QuickLook Video for MAC
Free, open-source Mac app that adds Finder thumbnails, Quick Look previews and Get Info details for MKV, AVI, WebM and more.
QuickLook Video Overview
QuickLook Video, also known as QLVideo, teaches your Mac to understand many more audio and video files. Out of the box, Finder, Quick Look and Spotlight only handle a limited set of formats. With QuickLook Video installed you get Finder thumbnails, Quick Look previews and details in the Get Info window for files such as Matroska (MKV), WebM, AVI, Windows Media, Ogg, Flash Video and Real Media, with codecs including VP8, VP9, AV1, HEVC, Theora, DivX and many more.
Version 3 works with Media Extensions that add these formats and codecs to macOS's own media system, much as Perian did for older versions of QuickTime. A View Contact Sheet entry in Finder's Services menu shows a grid of frames from a video. QuickLook Video is made by Jonathan Harris and is free and open source under the GPL-2.0 license; the developer also sells it on the Mac App Store. Version 3.12 needs macOS 26 Tahoe or later.
Key Features
QuickLook Video shows your whole media library in Finder.
- Finder thumbnails: real thumbnails for MKV, AVI, WebM and more.
- Quick Look previews: press the spacebar to preview unusual video files.
- Get Info details: see media information in Finder's Get Info window.
- Many formats: Matroska, WebM, AVI, Windows Media, Ogg, Flash Video and Real Media.
- Many codecs: VP8, VP9, AV1, HEVC, VVC, Theora, DivX and more.
- Audio files too: Vorbis, Windows Media Audio, WavPack and others.
- Contact sheet: a grid of frames from the Finder Services menu.
- Media Extensions: built on the supported way to extend macOS media.
What’s New in Version 3.12
QuickLook Video 3.12 brings a new icon and contact sheets.
- New app icon
- New View Contact Sheet entry in Finder's Services menu
- Uses Core Audio codecs where possible for more power-efficient audio decoding
QuickLook Video FAQ
Is QuickLook Video free?
Yes. The GitHub download is free and open source under the GPL-2.0 license. The developer also sells it on the Mac App Store.
Which macOS version does QuickLook Video need?
QuickLook Video 3.12 needs macOS 26 Tahoe or later.
Is QuickLook Video the same as QLVideo?
Yes. QLVideo is its earlier name, and its project has moved to the QuickLookVideo repository.
Which file formats does it add?
Matroska (MKV), WebM, AVI, Windows Media, Ogg, Flash Video, Real Media and more.
Which codecs does it support?
VP6, VP8, VP9, AV1, HEVC, VVC, Theora, DivX, Cinepak and many others, plus audio codecs such as Vorbis and Windows Media Audio.
Does it play videos?
It adds thumbnails, Quick Look previews and Get Info details in Finder; it is not a full video player.
What is the contact sheet?
A View Contact Sheet entry in Finder's Services menu that shows a grid of frames from a video.
How does version 3 work?
It uses Media Extensions that add support for extra formats and codecs to macOS's own media system.
How do I get started?
Install the app and follow the Getting Started page on its GitHub wiki; a troubleshooting guide is there too.
Where does the QuickLook Video download on quicklook-video.FULLMAC.app come from?
The download button leads to the official QuickLook Video releases on GitHub at https://github.com/Marginal/QuickLookVideo/releases/latest. quicklook-video.FULLMAC.app does not change or repackage the app.
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