Last updated on January 23rd, 2024 at 02:34 am
An MOV file is not one you come across often compared to MKV or AVI, for instance.
But if you have to deal with it at some time or another, how do you play it if your video player doesn’t support it?
What is an MOV file and What Does it Stand for?
MOV stands for Quicktime Movie.
MOV was introduced by Apple in 1998. It is a container format of the MPEG-4 type associated with the Quicktime software created by Apple.
Will MOV files play on Windows?
By default an MOV file will not play on Windows. However, there are workarounds.
If you’re on a Windows system you can use Windows Media Player to play an MOV file provided you have the 3ivx codec installed.
The 3ivx MPEG-4 codec is a versatile compressor which allows the efficient shrinking of large video files for manageable storage and transmission.
The 3ivx MPEG-4 codec is a versatile compressor which allows the efficient shrinking of large video files for manageable storage and transmission.
If you don’t fancy installing this codec into your Windows Media Player, you can download and install Quicktime Player for Windows.
Alternatively you can use the ever-reliable VLC media player.
Can Google Drive play MOV files?
If you don’t wish to install additional software, you can play back your MOV file through the cloud via Google Drive. If you have a Google account you can use Google Drive for free.
Just upload your MOV file to Google Drive and once it’s uploaded click on the MOV file and Google-Drive’s built in player will play back your MOV file.
The advantage of using this method is you could play your MOV file whether you’re using a Windows or Mac computer, Android phone, iPhone, or iPad.
How to Play MOV file on Android
Android by default doesn’t support the playback of MOV files. However, if you have the VLC app installed in your phone, tablet or Android box, then playback isn’t a problem. As has been mentioned VLC media player is one that can play any video format thrown at it without the need to install additional codecs.
Another Android user favourite is the MXPlayer. If you a;ready have it installed in your phone or tablet, use it. It will have no problem playing back an MOV file.
