How to Open MXF Files on Mac

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Sep 17, 2024
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MXF files are used in the broadcast industry primarily but have other uses as well. However, macOS does not support them out of the box. The MXF file format works on Windows, Linux, and Android. However, it can be challenging to get the software required to open an MXF file for free. When you try to play an MXF file in QuickTime, you’ll get an error message stating that it’s not supported. However, you can make this happen using an MXF Player for Mac. Read more to find out how.

Users scenario:

Quick look of MXF files will not work on iMac Pro but will work on MacBook pro? I am trying to figure out how to get MXF files from a Canon C200 camera to view "quickly"
— Apple Discussions

What is MXF File?

MXF is a file format for storing video and audio data. MXF files are used in video editing and post-production to store media captured from an analog or digital source, as well as the final edited project itself. MXF is an ISO standard file format used on any computer system or device. MXF is the industry standard for storing video files created by Final Cut Pro X, Avid Media Composer, Adobe Premiere Pro, or other multimedia programs.

MXF files have many benefits over other formats. They are very efficient in terms of size and quality, which means that it takes less time for you to upload them to social media sites like YouTube or Vimeo. In addition, many post-production programs can handle MXF files without any trouble, making them perfect for importing footage into your project.

What is MXF File

Using Best Third-Party Mac Video Players to Play MXF Files

If you need to learn how to open MXF files on Mac, you can use the following third-party applications. Take a look below and find out about .mxf files.

Elmedia Player

Elmedia Player is a video player for Mac that allows you to play the most popular video formats. It also plays MXF files on Mac, which makes it a great option if you want an all-in-one player for your Mac.

Elmedia Player offers features like Playback Control, Audio Enhancement, and Video Enhancement (Brightness, Hue, Saturation). You can use these features to make sure that the quality of the videos is perfect when watching them on your computer screen.

Elmedia Player also includes a full-screen mode for playing videos. This is useful if you want to focus on the video content without having any distractions from other applications or windows on your Mac.

The app also supports AirPlay2, DLNA streaming, and Chromecast functionality. It can play videos stored on your hard drive or streamed from the internet while supporting automatic subtitles downloads.

Opening mxf on mac with Elmedia Player

Pros:

  • Wide format support
  • Offers advanced playback features
  • Can stream content to other devices via AirPlay, DLNA, and Chromecast
  • Ad-free playback experience

Cons:

  • Mac-only

OS: macOS

Cost: free, upgrade to Pro is $19.99

How to Open MXF Files on Mac with Elmedia Player

To open and view mxf files on your Mac, you first need to download Elmedia Player. The process is very simple and intuitive and should only take you a few moments.

Once you have downloaded Elmedia Player, follow these steps:

1. Locate the .mxf file and double-click it to open it in Elmedia Player.

2. Click Open Video File in the bottom right corner of the window that appears when you double-click the mxf file.

3. Your video should now start playing in Elmedia Player.

Video Guide

Video tutorial on how to Open MXF Files

VLC

VLC, or VideoLAN Client, is a media player that can play all kinds of popular video formats. It also plays audio files such as MP3s and supports streaming from various sources. VLC features include support for encrypted DVDs, YouTube integration, and multiple audio track and subtitle types to choose from when playing back your media files on Mac computers (macOS). 

VLC can play .mxf files natively on macOS Sierra and later versions 10.7.5 of macOS, as well as other recent versions of macOS 14 Sonoma.

VLC play .mxf files

Pros:

  • Plays almost any audio and video format
  • Completely free to use and open source
  • Extensive list of hotkeys for quick file playback management
  • Includes built-in codecs

Cons:

  • Poor compatibility with the new Mac systems
  • Occasional stability issues

OS: cross-platform

Cost: free

5KPlayer

5KPlayer for Mac is a powerful video player. It has all the features you need in a video player and can play any type of file on your Mac.

5KPlayer for Mac also allows you to customize how you watch movies by adding effects and filters before playing them back so that they look great even when played at 4k resolution. This feature comes in handy, especially if there are imperfections in your footage due in part because it was shot inside an office building where there isn’t much light available at all times during filming.

5KPlayer MXF files

Pros:

  • Offers high-quality playback
  • Features a built-in radio player
  • Allows to extract audio from video files
  • Ability to download videos from YouTube

Cons:

  • Limited advanced features
  • Can be tricky for beginners

OS: macOS, Windows

Cost: free

Using MXF File Converter

If you are not looking to play MXF files directly and would like a different approach to reaching the same goal, there is a way for you. MXF files can be converted to other video formats. For example, you can change mxf to mp4. It is a professional tool for converting video files, which supports almost all kinds of video and audio formats.

FreeFileConvert

If you’re looking for the best free file converter, look no further than FreeFileConvert. It’s easy to use and supports batch conversions. You can convert your MXF files to multiple formats at once, including MP4 and MOV.. If you want to keep your project intact and only need it in another format for editing purposes, this is a great way to go about it.

FreeFileConvert is easy to use and offers a simple interface that can be customized. The program also features drag-and-drop support for quick conversions from one format to another. The tool works flawlessly on macOS devices and provides the best conversion for your Macbook.

FreeFileConvert

Convertio

Convertio is a free online Mac app that can convert MXF files to many different formats, including MP4, MOV, AVI, WMV, and 3GP. It also supports batch conversion and multithreading, so you can convert MXF files quickly without having to sit around and wait for them one by one. Being exclusively online means you get the benefits of converting MXF files into other formats without installing anything on your device. With Convertio, you are saving space and processing powers. You can even convert mxf files to QuickTime using Convertio.  At the end of the conversion, you will be able to download the final output to your computer. The download speeds vary, but overall, they are acceptable for an online conversion tool.

Convertio

Typical MXF – Using Camcorders

MXF files are used in the professional video industry, such as when recording and editing video. These files are typically used for camcorders, which are cameras that use removable memory cards.

You can convert your MXF footage to an editable format like Apple ProRes or AVC-Intra 100 by installing an application like Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere on your computer.

If you don’t have a Mac camcorder, or if you want to edit the MXF footage on a non-Mac computer, you can use other applications like Avid Media Composer or Adobe Premiere. These are video editing applications that will accept MXF files and allow you to convert them into an editable format.

Conclusion

In this article, we have discussed in detail how to open .mxf files on Mac. If you follow the above steps carefully, you can easily open MXF files on your Mac computer without any problem. With Elmedia Player, you can rest assured knowing that you’re using the ultimate solution for opening .mxf files. Watch MXF without any issues on your Mac with the above-presented tools.

Frequently Asked Questions

Take a look at some of the most asked questions about playing MXF files on Mac and the answer below.

The answer is no. These two video formats are very different, and there are many reasons for that. The first is their history, which explains their different features and capabilities. The second reason is that they were designed for different purposes.

If you are looking to play .mxf files on your Mac, you should take a look above to see the most popular choices. We highly recommend using Elmedia Player for all your viewing experiences as it has proved to be the best in its class. It seamlessly plays .mxf files and comes with a vast array of features to enhance the experience.

You can’t directly import MXF files into iMovie. However, you can use a third-party program to convert your MXF files to a compatible format for importing into iMovie. You can choose one of the tools we’ve mentioned above. These will help you to convert your MXF files into other popular ones.