Have an old MOV clip or QuickTime-era file that other players won't open? QuickTime 7 for Windows, Apple's media player, plays them and shows codec and size details. Apple stopped updating it in 2016 with version 7.7.9, and two known security flaws were never fixed.
Can QuickTime play a MOV file?
QuickTime is associated with Apple’s MOV format, and its Windows player can open MOV clips as well as older media made for QuickTime. Basic playback controls cover starting, pausing, and viewing a clip. Some older apps and games also installed it to play their videos.
Media inspection
Alongside playback, QuickTime can show information about a video, including its codec, dimensions, and duration. Those details help identify what a file contains and can clarify why it may behave differently in another player.
The Movie Inspector window lists format, frame rate, data size and data rate as well.
Windows support status
In April 2016 Trend Micro disclosed two vulnerabilities, Apple confirmed it would not patch them, and US-CERT advised Windows users to uninstall QuickTime. Players such as VLC open MOV files without it.
Pros
- Plays MOV files and legacy QuickTime media
- Shows codec, video dimensions, and duration
- Provides basic play and pause controls
Cons
- Discontinued in 2016; known flaws never patched
- Official requirements stop at Windows 7
System requirements: Windows 7 · 1 GHz Intel or AMD processor · 512 MB RAM
What is the last QuickTime version for Windows?
QuickTime 7.7.9, released in January 2016.
Is QuickTime for Windows safe to keep installed?
US-CERT recommended removing it in 2016 because of unpatched vulnerabilities. Install it only if an older program really needs it.
What can play MOV files instead?
VLC, MPC-HC and the Windows Media Player and Films & TV apps play most MOV files.