Movie can't play on my Mac?

For a school assignment, my friend and I made a movie and edited it on iMovie, on her Macbook Air. We put it on a USB to get it on my Macbook Air, but when I try to open it on my computer, it says that quicktime player can't open it. My friend downloaded an app called Smart Converter, which converts movies into a quicktime file that you can us on your mac, but that didn't work either. I really need to get this video on my mac, what can i do?

MacBook Air

Posted on Aug 22, 2014 6:09 PM

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8 replies

Aug 22, 2014 6:31 PM in response to lilysaffron

When you make an iMovie, you have several export options using the "Share" selection from iMovies "File" menu. One of those options is "File..." from which you can choose several resolutions.


That's what you need to use when exporting it for a QuickTime movie. It creates a standalone file that will play on any Mac. You don't need to use a converter.


Do that on her MacBook Air. If that's not convenient, perhaps there is a way to use the file you have on yours. To answer that question, select the file in the Finder, then choose File > Get Info...


Click all the "reveal triangles" to expand what they contain, if they are not already shown.


  1. Under "General" what does it say next to "Kind"?
  2. Under "More Info" what does it say next to "Codec"?
  3. What is selected under "Open with"?

Aug 22, 2014 6:50 PM in response to lilysaffron

There ought to be more information than that, which leads me to believe the movie isn't in a QuickTime format.


Unfortunately I don't know if the file you have will be readable with QuickTime, and you'll have to export it again from the iMovie project. Can you still do that?


Another option is to use a third party video player such as VLC. That may be able to open it.

Aug 22, 2014 7:05 PM in response to John Galt

Here is VLC's website http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-macosx.html


Choose the download button under "Download latest VLC for Mac OS X 10.6 and later"


When it finishes downloading, expand the vlc-2.1.5.dmg file, drag the VLC icon to Applications or wherever else you would like it to reside, then launch VLC. Choose File > Open File... and choose the video you want to play.


If VLC doesn't open it, there are other video players that may work but I'm less familiar with them.


VLC does not require any installation procedure. To get rid of it just drag it to the Trash and authenticate if required.

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Movie can't play on my Mac?

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