How to Play MOV Files in Windows 10/11 in 2023

Unable to play MOV Files on your Windows PC ? Yes, we understand how it can be frustrating to play certain file formats which are not compatible with Windows PCs, especially when the .mov file format is developed for Apple devices. However, there is always a walk around to it, read on to find out how to play mov files on Windows PC.

What are MOV Files ?

MOV File format also known as QuickTime file format was developed by Apple to create, edit, publish and view multimedia files. The .mov file format can contain animations, photos, videos, graphics, 3D and VR contents, mostly used to save movie or video files. It is the default file format for Apple devices like iPhones and iPads to create multimedia files.

How to play MOV files on computer using Windows Media Player

Since MOV files were not supported on older Windows Media Players, Microsoft decided to update the player to support MOV file formats. So now the latest version of Windows Media Player 12 lets you run MOV files easily without need of any codec or plugins.

1. Launch Windows Media Player on your PC from the Start menu or using Search box on taskbar.
2. When the media player is opened, Press Alt + H keys on your keyboard to open the Help menu. Here Select ‘About Windows Media Player’ option at the bottom.
   
3. The pop-up window will display the version number of your Windows Media Player currently.
   
4. If you have a version number starting with 12, then it means the Windows Media Player is the latest version 12. If not then you should update the Windows Media Player by Pressing Alt + H keys on the keyboard and Select ‘Check for updates’ option from the menu.
   
5. Now with the latest version Windows Media Player 12 you can simple Right-Click on the .mov file visible and Select ‘Play’ to run the file.
   
6. You can also open a .mov file on your PC by Right-Clicking on the file and Select ‘Open with’ option, then Click on ‘Windows Media Player’.

Read Also: Edit your MOV Videos with Best Video Editors

How to Play MOV files on Windows 10 using VLC Media Player

For any reasons you don’t want to use Windows Media Player then you can always consider alternative versatile VLC Media Player. It is an free, open-source highly popular media player which supports all the media file formats including MOV files out of the box without need of any codec or plugins. Follow below steps to get VLC Media Player on to your PC and play MOV files.

1. Download and install VLC Media Player from its official website onto your Windows 10 PC.
2. Launch the VLC Media Player from the Start menu or from the Search box on the taskbar after the installation process is completed successfully.
   
3. You can either open MOV files directly from the VLC Player by drag n drop or you can Right-Click on the file and Select ‘Open With’ option, then Click on ‘VLC Media Player’ option.

 Note: VLC Media Player Website may not work in India due to country cyber policy

How to Play MOV file in Windows 10 using Converter

Another possible way to play MOV files on Windows 10 is by converting the MOV File to more compatible file formats through a third-party file format converter such as Wondershare UniConverter. Below steps shows how to convert a MOV file to play it in windows 10.

1. Download and install Wondershare UniConverter from its official website onto your Windows 10 PC.
2. After installation is over, Launch the application on your PC and Select ‘Converter’ option from the left sidebar menu .
   
3. Now Click on ‘+’ button on top corner to add the MOV file or you can simply drag n drop the MOV file into the center to add.
   
4. To choose your preferred output file format, Click on the dropdown menu of Output Format at the bottom and Select the MOV file category tab on top, like video, audio etc. Finally on the left panel Select the Output format and on the right panel Select the preferred resolution. And Click on the ‘Convert’ button to single MOV file or Click on ‘Start All’ button at bottom.
   
5. Wait till the conversion process is over and the ‘Success’ message appears under the Convert button. Now you can go to the Finished tab to review the file after conversion to check.
6. And use any media player you already have on your Windows 10 PC to play the newly converted MOV file to your desired file format.

See Also: Want to Split your Windows PC Screen? See How!

FAQ –

Q1. Can Windows 10 play a .MOV file?

Yes, Windows 10 comes with the latest version of windows media player 12. Which supports .mov file format. For more details go through above given methods.

Q2. Can Windows Media Player Play MOV?

Yes, it can play MOV files, Microsoft did update Windows Media Player to be compatible for MOV files for latest version 12.

Q3. Why cant I play MOV files on Windows?

MOV files are primarily developed and designed by Apple for its devices, Thus Windows did not support .mov files to be played. However, the latest Windows Media Player on Windows 10 supports MOV files.

Q4. How do I watch MOV files on my PC?

You can watch MOV files on your PC by using the latest version of Windows Media Player or downloading a versatile third party media player like VLC Media Player.

Q5. How do I convert MOV to MP4 on Windows?

You can use Wondershare UniConverter software on your Windows PC to convert MOV files to MP4 file formats easily. Follow the above steps to learn how to convert.

Conclusion –

As it is evident, initially MOV file format was not compatible with Windows PCs. To solve the issue, Microsoft updated the Windows Media Player 12 to play MOV files on Windows PC without need of any plugins or codec. Just in case we have also provided alternate ways to play MOV files on Windows PC other than Windows Media Player for you to consider.