Best AVI Player for Macbook to Open .avi Videos

The AVI file format is not native to the Apple ecosystem. In fact, it was developed by Microsoft in the 1990s for Windows. So, MacBook does not support play AVI files natively, and its default media player, QuickTime Player, does not play them. However, there are several easy ways to get around this problem, but the only question is: which AVI player for Mac is the best option for you?

We've created this guide precisely to help you with your dilemma. We bring you the best AVI video players for opening .avi files on MacBook. We also give you tips on how to handle them in the future when faced with similar situations.

Part 1: Top 8 AVI Players for Mac to Open AVI Files

1. HitPaw Univd Player [Free AVI Player for Mac]

HitPaw Univd for Mac (HitPaw Video Converter for Mac) is a powerful video converter and player for AVI files. It supports over 1000 formats, including AVI files. Univd can play videos within the app without requiring any third-party plugin. More importantly, HitPaw Univd can convert AVI videos into any other mainstream format like MP4, MOV, etc. HitPaw Univd is fast, lightweight, and easy to use for Mac users. Here's a quick tutorial on how to use it.

Step 1: Install HitPaw Univd for Mac

Download and install HitPaw on your computer. Launch the application after installation completes.

Step 2: Import AVI Files

Launch HitPaw Univd for Mac and drag and drop your AVI files directly into the tool. You can also use the "Add Files" button for importing the videos. You can add multiple files if you want to queue up a playlist.

Step 3: Play AVI Videos on Mac

Right-click on an imported video >> Select "Play". You can also hit the main playback buttons below the video preview.

Price: free for video player; $19.95/mo

Compatibility: MacOS, Windows

Pros

Easy to use
A brilliant selection of features
Lightweight and user-friendly

Cons

Premium tool

2. Elmedia Player

Unlike most other media players, Elmedia Player is designed for the macOS platform. It offers a simple, minimalist UI that's easy to use despite the extensive range of features offered by the tool. Elmedia Player can stream videos, download subtitles directly, and do much more. It's an excellent tool for Mac.

Price: Free

Compatibility: Mac only

Pros

Supports high-definition AVI playback
Create custom playlists and personalize them
AirPlay integration
Has a free version

Cons

Advanced features are tucked behind a paywall
Occasional performance issues, especially with big videos

3. VLC Media Player for Mac

VLC media player is one of the most popular video players in the world-certainly the most popular cross-platform video players. It is a highly versatile tool with extensive support for video formats, including AVI, web streaming, subtitles download, video conversion, video editing, and more. AVI or not, VLC can be your default player for opening any video file on Mac.

Price: Free

Compatibility: Mac, Windows, Android, Linux, iOS, and others

Pros

Lightweight and fast
No performance issues
Highly customizable
Easy to use

Cons

Basic UI, perhaps even outdated

4. IINA Player

IINA Player is a Mac-only media player that blends seamlessly into the Apple ecosystem. It efficiently utilizes the macOS's features like the touch bar and dark mode to give users a familiar experience on Mac. It's fast, powerful, and supports various video formats, including AVI. Users appreciate its polished UI that feels like part of the Mac device.

Price: Free

Compatibility: Mac only

Pros

Native-like feel, thanks to its highly polished UX
Customizable UI
Ability to stream content

Cons

Lack of advanced options
Struggles with large video files

5. 5KPlayer

5KPlayer is a powerful cross-platform media player with excellent Mac performance. It supports videos up to 4K resolution and can play many video files, including AVI. With AirPlay and DLNA support, 5KPlayer fully utilizes macOS's built-in features to give users a highly immersive and native-like video-viewing experience. Users can even download videos directly from YouTube.

Price: Freeware

Compatibility: Mac and Windows

Pros

Sleek, modern UI
Plays high-definition content without any performance issues
Streaming support

Cons

Lack of advanced features
Takes long to load
Cluttered UI

6. Movist Video Player

Movist is a freeware media player available for MacBook, among other devices. It prioritizes performance over everything else. It can play high-definition videos, even if they're massive in size, using a hardware acceleration feature. It supports a wide number of formats, including AVI.

The pro version amplifies its capabilities with multi-track audio and advanced playback options.

Price: Free

Compatibility: Mac only

Pros

Excellent media player for high-def content
Great for both casual and advanced users
Hardware acceleration
Easy to use
Streaming support

Cons

Only for macOS

7. Plex Media Player

Plex Media Player is more than just a media player. It's a complete media experience and management tool. You can play videos, stream content, and organize your content library with Plex. You can even stream content to other devices with Plex. With a superb array of features like cloud storage, DVR support, etc. Plex is an outstanding AVI player for Mac.

