MP4 or MKV, depends on your needs.

Can VLC play MKV format?

Yes, it can play MKV files, but you’ll need the latest version of the program to do it.

Unfortunately, there are some MKV files that VLC can’t process and it crashes without a warning. To avoid this when you’re watching your favorite movie, consider either converting the MKV file to another format so VLC will play it without issues, or use another third-party player that can play MKV on Mac like Elmedia Player, IINA, or MKPlayer.

Can QuickTime play MKV files?

Unfortunately, there’s no positive answer for how to play an MKV file with QuickTime, because it’s impossible. The component that used to support this format has been removed from QuickTime, and won’t be coming back. That means you’ll need to download a third-party program like Elmedia Player if you want to enjoy MKV files on Mac. You can also convert the MKV files to a format QuickTime can handle, like .MOV or .MP4.

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Requirements

Requirements: OS X 10.12+

Latest version

Latest version: v8.22(3448), released 20 Jun, 2025 Release notes