New S Most Popular Public Domain Image Websites for 2024

New S Most Popular Public Domain Image Websites for 2024

Isabella Lv12

10 Best Public Domain Image Websites

author avatar

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Finding an image you like on the Internet doesn’t take long, since almost every website you can stumble upon, contains at least one picture. This doesn’t mean that you can just download any photo and use it in your blog, online marketing campaign or for any other purpose. Moreover, stock image websites like Getty Images or iStock let you purchase the right to use a photo commercially. As a reaction to an expanding stock image industry, many photographers, museums and cultural institutions are choosing to forfeit their rights and to publish public domain images. So, in this article, we are going to take you through the ten best public domain image websites where you can download pictures for free.

What Are Public Domain Images?

By definition, public domain images are photos, vectors or clip art that are available to anyone because their copyright has either expired or they never had a copyright owner. Consequently, anyone can use these images for both commercial or private projects without having to purchase the rights to do so. An image can enter a public domain under the following circumstances:

  • Scientists, educators or artists can use the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license to dedicate their images to the public domain
  • A picture’s copyright is no longer in effect
  • A photo was never the subject to copyright

It is of utmost importance to check if an image is within the public domain before you use it publicly in order to avoid potential legal complications.

How and Where to Find Public Domain Images?

A simple google search will reveal hundreds of websites that let you download public domain and royalty-free images. Which source you’re going to use depends on the type of image you’re looking for, since some websites are dedicated only to photography, while others feature impressive collections of public domain images of artworks. In addition, you’ll only want to download public domain images from the websites that offer information about the author because using a public domain image without crediting its author is strictly prohibited.

Best Websites for Downloading Public Domain Images

We’ve searched the Internet and we utilized our results to compile a collection of the most reliable websites that grant its users access to vast numbers of public domain images. Let’s take a look at some of the best websites that let you download public domain images.

1. Pexels

Public Domain Images from Pexels

Graphic designers and all other creatives in constant need of a fresh supply of public domain images don’t need a special introduction to Pexels. The stock image platform is dedicated to photography and video, so you can’t use it to search for vectors or clip art. Even so, you can use Pexles to search for public domain images based on a particular keyword or browse through its collection of free images and discover photos spontaneously. Clicking on the Popular Searches tab will enable you to see the images from Light, Nature or Animals and it will shorten the amount of time you have to spend looking for a photo you want to download.

Pros:

  • Neatly organized website
  • Free and easy sign-up
  • Offers a huge selection of free public domain images and videos according to the CC0 license
  • Hand-picked High quality Images

Cons:

  • Some categories should contain more images
  • Optimizing the search terms can be difficult

2. Pixabay

Public Domain Images from Plxabay

Besides offering an impressive collection of royalty-free photos, Pixabay also lets you search for public domain vectors, illustrations, and videos. The website hosts more than a million high-resolution photos and videos you can download for free. To make things even better, becoming a member of the Pixabay’s community and creating an account on this platform won’t take more than a few minutes of your time. Pixabay also offers advanced search tools that enable you to combine searches, search for the author of an image or group search terms. In addition, you can also browse through the photographers that contribute their images to the platform on a regular basis.

Pros:

  • Powerful search tools and various filters
  • Huge collection of public domain images

Cons

  • Customer support could be better

3. Wikimedia Commons

wikimedia commons

This is probably the largest website on the Internet where you can download public domain images. There are more than 49 million images, illustrations, vector graphics and videos available that can be downloaded for free. Some media files on Wikimedia Commons have certain restrictions, but these restrictions are mostly related to image citations, which means that you can use them only if you credit the author. Such a huge selection of media files can be overwhelming for the newcomers to the Wikimedia Commons platform, but once you grow accustomed to the website’s interface discovering images becomes a straightforward process.

