What is Elmedia Player?
Elmedia Player is a media player for macOS that opens most video and audio files without installing codecs — MKV, AVI, MP4, FLV, WMV, MP3, FLAC and more — and can cast what it is playing to AirPlay, DLNA and Chromecast devices, including 4K targets, transcoding on the fly when the device cannot read the original format. It handles subtitles in SRT, ASS and SMIL, searches OpenSubtitles for missing tracks, and offers a playlist, a 10-band equaliser and picture-in-picture. It ships in a free version and a paid PRO version. It suits people who want one player for awkward formats and an easy path to a TV.
Verified product facts
- Type
- media playerEditorially reviewed
- Platform
- macOS
- Apple Silicon
- YesDeveloper-stated
- Pricing
- FreemiumDeveloper-stated
- Developer
- Eltima SoftwareDeveloper-stated
- Relationship to Nuanyue
- Third-party product — not published by NuanyueEditorially reviewed
- Current version
- 8.24Developer-stated
- Official website
- mac.eltima.com/media-player.html
Last updated . Facts marked developer-stated come from the developer and are not independently confirmed; editorially reviewed marks a Nuanyue judgement.
Key features
What Elmedia Player does at a glance.
Plays AVI, MP4, FLV, WMV, MKV, MP3, M4V and more without extra codecs
Streams to AirPlay 2, DLNA and Chromecast devices, with 4K casting
Transcodes on the fly
So a device can play a format it does not support
Subtitle support
For SRT, ASS and SMIL, with appearance and delay controls
Subtitle search integrated
With OpenSubtitles
Playlist support
With shuffle, repeat and M3U export
10-band audio equaliser, AC3 and DTS surround output
Picture-in-Picture, A-B loop, video tuner and Touch Bar support
Builds
For both Apple silicon and Intel Macs
What you can use Elmedia Player for
- Opening a video in a format QuickTime refuses to play
- Casting a local file to an Apple TV, Chromecast or DLNA TV without converting it first
- Fixing out-of-sync subtitles or audio while a file is playing
Who is Elmedia Player for?
- People with a library of mixed formats who want one player rather than several
- Users who stream local media to a TV and do not want a separate conversion step
Who is Elmedia Player not for?
- Anyone who needs an open-source player they can inspect — Elmedia is closed source
- Users who need to play Blu-ray or DRM-protected commercial video, which the page does not claim to support
Limitations
- The free version is limited; the PRO version is a separate paid upgrade whose price is not published on the page Nuanyue checked
- Elmedia is closed source, so its playback and streaming internals cannot be inspected
- Apple Silicon support is stated on the product page, but the build Nuanyue checked is not version-pinned to a specific macOS release
Strengths and trade-offs
What Elmedia Player does well, and what to weigh before choosing it. Points marked developer-stated come from the developer’s own material and have not been independently confirmed.
Strengths
- Plays a long list of container and codec combinations without installing extra codecs.Developer-stated
- Casts to AirPlay 2, DLNA and Chromecast, transcoding when the target device cannot read the file.Developer-stated
- Searches OpenSubtitles for missing subtitle tracks from inside the player.Developer-stated
- Ships builds for both Apple silicon and Intel Macs.Developer-stated
Trade-offs
- The free version is deliberately limited; enhanced playback is reserved for the paid PRO version.
- Closed source, so the player and its streaming code cannot be audited.
- The PRO price is not published on the product page, so the upgrade cost has to be checked at purchase.
First-use experience
What the app asks of you when you set it up. Only established facts appear here; anything we could not confirm is left out rather than guessed at.
- Installation
- Direct download from mac.eltima.com, or install from the Mac App Store.
- First launch Developer-stated
- Files are added to an internal library by drag-and-drop, the file browser, or Open With; no account is involved.
- System integration Developer-stated
- Works as a default media player through Open With, and uses the MacBook Touch Bar.
- Apple Silicon Developer-stated
- Supported
What it does
Elmedia opens files that QuickTime will not: MKV, AVI, FLV, WMV, VOB, MXF and more, along with the audio formats a Mac normally needs help with. It keeps them in an internal library with a playlist that can be saved as M3U, and it exposes playback controls — speed, colour balance, subtitle position — while the file is already running.
Streaming
The distinguishing feature is casting. A local file can be sent to an Apple TV or other AirPlay 2 device, to a DLNA-capable Smart TV or Roku, or to a Chromecast or Android TV, in Full HD or 4K. When the receiving device cannot read the original format, Elmedia transcodes it rather than requiring a separate conversion step.
Subtitles and audio
Subtitles are supported as SRT, ASS and SMIL, with font, encoding, colour and position controls, delay adjustment for out-of-sync tracks, and a search against OpenSubtitles when a file ships without them. Audio gets a 10-band equaliser and AC3 or DTS surround output.
Questions about Elmedia Player
Is Elmedia Player free?
It ships in two versions. A free version covers playback, and a PRO version adds features and enhanced playback; the PRO price is not published on the product page.
Can Elmedia Player stream to a TV?
Yes. It streams local files to AirPlay 2, DLNA and Chromecast devices, including 4K targets, transcoding the file when the device cannot play it directly.Developer-stated
Does Elmedia Player need extra codecs?
No. Eltima states it plays formats such as AVI, MP4, FLV, WMV and MKV without the need for codecs.Developer-stated
Does Elmedia Player run on Apple silicon Macs?
Yes. The product page states the app is available for both Apple silicon and Intel Macs.Developer-stated
Alternatives to Elmedia Player
Apps that could replace this one — the same job, a different trade-off.
VLC
Free open-source player for most media formats.
Both play a wide range of formats without extra codecs, but VLC is open source while Elmedia adds one-click casting to AirPlay, DLNA and Chromecast.
Similar apps
Related in purpose, but not a straight swap.
IINA
Native macOS video player built on mpv.
Both are Mac media players built on native macOS playback, but IINA targets mpv-based playback while Elmedia adds streaming and a media library.
Links
Sources
Facts on this page are checked against the sources below. Last updated .
