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H.265 videos don't play in QuickLook in macOS Big Sur

I'm trying to display H.265-encoded MP4 files in QuickLook in macOS Big Sur 11.5.2. When I highlight the file and press the space bar, all I get is a thumbnail of the file, but the video does not play (see attached photo). I know I have the H.265 codec on my system because I can play H.265 files through the QuickTime Player and through VLC player. I just want to be able to use QuickLook for playing H.265 files. Any assistance would be appreciated. Thanks!


Mac mini 2018 or later

Posted on Aug 25, 2021 11:10 AM

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7 replies

Aug 25, 2021 12:03 PM in response to Stymyx

Maybe you need an encoder app to change the file format from the camera default format. There are free versions of video editors that allow you to use different output formats. I usually use 'QuickTime' encoding in DaVinci because it's most compatible (1st picture), but for a test I also did an export with a straight MP4 (AAC) to match yours and QuickLook still played this video as well (2nd picture). Unless someone has another suggestion here I would try to use an encoder app and change the original camera format.


DaVinci encoding:


AAC H.265 encoded

Aug 25, 2021 11:56 AM in response to Stymyx

Big Sur QuickLook refuses to play H.265 if it has Codec ID hev1 or Chroma subsampling 4:2:2.


Currently Big Sur QuickTime Player is more forgiving but it still has the following issues with "Codec ID" and "Chroma subsampling" options.


You can check all those pesky details with apps like Invisor (my favorite because it neatly highlights differences) or MediaInfo.


H.265 Codec ID hvc1 plays OK.


H.265 Codec ID hev1 has an error message "This file contains media which isn't compatible with QuickTime Player" and plays audio only. There is a lossless fix if you install ffmpeg and add '-tag:v hvc1' without re-encoding in the Terminal (then also QuickLook plays it OK):


ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vcodec copy -acodec copy -tag:v hvc1 output.mp4


Chroma subsampling 4:2:0 (Bit depth 8 bits) plays OK.


Chroma subsampling 4:2:2 (Bit depth 10 bits) has an error message "This file contains media which isn't compatible with QuickTime Player". Opens anyway in Big Sur but fails in Mojave (and Big Sur QuickLook).


VLC and IINA should have no issues with playing any decent new or old codec. Handbrake or VLC can be used to convert old codecs to new H.264 or H.265 wrapped as common mp4 (or its very close cousin m4v or mov).

Aug 27, 2021 11:19 AM in response to Stymyx

Thanks to all those who replied. Yes, I know I can simply convert these videos into another format with HandBrake, and yes, once I do that, Quick Look has no problems showing them. But that really defeats my purpose for using Quick Look with these files in the first place. The videos I'm trying to use Quick Look with were shot with a dash cam, and Quick Look (normally) makes it real easy for me to scan through multiple dash cam videos without having to open each one in Quicktime Player or some other program.


To clarify, my old dash cam was a Rove R2-4K, which shot H.264 videos, and Quick Look had no problems showing videos that were made with that dash cam. But my new dash cam is a Rexing V1P Max, which shoots with either H.264 or H.265, and Quick Look cannot open those videos, whether the dash cam was set to use H.264 or H.265.


However, since my Mac's Quicktime Player can open and play these Rexing V1P Max videos (whether created with H.264 or H.265) with no problems, I guess I'll just have to go that route instead from now on. It's not nearly as convenient as using Quick Look, but it'll work. :-)


Thanks again for the replies.

H.265 videos don't play in QuickLook in macOS Big Sur

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