Pros:

  • All images are available in high resolution
  • Nearly all images can be used without any restrictions

Cons:

  • Getting used to the website’s interface takes time
  • The number of search results can be overwhelming

4. Flickr Commons

Flickr commons

For more than a decade Flickr has been a popular online destination for photographers in need of a platform that enables them to present their work. The Flickr Commons is a project that unites more than a hundred institutions in an effort to create a library of public domain images. The project makes available a stunning amount of historical photographs and it grants you access to highly esteemed collections of photographs. Flick Commons is perfectly suited for researchers and scholars in need of public domain photos, they can use in their essays or research papers.

Pros:

  • Unlimited access to historical photos
  • Extends the knowledge available to the general public

Cons:

  • Doesn’t offer videos or illustrations
  • Search results are poorly organized

5. Unsplash

Unsplash public domain image

With a library that contains over 800,000 photos, Unsplash is easily one of the largest websites that offer public domain images. All pictures on this platform are organized into different categories, which makes finding a photo you want to use in a commercial or non-commercial project a relatively simple process. Alternatively, you can insert a keyword into a search bar and Unsplash will show you the results within seconds. However, the images you can find on this platform are similar to those you can purchase on stock photography websites, although some of them have an artistic touch that is hard to find on the majority of stock photos.

Pros:

  • Excellent source of high-resolution photos
  • Quick and easy search

Cons:

  • Unsplash is dedicated solely to photography
  • Limited amount of available public domain images

6. From Old Books

In case you are searching for images from old books you should look no further. This is a private collection of 2,600 images that are hard to find anywhere else on the Internet. You can browse through woodcuts, old texts or old holiday images, which makes this platform an excellent choice for anyone interested in rare images that were featured in old books. All pictures you can find on the From Old Books website are free to use on non-commercial projects, but you must pay a small fee if you want to download a high-resolution image you can use on a commercial project.

  • Images are organized into categories
  • Access to rare images

Cons

  • Some images are not free
  • Rudimentary website design

7. Morguefile

Morguefile public domain image

Morguefile is a website that offers stock footage to its users, but some of the images can’t be downloaded for free. That’s why you must click on the Free Photos tab before you start searching for public domain images on this website. The website hosts nearly 400.000 photos, videos, and vector graphics, but you must make sure that a file you want to download is within the public domain before you download it. The only downside is that the images aren’t organized into categories which can make finding the images you’re searching for more difficult than it needs to be.

Pros:

  • Creating an account on Morguefile is free
  • All free photos can be used on commercial projects

Cons:

  • Images can be organized better
  • Fewer free images than on other public domain image websites

8. Public Domain Archive

As the website’s name indicates, this is an archive of public domain images you can download for free and use in commercial contexts. All photos are organized into categories like abstract, free stock photos, people or wood which makes the search simpler. However, these categories don’t contain more than a few hundred photos and some of them offer as few as five pictures you can download. All photos are in high resolution and ready for professional use. The download process can be completed effortlessly in just a few quick steps. New images are added on a weekly basis.

Pros:

  • Professional quality of images
  • All images are free

Cons:

  • A limited selection of photos
  • Doesn’t offer vector graphics

NYPL Digital Gallery

NYPL Digital Gallery is an excellent resource for anyone who is not interested in stock photography. The New Your Public Library has made hundreds of thousands of historical images available to the public and you can use it to browse through items, collections or divisions. Before you enter a keyword you should click on the search only public domain materials tick box to ensure that the search results are going to display only images that can be used without restrictions. Additionally, the NYPL Digital Gallery lets you browse through its collection of digital books while its collections of photographs include the work of some of the highly esteemed American photographers.

Pros

  • Public domain images are available in different resolutions
  • Offers valuable research materials

Cons

  • Some images are subject to copyright
  • Only aimed at scholars and researchers

10. Viintage

Viintage is a gold mine for graphic designers as it grants them access to hundreds of vintage posters, book covers, and images. However, the amount of public domain images this website offers is limited and if you want to download the images from the collections of works created by famous artists from the late 19th and early 20th centuries you must purchase the premium version of Viintage. The website lacks some basic search options as it only allows you to type in the search term into the search bar. The images are not organized into categories which further complicates the process of finding a public domain image you’re looking for.

