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Sometimes, you may need VLC alternatives because of the annoying 'Rebuilding Font Cache' thing or others. This post lists different VLC alternatives for Windows/Mac. Choose the best VLC alternative 2019 depends on your actual situation.
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Starter: QuickTime Player for Mac. If you’ve only used iTunes before and are searching for the best iTunes alternative for Mac, you might be surprised that there is another viable option already pre-installed on your machine — QuickTime Player. QuickTime Player is probably the oldest video player for Mac out there, first released in 1991.
Have you ever used VLC media player? This post is going to show you some excellent VLC alternatives for Windows/Linux/Mac. You can find a suitable VLC alternative 2019 to play video and audio files.
- Part 1: How to Speed up QuickTime Player on Mac. QuickTime Player is a very popular player application for Mac users. As the preinstalled and default video player in Mac computers, QuickTime Player can provide a very smooth video playback experience and a powerful decoding ability for most of the video files.
- In addition, its replacement QuickTime Player will no longer play unsupported codecs like Avid’s DNxHD format. With macOS Mojave, even now if you try and play an Avid DNxHD video, it starts converting it. As a consequence I have been on the lookout for a simple player.
- May 15, 2018 Mac QuickTime Player alternative - Free Mac Media Player. Free Mac Media Player is the perfect option when it comes to QuickTime Player for Mac. As the best free all-in-one media player for Mac users, you can free download it to watch any movie or TV shows on Mac smoothly with high quality video/audio effects.
- Mac users can try the following alternatives when the VLC media player isn’t working. QuickTime Player. QuickTime player, the best VLC alternative Mac, is the most familiar media players for Mac users. As the default movie player as Mac, QuickTime player is capable of supporting various formats of videos, music, images, and other media.
VLC is a free, open-source, portable, and cross-platform media player and streaming media server developed by the VideoLAN project. It is able to play incomplete, unfinished or damaged video, but it will drive you crazy sometimes.
For example, here is a true story.
I have been using VLC media player for a while and was pleased with it. Then I get a notice about an update, which I did. Now all I get is green lines over the movie. I have tried everything to solve the problem, installing the backup, uninstall and install, with no success. Everything worked great until this update. Does anybody have a solution to this? It is driving me crazy. Please help. Thank you.
In general, a VLC alternative can solve this problem easily. The below are some common problems you might encounter when using the VLC media player.
4 Reasons Why You Need a VLC Alternative
1. VLC is unable to play broken files.
Generally, VLC media player can play unfinished or damaged video. But, sometimes, it cannot play video file and tells you that the file is damaged. Actually, this file is just being downloaded.
2. VLC doesn’t support a few codes and file types.
VLC supports a lot of video and audio codes and formats, but it requires codec settings for a few formats. For many common people, it is a difficult job.
3. VLC crashes without warning.
Sometimes, VLC media player suddenly crashes when you watch some normal files, try to insert subtitle or make it full screen.
4. VLC media player will damage the speakers!
If you are using VLC media player and keep the volume loud for a long time, your speakers could be damaged. Sadly, some manufacturers like Dell say replacing the speakers will not be covered by the hardware warranty. Therefore, please keep the volume down while using VLC.
Now, it is time to look for VLC alternatives to play your video or audio files. No matter you have come across these problems or not, it is a good idea to prepare a suitable alternative to VLC.
You will find many people are searching for VLC alternatives on the Internet. Here, we list different alternatives to VLC media player for Windows/Mac/Linux. Read on and find out which one suits you best.
Part 1. VLC Alternatives 2019 for Windows
VLC is a free video editing software, you might need to look for a VLC alternative because of the unfriendly UI, “Rebuilding Font Cache” thing and other problems. Take a photo right to your mac. Now, try the following alternatives to VLC media player for Windows.
No 1. Windows Movie Maker
There is no doubt that many people have probably heard of Windows Movie Maker, a video editing tool developed by Microsoft. It not only allows you to watch video, but also lets you edit this video simply, for instance, add text to video.
Related article: How to Add Text to Video in Windows Movie Maker (Step-by-Step Guide).
Now, some users might want to know where to get this tool since it was officially discontinued on January 10, 2017. Fortunately, you can get this Microsoft video editing tool by clicking the following button.
Cons
- It supports playing videos as well as pictures.
- It can edit your videos simply.
- It is able to share your videos on YouTube, Facebook, etc.
Related article: How to Use Movie Maker | Step-by-step Guide for Beginners.
Pros
- Microsoft does not support it now.
- It cannot play music alone.
No 2. 5KPlayer
5KPlayer is a mixture of free (MKV) HD video player and music player. This real media player is compatible with Windows as well as Mac OS X. If your VLC crashes suddenly, you can try this alternative.
