HEVC on Mac
On a Mac there is no codec to install: macOS has played HEVC since 2017. What sometimes fails is the container (MKV) or a Mac too old for 4K.
Key points
- Since macOS High Sierra (10.13, 2017), QuickTime, Photos, Safari and Final Cut play HEVC with nothing to install.
- QuickTime won't open MKV or videos tagged
hev1: use IINA or VLC. - Hardware acceleration: Intel Macs from 2016 (10-bit from 2017) and all Apple silicon.
HEVC is built in
Apple adopted HEVC in 2017 with macOS High Sierra, iOS 11 and tvOS 11. Since then the system includes the decoder (and encoder) through VideoToolbox, used by QuickTime Player, Photos, Safari, iMovie, Final Cut Pro and most apps. On an up-to-date Mac there is no codec to install.
HEVC acceleration on Mac
- 2015 A9 chip (iPhone 6s)
- 2017 macOS High Sierra on Intel 6th-gen+ Macs
- 2020 M1: 8- and 10-bit
- 2015 6th gen (Skylake): 8-bit
- 2016 7th gen (Kaby Lake): 10-bit
When a video won't open: MKV and hev1
- It's in an MKVQuickTime only opens MP4 and MOV. The codec is the same; the "box" differs.
- It's tagged hev1Apple requires
hvc1. Many Windows and Linux tools writehev1by default.
Both are fixed without re-encoding, in seconds, with FFmpeg (install it via Homebrew: brew install ffmpeg):
# MKV → MP4 with no quality loss, with the tag Apple expects
ffmpeg -i video.mkv -map 0:v -map 0:a -c copy -tag:v hvc1 video.mp4If you'd rather avoid the terminal, IINA (free, made for macOS) and VLC open any HEVC, in MKV or with subtitles. More options in downloads.
Older Macs
| Mac | HEVC 1080p | HEVC 4K 10-bit |
|---|---|---|
| Apple silicon (M1 onwards) | Hardware | Hardware |
| Intel 7th gen (late 2016-2017 onwards) | Hardware | Hardware |
| Intel 6th gen (2015-2016) | Hardware | Software, may stutter |
| Older, with High Sierra or later | Software | Not enough |
| macOS before 10.13 | Only with VLC/IINA | No |
Exporting HEVC on a Mac
- QuickTime PlayerFile › Export As › 4K or 1080p, and tick "Use HEVC".
- FinderRight-click the video › Quick Actions › Encode Selected Video Files › "HEVC".
- HandBrake or FFmpegFor quality control, with
hevc_videotoolbox(fast) or x265 (best quality). See convert video.
Frequently asked questions
Why won't QuickTime open my HEVC video?
Usually because it is in an MKV container, which QuickTime does not support, or it is tagged "hev1" instead of "hvc1". IINA or VLC open it fine; you can also remux it to MP4 with FFmpeg with no quality loss.
Which Macs decode HEVC in hardware?
Macs with a 6th-gen Intel CPU (Skylake, 2015-2016) or newer do 8-bit, and 7th-gen do 10-bit. Every Apple silicon Mac (M1 and later) decodes 8- and 10-bit HEVC in hardware.