Pros:

  • Offers a collection of rare vintage public domain images
  • A great resource for graphic designers

Cons:

  • Most images on Viintage can’t be downloaded for free
  • Search tools are far from perfect

You may also like: Best Image Hosting Sites >>

How to Cite Public Domain Images Properly?

If you’re planning on using a public domain image in a blog or on your website, you must cite the source from which you acquired a particular image. The image citations should include the following information:

  • The title of the image
  • Author’s name
  • Information about the institution at which an image is kept
  • The source from which you acquired an image

In case you don’t have access to all of these information or if the information is simply not available you should include all details about a public domain image you have the access to. Furthermore, there are several styles of image citations that depend on the source from which an image was acquired.

Conclusion

Spending large sums of money on images you can use in commercial or private projects is not always necessary. The public domain images are widely available and they can be used in a broad range of contexts. Which website that lets you download public domain images do you like to use the most? Leave a comment and share your opinions with us.

Dont worry when you forget the syntax of an HTML element, like and iframe, a link, a table, an image or anything else. Visit HTML CheatSheet and generate the code you need.

author avatar

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Finding an image you like on the Internet doesn’t take long, since almost every website you can stumble upon, contains at least one picture. This doesn’t mean that you can just download any photo and use it in your blog, online marketing campaign or for any other purpose. Moreover, stock image websites like Getty Images or iStock let you purchase the right to use a photo commercially. As a reaction to an expanding stock image industry, many photographers, museums and cultural institutions are choosing to forfeit their rights and to publish public domain images. So, in this article, we are going to take you through the ten best public domain image websites where you can download pictures for free.

What Are Public Domain Images?

By definition, public domain images are photos, vectors or clip art that are available to anyone because their copyright has either expired or they never had a copyright owner. Consequently, anyone can use these images for both commercial or private projects without having to purchase the rights to do so. An image can enter a public domain under the following circumstances:

  • Scientists, educators or artists can use the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license to dedicate their images to the public domain
  • A picture’s copyright is no longer in effect
  • A photo was never the subject to copyright

It is of utmost importance to check if an image is within the public domain before you use it publicly in order to avoid potential legal complications.

How and Where to Find Public Domain Images?

A simple google search will reveal hundreds of websites that let you download public domain and royalty-free images. Which source you’re going to use depends on the type of image you’re looking for, since some websites are dedicated only to photography, while others feature impressive collections of public domain images of artworks. In addition, you’ll only want to download public domain images from the websites that offer information about the author because using a public domain image without crediting its author is strictly prohibited.

Best Websites for Downloading Public Domain Images

We’ve searched the Internet and we utilized our results to compile a collection of the most reliable websites that grant its users access to vast numbers of public domain images. Let’s take a look at some of the best websites that let you download public domain images.

1. Pexels

Public Domain Images from Pexels

Graphic designers and all other creatives in constant need of a fresh supply of public domain images don’t need a special introduction to Pexels. The stock image platform is dedicated to photography and video, so you can’t use it to search for vectors or clip art. Even so, you can use Pexles to search for public domain images based on a particular keyword or browse through its collection of free images and discover photos spontaneously. Clicking on the Popular Searches tab will enable you to see the images from Light, Nature or Animals and it will shorten the amount of time you have to spend looking for a photo you want to download.

Pros:

  • Neatly organized website
  • Free and easy sign-up
  • Offers a huge selection of free public domain images and videos according to the CC0 license
  • Hand-picked High quality Images

Cons:

  • Some categories should contain more images
  • Optimizing the search terms can be difficult

2. Pixabay

Public Domain Images from Plxabay

Besides offering an impressive collection of royalty-free photos, Pixabay also lets you search for public domain vectors, illustrations, and videos. The website hosts more than a million high-resolution photos and videos you can download for free. To make things even better, becoming a member of the Pixabay’s community and creating an account on this platform won’t take more than a few minutes of your time. Pixabay also offers advanced search tools that enable you to combine searches, search for the author of an image or group search terms. In addition, you can also browse through the photographers that contribute their images to the platform on a regular basis.