Price: Free

Compatibility: macOS, Windows, Android, iOS, consoles, streaming devices, and more.

Pros

One of the most feature-rich media players
Great free version
Excellent library of streaming content
Offers the highest compatibility with almost every prominent smart platform

Cons

Complex for casual users

8. Macgo Blu-ray Player

One of the best media players for playing 4K content directly from Blu-ray discs and ISO files, Macgo Blu-ray Player, is built for the macOS platform. It plays videos smoothly and without interruptions, even when playing high-definition content. Macgo Blu-ray Player also supports AVI files and can play them without any issues whatsoever.

Price: Freeware

Compatibility: macOS only

Pros

Great for playing high-quality videos
Largely stable
Easy to use

Cons

Extremely resource intensive, especially the premium version
Limited functionality

Part 2: Play AVI Files on Mac Smoothly by Converting AVI to MOV

MacBook's native player, QuickTime Player, supports only a limited number of file formats, and AVI is not one of them. It would be extremely inconvenient for you to hunt for a media player whenever you encounter a new file format incompatible with QuickTime Player. The smarter solution is to use HitPaw Univd for Mac to convert AVI files to other video formats compatible with QuickTime Player like MOV. Univd can quickly convert all your AVI files to MP4 or MOV formats to make them compatible with QuickTime Player.

Batch Conversion: You can convert up to 5,000 AVI files into other video formats in a single batch.
120X Faster: Univd uses hardware acceleration to perform AVI conversions faster than other tools.
1,000+ Formats Supported: Convert your AVI videos to any other video format you like.
Lossless Conversion: Keep 100% of your original video quality after conversion from AVI.
Efficient Compression: Save space on your MacBook by compressing AVI files without losing quality

Batch Convert AVI to MOV on Mac for Smooth Playback

Step 1: Import AVI Files

Launch HitPaw Univd >> Go to the "Converter" tab >> Click "Add files" >> Choose "Add Videos" >> Select AVI videos and import them into the tool. Alternatively, drag and drop the AVI files directly into the tool.

Step 2: Choose to Convert AVI to MOV on Mac

Click "Convert all to" in the lower left corner to choose output format and quality settings. You can select to convert AVI to MOV format to playback on MacBook.

Step 3: Start AVI to MOV Conversion on Mac

Choose a target folder in the interface, hit the "Convert" or "Convert All" button! After the conversion is complete, go to the Converted tab and you will see the converted AVI files.

Part 3: How to Play AVI Files on Mac QuickTime without Conversion

1. Install 3ivx MPEG-4 codec for Mac

3ivx MPEG-4 codec is one of the popular codecs for giving QuickTime Player additional format support. With the 3ivx MPEG-4 codec, QuickTime Player can play many mainstream video formats, including AVI. However, the codec is not compatible with the latest versions of macOS. So, it could be buggy.

Nevertheless, if you'd like to try it, you can download the .dmg file, double-click on it to mount it and follow the on-screen instructions to install it. Your QuickTime Player may need a restart after the installation.

2. Install AVI Codec (Perian) for QuickTime

For a long time, Perian was the go-to plugin for Mac users to add multi-format support for QuickTime Player on their devices. It can still play AVI files when installed on QuickTime Player but is incompatible with the latest macOS versions. But if you have a Mac with a 10.6 or 10.7 version of macOS, you can still install it. Beware though, Perian hasn't been updated in years.

Installing Perian is quite easy. Just download the Perian .dmg file, double-click on it, and follow the on-screen instructions. A quick restart of QuickTime Player and you're good to play AVI files on it.

FAQs about AVI Player for Mac

Q1. Why Is AVI File Not Playing on Mac?

A1. Mac does not support AVI files natively. So, you need a third-party tool to play them.

Q2. Does QuickTime player support AVI format?

A2. No, it does not. QuickTime's lack of native help for positive formats important to decode AVI files. You can convert AVI videos to QuickTime supported MOV format for playback.

Conclusion

QuickTime Player is quite a capable media player for Mac devices, but it has limited format support. AVI is just one of the many file formats it does not support. Instead of searching for a new media player every time you encounter a new file format that it cannot play, use HitPaw Univd for Mac to convert incompatible video formats like AVI to popular formats like MOV, MP4, M4V, etc. that are compatible with QuickTime Player.

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