How to Fix QuickTime Issues with AVI Files: Step-by-Step Guide

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How to Fix QuickTime Won’t Play AVI Video File

Summary: your complain about AVI playback issue will end here. Besides, reasons why your AVI files won’t play on QuickTime are also explained.

By Candice Liu ｜Last updated on October 27, 2021

I have a number of movie files that will not open and play with my QuickTme player even though they are .avi files.

I’m trying to play an avi file on MacBook with Quicktime and the DivX Player. The picture looks fine but the audio won’t play.

AVI is on the list of QuickTime supported video formats . But this is only limited to the AVI with Motion JPEG video. You will encounter various codec problems while playing AVI on Mac as follows:

If you get the message “filename .avi file could not be opened. A required codec isn’t available.” You shall understand AVI, in fact, is a kind of container format, which can be compressed by a number of codecs, including MJPEG, MPEG-4, MPEG-3, MPEG-1/H. QuickTime can’t play AVI video compressed with MPEG-4, MPEG-HD etc other than Motion JPEG.
QuickTime doesn’t recognize or play AVI with audio. Mostly because the audio codec is unsupported by QuickTime.
It’s reported that QuickTime no longer played AVI file after updating to new macOS. The installed codec or Perian are the issues that cause AVI not playing on QT. Perian may not be compatible with the new OS you upgraded to.

Best Solutions to QuickTime Not Playing AVI Error

Part 1. Convert AVI to QuickTime Supported Codec without Losing Quality

Free download MacX Video Converter Pro to convert AVI video of any video/audio codec to QuickTime MOV, QuickTime AVI Motion JPEG codec, QT MP4 M4V (MPEG-4 codec) with AAC, Apple Lossless or MP3 QuickTime supported audio codecs.

Converting AVI (MPEG-4, MPEG-3, DivX, XviD) to QuickTime AVI (Motion JPEG) or QT MOV MP4 M4V would definitely lose some quality. Advanced High Quality Engine is designed to ensure you the highest possible quality, virtually no quality degradation, up to 98% quality kept! Download and benefit more as it’s a video downloader, editor, screen recorder, too.

Download for Mac Download for PC

The robust video converter is also fully compatible with macOS Monterey, Windows 11/10, solving issue of QuickTime can’t play AVI. You’re suggested to conduct this AVI to QuickTime conversion on a GPU hardware accelerated computer. Thus, this QuickTime video converter will activate the GPU HW acceleration and use it to speed up conversion, 5X faster than rivals.

Step 1: Click “Add File” icon to load AVI file not playable on QuickTime. AVI of any video audio codec, 720p, 1080p, 4K UHD, 8K, VR 360 is all supported.

Step 2: Choose a QuickTime format from popping-up Output Profile window, such as MP4, AVI, MOV etc. is recommended for smooth QuickTime AVI playback.

Step 3: Click “Browse” to select a folder to save converted AVI file.

Step 4: Click “RUN” button to start to convert AVI to QuickTime and play AVI on QuickTime without error. It’s similar to import AVI to iMovie, FCP, etc. The same also applies to solve solve QuickTime won’t play MOV problem if needed.

Part 2. Use QuickTime Player Alternative to Play AVI

You can also directly switch to other alternatives if you are not happy with QuickTime. They are the AVI file players, like VLC (we are all familiar with it), 5KPlayer, the latter of which is a new media player that is highly praised for its stunning video music playback effects, multiple file types support. It can play AVI file on Mac Windows and help get rid of QuickTime won’t play AVI troubles.

You can download best AVI player for Mac here or download for Windows, run it, and click “Video” button to load AVI video to play. It plays 720P, 1080P, 2160P 4K UHD VR AVI file compressed with any codec, MJPEG, MPEG-4, MPEG-3, MPEG-1, MPEG-H, MJPEG requiring no codec component, freeing you from QuickTime not playing AVI file.

Part 3. Install AVI Codec Perian to Fix AVI Not Playing on QuickTime

Perian, free, open source QuickTime component, will help issue that QuickTime can’t play AVI as it supports plenty many commonly used media video file, like AVI, MKV, DivX, etc. With the video codec component package installed, you may find that AVI file plays on QuickTime probably. Can QuickTime play AVI of any type using Perian? It’s a pity that not all AVI files are playable on QT.

Note: Perian project was shut down in 2012 and only support QuickTime for OS X Mavericks or older. That’s why QuickTime stops playing AVI with Perian installed after updating to macOS Monterey or Big Sur. To play AVI on Mac , go to QuickTime not playing AVI solutions listed above.

Tags: Play Video QuickTime AVI

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Candice Liu

Candice’s particularly skilled in writing and sharing video-related contents. Her guides cover from deep-seated video/audio parameters, to media entertainment on different platforms. She also enjoys shooting and processing videos by herself for a more reliable basis of informative info with her articles, which are never at the expense of eliminating an entertaining read.

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How to Fix QuickTime Issues with AVI Files: Step-by-Step Guide