Pros:

  • Powerful search tools and various filters
  • Huge collection of public domain images

Cons

  • Customer support could be better

3. Wikimedia Commons

wikimedia commons

This is probably the largest website on the Internet where you can download public domain images. There are more than 49 million images, illustrations, vector graphics and videos available that can be downloaded for free. Some media files on Wikimedia Commons have certain restrictions, but these restrictions are mostly related to image citations, which means that you can use them only if you credit the author. Such a huge selection of media files can be overwhelming for the newcomers to the Wikimedia Commons platform, but once you grow accustomed to the website’s interface discovering images becomes a straightforward process.

Pros:

  • All images are available in high resolution
  • Nearly all images can be used without any restrictions

Cons:

  • Getting used to the website’s interface takes time
  • The number of search results can be overwhelming

4. Flickr Commons

Flickr commons

For more than a decade Flickr has been a popular online destination for photographers in need of a platform that enables them to present their work. The Flickr Commons is a project that unites more than a hundred institutions in an effort to create a library of public domain images. The project makes available a stunning amount of historical photographs and it grants you access to highly esteemed collections of photographs. Flick Commons is perfectly suited for researchers and scholars in need of public domain photos, they can use in their essays or research papers.

Pros:

  • Unlimited access to historical photos
  • Extends the knowledge available to the general public

Cons:

  • Doesn’t offer videos or illustrations
  • Search results are poorly organized

5. Unsplash

Unsplash public domain image

With a library that contains over 800,000 photos, Unsplash is easily one of the largest websites that offer public domain images. All pictures on this platform are organized into different categories, which makes finding a photo you want to use in a commercial or non-commercial project a relatively simple process. Alternatively, you can insert a keyword into a search bar and Unsplash will show you the results within seconds. However, the images you can find on this platform are similar to those you can purchase on stock photography websites, although some of them have an artistic touch that is hard to find on the majority of stock photos.

Pros:

  • Excellent source of high-resolution photos
  • Quick and easy search

Cons:

  • Unsplash is dedicated solely to photography
  • Limited amount of available public domain images

6. From Old Books

In case you are searching for images from old books you should look no further. This is a private collection of 2,600 images that are hard to find anywhere else on the Internet. You can browse through woodcuts, old texts or old holiday images, which makes this platform an excellent choice for anyone interested in rare images that were featured in old books. All pictures you can find on the From Old Books website are free to use on non-commercial projects, but you must pay a small fee if you want to download a high-resolution image you can use on a commercial project.

  • Images are organized into categories
  • Access to rare images

Cons

  • Some images are not free
  • Rudimentary website design

7. Morguefile

Morguefile public domain image

Morguefile is a website that offers stock footage to its users, but some of the images can’t be downloaded for free. That’s why you must click on the Free Photos tab before you start searching for public domain images on this website. The website hosts nearly 400.000 photos, videos, and vector graphics, but you must make sure that a file you want to download is within the public domain before you download it. The only downside is that the images aren’t organized into categories which can make finding the images you’re searching for more difficult than it needs to be.

Pros:

  • Creating an account on Morguefile is free
  • All free photos can be used on commercial projects

Cons:

  • Images can be organized better
  • Fewer free images than on other public domain image websites

8. Public Domain Archive

As the website’s name indicates, this is an archive of public domain images you can download for free and use in commercial contexts. All photos are organized into categories like abstract, free stock photos, people or wood which makes the search simpler. However, these categories don’t contain more than a few hundred photos and some of them offer as few as five pictures you can download. All photos are in high resolution and ready for professional use. The download process can be completed effortlessly in just a few quick steps. New images are added on a weekly basis.

