How to open MKV on PC
If you want to know how to open MKV on PC, you should know that there are free solutions that allow you to carry out this procedure easily and smoothly. All you have to do is follow the advice you will find in the next chapters.
Movies & TV (Windows 10)
Film & TV, the default application of Windows 10 to play a large number of videos and audios in the most popular formats (find the detailed list at this link). Among the supported formats, there is that MKV and, therefore, if you have a PC with Windows 10 you can easily play this type of file without downloading additional software.
In this regard, all you have to do is press twice in a row on the file .MKV of your interest and wait for the application to open Film & TV. In case you have lost the association of this type of file with the default Windows 10 app, right-click on the file .MKV and select the item Property from the context menu. On the next screen, click the button Change and select Film & TV from the list. At this point, press twice in a row on OK, to confirm, and that's it.
VLC (Windows / macOS / Linux)
One of the best programs to open MKV on computer is without a doubt VLC. If you have never heard of it, know that it is a free and open source media player that is able to play all major video formats (and audio files) in a "native" way, that is to say without the need for codecs or of other external resources. In other words, just install it and that's it! VLC is available for PC Windows, For MacOS and for Linux.
If you own a PC Windows, the first step you need to take to download the software in question is to go to the official VLC website, and click on the button Download VLC. Wait, then, for the software download to start and complete, then open the .exe file obtained, click on first Yes, Then OK, NEXT three consecutive times, Install and, finally, Close.
Mission accomplished! Now you just have to wait for the VLC window to be visible on the desktop, press on Continue, select the item Open file from the menu Media and choose the MKV video you want to play. The commands to pause playback, scroll through the various points of the video, adjust the volume and so on you can find them all in the toolbar located at the bottom of the software window.
To set VLC as the default player and have it start automatically when you double-click an MKV file, do this: right-click on any MKV video, select the entry Property from the menu that appears, click on the button Change present in the window that opens and expand the menu Other applications. Finally select VLC Media Player and click on the button first OK twice in succession to save the changes.
Using a Mac, you have surely tried to open MKV with QuickTime without success. This happens because on Mac there are no codecs to be able to open this type of file correctly. In this regard, you can also use VLC in this case: download the application by connecting to its official website and clicking on the button Download VLC.
When the download is complete, double-click the .dmg file just downloaded and drag the player icon into the folder Applications of macOS, acting from the new window that has gone to open on the desk. Now start VLC on your Mac by turning on the Launchpad and clicking on the player icon. Then click the button apri on the warning on the screen and wait for the program window to be visible on the desktop.
Once this step is completed, to open the MKV file with VLC on your Mac click on the item Fillet attached in the upper left part of the menu bar, select the item Open file and choose the video you want to play. As on a Windows PC, the commands to pause playback, scroll through the various points of the video, adjust the volume and so on, you can find them all in the toolbar located at the bottom of the program window.
To set the program as the default media player, however, you need to click on the MKV file and press the key combination cmd + i on the keyboard. In the video properties window that opens, expand the field Open with, select VLC from the drop-down menu that appears below and click on the button Edit everything to apply the changes. Now, whenever you double click on an MKV video it will automatically play with VLC.
IINA (macOS)
If you are looking for a viable solution for open MKV on Mac, then I can also advise you IINA (also native to M1 chips). It is a free and open source application that supports the most popular audio and video formats and does not need additional codecs to play them. To download this application, go to the official website and press the button Download.
Having done this, after downloading the .dmg file, double-click on it and drag theplayer icon in question in the folder Applications. Now, launch IINA via its quick launch icon and press on apri in the on-screen notice. In the main IINA screen, then press the button apri and select the MKV file you want to play.
All the tools to manage the playback of the multimedia file are present in the area below. In case you always want to play MKV files with IINA, select the file, press the key combination cmd + i and expand the entry Open with. Adesso, select the voice IINA from the drop-down menu and press the button Edit everything to confirm.
Open MKV on smartphones and tablets
You interest capire come fare per open MKV from your smartphone or tablet Android or using the iPhone or iPad? Yup? Well, keep in mind that, as I already mentioned at the beginning of this guide, not only is this a possible operation but, moreover, it is also very simple. Find all the information you need below.
VLC (Android/iOS/iPadOS)
Well yes, VLC is also available for Android and for iPhone e iPad! In addition to the desktop version, which I told you about in this chapter, you can download the mobile version of this famous player. The app supports network streams, hardware decoding and is capable of playing all major video file formats, including MKV.
If you are interested in downloading VLC to your smartphone or tablet, go to Android you can download the app on the Play Store or on alternative stores. Then reach the link I gave you to the Play Store from your mobile device and press the button Install, to start the download. Up iOS / iPadOS you can download the app from the App Store: press the button Get and unlock download and installation via Face ID, Touch ID or Apple ID password.
Then start the VLC app and all the audio / video files on the device will be distributed in the cards Audio e Video. Via the card Shop by Department, you can search and start a specific file in the device memory or on the local network. When you have located the MKV file, tap on it, in order to play it immediately.
MX Player (Android)
MX Player is another popular player for smartphones and tablets Android which supports many audio and video formats. You can download it from the Play Store and from alternative stores. In the case of the Play Store, all you have to do is press the button Install in the app tab to download and install it.
I warn you that there are advertising banners on MX Player. In case you want to remove them, then you will need to purchase the version For from the Play Store at a cost of € 5,49 one-off. If you don't have Google services on your device, please refer to this official guide to buy MX Player PRO.
After downloading and installing the app, start it via its icon on the home screen or in the drawer. On the main screen you will find all the folders of the device: open the one where the MKV file is present and tap on it to play it. It was simple, wasn't it?
Other apps to open MKV on smartphones and tablets
Are the suggested apps not enough? No problem! I have several others to recommend! Below you will find different solutions, all very valid and able to satisfy the most varied needs.
- Infuse (iOS / iPadOS) - Quite possibly the best media player available on iPhone and iPad. Unlike the vast majority of video players available on the App Store, it supports audio in DTS and DTS-HD format (in PRO version). It also allows you to stream and download videos from your local network, download cover art and multimedia information from the Internet, and support hardware decoding (which translates into low battery consumption). The app is free in its basic version, but you can buy the PRO version for € 0,99 / month, € 9,99 / year or € 79,99 one-off. It's also available for macOS, should you care.
- BSPlayer (Android) - This is a free player for Android devices. BSPlayer allows playback of videos present in the local network, hardware decoding and is able to "digest" almost any type of video. Its interface is a bit "dated" but this is a minor problem.
- OplayerHD Lite (iOS / iPadOS) - This is another great player thanks to which MKV can be opened on iPhone and iPad. The app is free and can play almost any video in MKV format smoothly but there are removable ad banners with an in-app purchase of $ 2,99.
Alternative solutions
Using the programs and applications that I have indicated to you in this guide you should have no problems being able to open MKV on your computer and / or on your smartphone or tablet. However, if you encounter any difficulties or if you prefer an alternative, I point out that you can convert MKV files to MP4, AVI or any other type of video format.
What you need to do is to use a special software for converting video files. If that interests you, you can check out my guide on how to convert MKV to learn more. Please, give it at least a look to clear your head.
How to open MKV
