IINA
An mpv-based player that behaves like a Mac app rather than a port.
What it does
IINA wraps mpv in a native macOS interface: picture-in-picture, Touch Bar and trackpad gestures, dark mode, a proper playlist sidebar, subtitle search and per-file playback settings. Because the engine is mpv it plays essentially anything, with hardware decoding through VideoToolbox.
Advanced mpv options are exposed in settings, and mpv.conf-style configuration is honoured — so the tuning knobs are there without giving up a Mac-shaped UI.
Notes
A better default than VLC for day-to-day local playback: better colour handling, smoother scrubbing, and it respects macOS conventions. VLC is the one to fall back to for awkward files and network streams.
Alternative to
| Alternative | Type | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| mpv | Open source | The engine IINA wraps, if you would rather configure it directly |
| VLC | Open source | Plays more obscure things, looks less like a Mac app |
| Movist Pro or Elmedia | Paid | Native players with their own strengths |
| QuickTime Player | Built in | Fine for ProRes and H.264 |
Install
brew install --cask iina