Pros:

  • Professional quality of images
  • All images are free

Cons:

  • A limited selection of photos
  • Doesn’t offer vector graphics

NYPL Digital Gallery

NYPL Digital Gallery is an excellent resource for anyone who is not interested in stock photography. The New Your Public Library has made hundreds of thousands of historical images available to the public and you can use it to browse through items, collections or divisions. Before you enter a keyword you should click on the search only public domain materials tick box to ensure that the search results are going to display only images that can be used without restrictions. Additionally, the NYPL Digital Gallery lets you browse through its collection of digital books while its collections of photographs include the work of some of the highly esteemed American photographers.

Pros

  • Public domain images are available in different resolutions
  • Offers valuable research materials

Cons

  • Some images are subject to copyright
  • Only aimed at scholars and researchers

10. Viintage

Viintage is a gold mine for graphic designers as it grants them access to hundreds of vintage posters, book covers, and images. However, the amount of public domain images this website offers is limited and if you want to download the images from the collections of works created by famous artists from the late 19th and early 20th centuries you must purchase the premium version of Viintage. The website lacks some basic search options as it only allows you to type in the search term into the search bar. The images are not organized into categories which further complicates the process of finding a public domain image you’re looking for.

Pros:

  • Offers a collection of rare vintage public domain images
  • A great resource for graphic designers

Cons:

  • Most images on Viintage can’t be downloaded for free
  • Search tools are far from perfect

You may also like: Best Image Hosting Sites >>

How to Cite Public Domain Images Properly?

If you’re planning on using a public domain image in a blog or on your website, you must cite the source from which you acquired a particular image. The image citations should include the following information:

  • The title of the image
  • Author’s name
  • Information about the institution at which an image is kept
  • The source from which you acquired an image

In case you don’t have access to all of these information or if the information is simply not available you should include all details about a public domain image you have the access to. Furthermore, there are several styles of image citations that depend on the source from which an image was acquired.

Conclusion

Spending large sums of money on images you can use in commercial or private projects is not always necessary. The public domain images are widely available and they can be used in a broad range of contexts. Which website that lets you download public domain images do you like to use the most? Leave a comment and share your opinions with us.

Dont worry when you forget the syntax of an HTML element, like and iframe, a link, a table, an image or anything else. Visit HTML CheatSheet and generate the code you need.

author avatar

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Finding an image you like on the Internet doesn’t take long, since almost every website you can stumble upon, contains at least one picture. This doesn’t mean that you can just download any photo and use it in your blog, online marketing campaign or for any other purpose. Moreover, stock image websites like Getty Images or iStock let you purchase the right to use a photo commercially. As a reaction to an expanding stock image industry, many photographers, museums and cultural institutions are choosing to forfeit their rights and to publish public domain images. So, in this article, we are going to take you through the ten best public domain image websites where you can download pictures for free.

What Are Public Domain Images?

By definition, public domain images are photos, vectors or clip art that are available to anyone because their copyright has either expired or they never had a copyright owner. Consequently, anyone can use these images for both commercial or private projects without having to purchase the rights to do so. An image can enter a public domain under the following circumstances:

  • Scientists, educators or artists can use the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license to dedicate their images to the public domain
  • A picture’s copyright is no longer in effect
  • A photo was never the subject to copyright

It is of utmost importance to check if an image is within the public domain before you use it publicly in order to avoid potential legal complications.

How and Where to Find Public Domain Images?

A simple google search will reveal hundreds of websites that let you download public domain and royalty-free images. Which source you’re going to use depends on the type of image you’re looking for, since some websites are dedicated only to photography, while others feature impressive collections of public domain images of artworks. In addition, you’ll only want to download public domain images from the websites that offer information about the author because using a public domain image without crediting its author is strictly prohibited.