Pros
- It supports a lot of video formats, including MKV, M2TS, MPEG1/2, WMV/ASF, AVI, MOV, RM, OGV, FLV, MP4, H.264, M4V, WEBM.
- It can play 4K UHD videos without any glitches.
- It is able to play 1080p or 1080i high-definition videos under 10% CPU cost.
- It can play MP3 AAC APE FLAC music perfectly to activate your senses.
- It can download online videos from YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, etc.
Cons
This alternative to VLC media player for Windows might be confusing for beginners.
No 3. Windows Media Player
Windows media player is another VLC alternative. It allows you to play video and audio files. Besides, it allows previewing images on personal computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system, as well as on Pocket PC and Windows Mobile-based devices.
Pros
- It provides a less cluttered user interface.
- It offers a better music library.
- It supports network sharing.
- It can access to online music services.
Cons
- It cannot handle 4K, 3D and 360-degree video.
- It doesn’t support for VR headsets.
No 4. Photos App
If you are running Windows 10, you have another great VLC alternative 2019 – Photo app. This Windows 10 hidden media player not only can play video but also can play images. Besides, it can help to trim video.
Related Article: How to Cut Video Easily and Quickly (The Definitive Guide).
Pros
- It can play videos quickly.
- It has a simple, touch-friendly interface.
- It also supports browsing photo, and is able to create albums automatically.
- It has cool video editing effects.
Cons
- It cannot tag faces.
- It doesn’t support panorama stitching and selective focus.
No 5. KMPlayer
KM player can play video as well as audio in Windows. This alternative to VLC supports almost any format that Windows can play including AVI, ASF, WMV, AVS, FLV, MKV, and many more. With the VLC alternative, you can slow down or increase playback speed, select parts of a video as favorites.
Pros
- It supports many audio and video formats.
- It supports 3D and VR and setting related to that.
- It has extensive subtitle management.
- It can capture audio and video.
Cons
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Advertisement (There are no hidden or misleading clauses while installing, but we will be asked whether we want to install Avast Antivirus after installing.)
After learning these different VLC alternatives for Windows, you can take a look of the below wonderful video tool.
No 6. MiniTool Movie Maker
MiniTool Movie Maker, free and simple video tool, lets you review videos, and pictures. Besides, it also lets you create videos and slideshow easily and quickly. For instance, I usually use this simple and free tool to create Facebook Slideshow.
Pros
- It supports a lot of video format including WMV, MP4, AVI, MOV, F4V, MKV, GIF, MP3, and so on.
- It offers wizard-like interfaces. This tool can help you create a movie without requiring professional knowledge and skill.
- It offers movie as well as trailer templates. You are able to easily create cool movies or Hollywood-style movie trailers.
- It allows you to make video with pictures easily and quickly.
- It offers some filters to help you change the color, style, or tone in minutes.
- It offers plenty of useful transition effects to make the presentation, slideshow or movie good looking and impressive.
- It not only can split large video into small parts but also can trim video to remove the unwanted frames from the start or end of a clip. More details can be found in How to Trim Video Easily (Step-by-Step Guide with Pictures).
Cons
It only supports Windows OSs, now.
Part 2. VLC Alternative Mac
Mac users can try the following alternatives when the VLC media player isn’t working.
No 1. QuickTime Player
QuickTime player, the best VLC alternative Mac, is the most familiar media players for Mac users. As the default movie player as Mac, QuickTime player is capable of supporting various formats of videos, music, images, and other media files.
- QuickTime player enables you to set playback from 1/2x to 3x the normal speed.
- This alternative to VLC is capable of watching videos from hard drive and internet.
- This VLC alternative Mac allows you to screen recording your Mac, edit movies and extract audio from a video. However, you need to purchase the QuickTime Pro license key to unlock the recording, editing and extracting features.
No 2. MPlayerX Media Player
MPlayerX, a free and open source media player, is another VLC alternative.
- It can handle any media format in the world without extra plug-ins or codec packages as it is armed by FFmpeg and MPlayer.
- It provides you the easiest way to control the playback as it will follow your gestures.
- It can automatically and seamlessly detect and convert the encoding method of the subtitle file.
No 3. Movist
Movist, a free, simple yet powerful player for Mac, supports QuickTime, FFmpeg as well as subtitles.
- It is easy to use.
- It owns a beautiful and convenient user interface.
- It is available to adjust aspect ratios and configure keyboard shortcuts.
Unfortunately, this VLC alternative Mac doesn't support Apple remote.
Part 3. VLC Alternative Linux
Let’s start with a true example from my best friend.
I've used VLC in Linux for years. But lately, it's been choking and dying for no discernible reasons and attempts to troubleshoot have failed. Are there any other comparable alternatives for media players out there at the moment?
