Your questions about VideoGlance

The essentials

What is VideoGlance?

A small Mac app that adds Quick Look previews and Finder thumbnails for MKV, WebM, WMV and other video formats macOS can’t show. Select a video, press Space, and it plays.

Is it free?

Yes. VideoGlance is free for personal and professional use, with no account, no subscription and no ads. No feature is held back for a paid version.

Where can I download it?

On the Download page: a disk image signed and checked by Apple, or a Homebrew command.

Does VideoGlance replace my video player?

No. It complements Finder so you can check a video quickly. Double-clicking still opens your usual player, such as IINA or VLC, and there’s no library to manage.

Does VideoGlance need to stay open?

No. Once the app is installed, macOS calls on it whenever you preview a video. You can keep its information window closed.

Compatibility

Which Mac do I need?

A Mac with Apple silicon (M1 or later) running macOS 15 Sequoia or later. VideoGlance has been tested on macOS 15 Sequoia; later versions haven’t been tested yet.

Does it work on Intel Macs?

Not for now: the first version is built for Macs with Apple silicon only.

Which formats are supported?

MKV, WebM, FLV and F4V, WMV, OGV and OGM, RMVB. macOS keeps AVI, RM, TS, MTS and M2TS for itself; the Formats page explains why and lists the tested codecs.

What about MP4 or MOV files?

macOS already previews them, so VideoGlance leaves them alone. MP4, MOV, M4V and 3GP files keep Apple’s previews.

Playback

Which controls are available?

In the Quick Look window: play and pause, 15-second skips, a progress bar, volume, speeds from 0.5× to 2×, remaining time and full screen. In Finder’s Preview pane: a play button surrounded by a ring to browse the video.

Can I choose the audio track or subtitles?

No. VideoGlance plays the file’s default audio track for a quick preview. To switch language or subtitles, open the video in your usual player.

Are AirPlay, Picture in Picture or trimming available?

No, VideoGlance doesn’t offer them. Protected (DRM) videos and online streams aren’t supported either. Apple’s features remain available for formats macOS handles itself.

Privacy

Are my videos sent anywhere?

No. Videos are read directly on your Mac. Previews and thumbnails run inside the macOS sandbox, with read-only access to the file being shown and no network access. VideoGlance requires no account and collects no data.

Does this website use cookies?

No. This website uses no cookies, no analytics and no ads.

Help

A video doesn’t display. What should I do?

The guide explains what to check. If the problem persists, report it on GitHub with your macOS version, the video’s format and the steps that reproduce the problem. Don’t attach personal videos.

An old thumbnail is still shown.

Finder keeps thumbnails it has already shown. After an update, an old thumbnail may stay visible for a while: make a copy of the file to check whether the new thumbnail appears.

Is VideoGlance open source?

No, its code isn’t published. VideoGlance does rely on free libraries, including FFmpeg and libmpv under the LGPL. Their notices are available in the app, and their sources are offered with the download.

How do I uninstall VideoGlance?

Move VideoGlance from the Applications folder to the Trash, or run brew uninstall --cask videoglance if you installed it with Homebrew. Finder may keep an already displayed preview or thumbnail for a few moments.