Best Websites for Downloading Public Domain Images

We’ve searched the Internet and we utilized our results to compile a collection of the most reliable websites that grant its users access to vast numbers of public domain images. Let’s take a look at some of the best websites that let you download public domain images.

1. Pexels

Public Domain Images from Pexels

Graphic designers and all other creatives in constant need of a fresh supply of public domain images don’t need a special introduction to Pexels. The stock image platform is dedicated to photography and video, so you can’t use it to search for vectors or clip art. Even so, you can use Pexles to search for public domain images based on a particular keyword or browse through its collection of free images and discover photos spontaneously. Clicking on the Popular Searches tab will enable you to see the images from Light, Nature or Animals and it will shorten the amount of time you have to spend looking for a photo you want to download.

Pros:

  • Neatly organized website
  • Free and easy sign-up
  • Offers a huge selection of free public domain images and videos according to the CC0 license
  • Hand-picked High quality Images

Cons:

  • Some categories should contain more images
  • Optimizing the search terms can be difficult

2. Pixabay

Public Domain Images from Plxabay

Besides offering an impressive collection of royalty-free photos, Pixabay also lets you search for public domain vectors, illustrations, and videos. The website hosts more than a million high-resolution photos and videos you can download for free. To make things even better, becoming a member of the Pixabay’s community and creating an account on this platform won’t take more than a few minutes of your time. Pixabay also offers advanced search tools that enable you to combine searches, search for the author of an image or group search terms. In addition, you can also browse through the photographers that contribute their images to the platform on a regular basis.

Pros:

  • Powerful search tools and various filters
  • Huge collection of public domain images

Cons

  • Customer support could be better

3. Wikimedia Commons

wikimedia commons

This is probably the largest website on the Internet where you can download public domain images. There are more than 49 million images, illustrations, vector graphics and videos available that can be downloaded for free. Some media files on Wikimedia Commons have certain restrictions, but these restrictions are mostly related to image citations, which means that you can use them only if you credit the author. Such a huge selection of media files can be overwhelming for the newcomers to the Wikimedia Commons platform, but once you grow accustomed to the website’s interface discovering images becomes a straightforward process.

Pros:

  • All images are available in high resolution
  • Nearly all images can be used without any restrictions

Cons:

  • Getting used to the website’s interface takes time
  • The number of search results can be overwhelming

4. Flickr Commons

Flickr commons

For more than a decade Flickr has been a popular online destination for photographers in need of a platform that enables them to present their work. The Flickr Commons is a project that unites more than a hundred institutions in an effort to create a library of public domain images. The project makes available a stunning amount of historical photographs and it grants you access to highly esteemed collections of photographs. Flick Commons is perfectly suited for researchers and scholars in need of public domain photos, they can use in their essays or research papers.

Pros:

  • Unlimited access to historical photos
  • Extends the knowledge available to the general public

Cons:

  • Doesn’t offer videos or illustrations
  • Search results are poorly organized

5. Unsplash

Unsplash public domain image

With a library that contains over 800,000 photos, Unsplash is easily one of the largest websites that offer public domain images. All pictures on this platform are organized into different categories, which makes finding a photo you want to use in a commercial or non-commercial project a relatively simple process. Alternatively, you can insert a keyword into a search bar and Unsplash will show you the results within seconds. However, the images you can find on this platform are similar to those you can purchase on stock photography websites, although some of them have an artistic touch that is hard to find on the majority of stock photos.

Pros:

  • Excellent source of high-resolution photos
  • Quick and easy search

Cons:

  • Unsplash is dedicated solely to photography
  • Limited amount of available public domain images

6. From Old Books

In case you are searching for images from old books you should look no further. This is a private collection of 2,600 images that are hard to find anywhere else on the Internet. You can browse through woodcuts, old texts or old holiday images, which makes this platform an excellent choice for anyone interested in rare images that were featured in old books. All pictures you can find on the From Old Books website are free to use on non-commercial projects, but you must pay a small fee if you want to download a high-resolution image you can use on a commercial project.

