logo software playing MOV files on android

You want to play a document in MOV format on your phone but you don't really know what it is. Or you know well but you do not know what are the best tools to exploit MOV file.

Don't panic, we'll explain everything to you in this article.

The objective is initially explain to you what a MOV file is and how it works. In a second step, we will therefore explain to you how to play MOV file on your android smartphone.

In short, MOV file is media file usually containing a video document, combined with an audio document correspondent, and potentially text, by the subtitles.

So you will find out what are the best compatible apps with these formats there.

What is a file in MOV format and what is it for on Android phone

Brief reminder and description of the story and operation of this media file.

History of MOV file

Un MOV file is a file format containing multimedia documents, developed by Apple a little before the 2000s. It was created to work hand in hand with their QuickTime multimedia software.

The MOV files are compatible also with the tools on Windows.

It can contain multiple tracks that store different types of multimedia data, usually video, audio, and possibly text, for the subtitles. This format is often used to save movies or other video files.

The MOV files generally use the MPEG-4 codec for compression.

How MOV extension works

As explained above, MOV files can contain video, audio tracks. But where this format is interesting is that it can contain files of different encoding, and synchronize them together.

Indeed, each track of media can be encoded using one or more different codecs. To be able to play a MOV file, you just need to have a application capable of recognizing specific codec (s) used in the file.

Regardless of the encoding of your audio and video file, MOV format will synchronize them so that they work together.

Which leads us to explain to you what tools to use on your android smartphone in order to play those MOV files.

If you are also interested in MKV format files, do not hesitate to read our article on this subject:

HOW TO READ AN MKV FILE ON ANDROID

How to Play and Open MOV File on Android Smartphone

Here we will introduce you the best performing apps on Android phone to play those MOV files. We have tested several, and selected the best to make your job easier.

Download an app to play MOV file on Android phone

  • VLC
download VLC to play MOV files on android phone

Probably the most famous application for playing media files, and of course compatible with MOV format files.

Easy to use, compatible with almost all audio and video formats, free and ad-free, it is arguably the best application in this field.


  • MOV Player for Android
Download mov player to play MOV file on android

The app par excellence for play MOV files on your phone. This is its main mission, and this application fulfills it wonderfully. A brief recap of its strengths on Android:

  1. The video is from HD quality if the screen and the file allow it
  2. You don't need to install any plugin (s)
  3. All your media files are automatically loaded
  4. You can select a video From your internal storage space

  • The equivalent of Quick Time on Android

Here we find the equivalent of QuickTime on Mac, a tool also compatible with MOV files. It has pretty much the same advantages as its competitors on Android smartphone.

Special mention all the same for the automatic subtitle detection and synchronization system, very practical when you want to look in original version your films and series.