Now, my friend can try the following VLC alternative Linux.
No 1. Bomi Player
The best VLC alternative Linux, Bomi player (known as CM Player), works well on Linux and provides GUI features.
- This easy-to-use VLC alternative Linux provides some powerful features which you will find in the context menu.
- It supports audio file and subtitle at all.
- It allows browsing your old playlist because it generally saves all your playback record.
No 2. SMPlayer
SMPlayer supports for all the default formats as like as other media players.
- This VLC alternative Linux allows you to play YouTube video directly from this player because of its built-in codec.
- This VLC alternative 2019 loads the subtitle of a movie from the internet. And, it saves your all settings when you play video.
- This alternative to VLC is fully resume supported video player.
Your Choice
The above video editing tools are good alternatives to VLC media player. You can choose a suitable one to play your videos.
Which VLC alternatives do you like to choose? Let us know by leaving comments.
Should you have any other good suggestions about VLC alternatives, please share them with us. Thanks in advance!
VLC Alternatives FAQ
VLC is a free, open-source, portable, and cross-platform media player that can play incomplete, unfinished or damaged video.
QuickTime Player is bundled into the macOS, thus it becomes the default option for a lot of users. However, VLC is often the best option since it supports a massive number of both audio and video file formats, and it is available on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
- PotPlayer
- KMPlayer
- Media Player Classic – Home Cinema
- ACG Player
- GOM Media Player
- DivX Player
- Kodi
- Plex
- 5KPlayer
- MediaMonkey
- VLC Player
- PotPlayer
- Media Player Classic – Home Cinema
Video players are a dime a dozen. Their main use is to project your media on your PC and laptops. And Apple took advantage of such function to develop a video player that would stand out. Quicktime is a default program on Mac computers that plays and edits your home videos, movies, and slideshows. The software boasts more features than paid applications and is a worthwhile consideration.
Limited power
As Apple’s built-in player for macOS devices, Quicktime is compatible with DLC purchased from iTunes and Apple TV. Using H.264, you can expect your videos, movies, and series to appear crisp and clear. The compression technology saves bandwidth and storage from getting drained. Yet, despite its support from its base device, Quicktime has the least number of video and audio format compatibility than other players. Files like MOV, M4V, and MP4 are considered optimal formats, while other MPEG-4, MPEG-2, DV Stream, and WAV files may need a codec to get the software running. Patience may be needed here since a variety of technical issues pop up occasionally.
A cut above the rest
Apple makes up for the software limitation by offering more features than the average video player. You can use it as a video editor: trimming, rotating, splitting, and combining several videos. You can also use the multi-functional program to open image and audio files, and easily create slideshow presentations, home movies, and projects. Another popular feature is screen recording.Definitely useful, it lets you record demos on your screen instead of purchasing another application to do so. From there, your recently created projects can be directly uploaded to your social media accounts and video sharing platforms like Youtube, Vimeo, and Facebook to debut for all to see.
End of the road
Quicktime has been a fantastic media player for years. When it first launched in 2009, many users made Quicktime the first go-to option. It was easy to access and use. It boasted many features so you wouldn’t have to spend a dime on editing and recording. Unfortunately, it is now officially a macOS exclusive software, limiting access to some users. For those with Windows, you can still download Quicktime 7 but Apple will no longer be supporting or updating the program. All of this means that you can expect multiple bugs to show up, for which it is recommended to install cybersecurity software to protect yourself from the app’s vulnerability.
Where can you run this program?
Just because the program has parted ways with Windows doesn’t mean you have to too. You can still use Quicktime 7.7.9 on Windows Vista or Windows 7 computer. You can also use it on a Mac OS X v10.5.
Is there a better alternative?
Quicktime Player Pro For Mac Download Free
Multimedia players that double up as a video editor are still rare. If you want to continue enjoying the benefits of the media player, you may just have to purchase a Mac. Of course, if that's not a feasible option, consider other options like VLC for Windows.
VLC for Windows is a free multimedia software created by VideoLAN. The open source software serves as a cross-platform media player on every operating system, desktop, smartphone, and TV out there. Its greatest features include its server and streaming protocols. Stream any available video and audio files, including MKV and FLAC. You can even heighten viewing experience using the subtitle feature. Apart from being a reliable media player, you can trust VLC to make movie nights and TV marathons enjoyable.
Our take
Quicktime could be a great addition to your Windows device. It allows you to create your own playable content, record your screen’s activity, and watch HD videos. However, there are alternatives that are faster and easier to use, especially given that developers follow up with constant updates.
Quicktime Alternative
Should you download it?
No. Even if Quicktime 7 can be downloaded, it is safer for you and your PC to download a video player that is currently supported by its developer.
Free Quicktime Player For Mac
7.7.9