  • Images are organized into categories
  • Access to rare images

Cons

  • Some images are not free
  • Rudimentary website design

7. Morguefile

Morguefile public domain image

Morguefile is a website that offers stock footage to its users, but some of the images can’t be downloaded for free. That’s why you must click on the Free Photos tab before you start searching for public domain images on this website. The website hosts nearly 400.000 photos, videos, and vector graphics, but you must make sure that a file you want to download is within the public domain before you download it. The only downside is that the images aren’t organized into categories which can make finding the images you’re searching for more difficult than it needs to be.

Pros:

  • Creating an account on Morguefile is free
  • All free photos can be used on commercial projects

Cons:

  • Images can be organized better
  • Fewer free images than on other public domain image websites

8. Public Domain Archive

As the website’s name indicates, this is an archive of public domain images you can download for free and use in commercial contexts. All photos are organized into categories like abstract, free stock photos, people or wood which makes the search simpler. However, these categories don’t contain more than a few hundred photos and some of them offer as few as five pictures you can download. All photos are in high resolution and ready for professional use. The download process can be completed effortlessly in just a few quick steps. New images are added on a weekly basis.

Pros:

  • Professional quality of images
  • All images are free

Cons:

  • A limited selection of photos
  • Doesn’t offer vector graphics

NYPL Digital Gallery

NYPL Digital Gallery is an excellent resource for anyone who is not interested in stock photography. The New Your Public Library has made hundreds of thousands of historical images available to the public and you can use it to browse through items, collections or divisions. Before you enter a keyword you should click on the search only public domain materials tick box to ensure that the search results are going to display only images that can be used without restrictions. Additionally, the NYPL Digital Gallery lets you browse through its collection of digital books while its collections of photographs include the work of some of the highly esteemed American photographers.

Pros

  • Public domain images are available in different resolutions
  • Offers valuable research materials

Cons

  • Some images are subject to copyright
  • Only aimed at scholars and researchers

10. Viintage

Viintage is a gold mine for graphic designers as it grants them access to hundreds of vintage posters, book covers, and images. However, the amount of public domain images this website offers is limited and if you want to download the images from the collections of works created by famous artists from the late 19th and early 20th centuries you must purchase the premium version of Viintage. The website lacks some basic search options as it only allows you to type in the search term into the search bar. The images are not organized into categories which further complicates the process of finding a public domain image you’re looking for.

Pros:

  • Offers a collection of rare vintage public domain images
  • A great resource for graphic designers

Cons:

  • Most images on Viintage can’t be downloaded for free
  • Search tools are far from perfect

You may also like: Best Image Hosting Sites >>

How to Cite Public Domain Images Properly?

If you’re planning on using a public domain image in a blog or on your website, you must cite the source from which you acquired a particular image. The image citations should include the following information:

  • The title of the image
  • Author’s name
  • Information about the institution at which an image is kept
  • The source from which you acquired an image

In case you don’t have access to all of these information or if the information is simply not available you should include all details about a public domain image you have the access to. Furthermore, there are several styles of image citations that depend on the source from which an image was acquired.

Conclusion

Spending large sums of money on images you can use in commercial or private projects is not always necessary. The public domain images are widely available and they can be used in a broad range of contexts. Which website that lets you download public domain images do you like to use the most? Leave a comment and share your opinions with us.

Dont worry when you forget the syntax of an HTML element, like and iframe, a link, a table, an image or anything else. Visit HTML CheatSheet and generate the code you need.

author avatar

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Finding an image you like on the Internet doesn’t take long, since almost every website you can stumble upon, contains at least one picture. This doesn’t mean that you can just download any photo and use it in your blog, online marketing campaign or for any other purpose. Moreover, stock image websites like Getty Images or iStock let you purchase the right to use a photo commercially. As a reaction to an expanding stock image industry, many photographers, museums and cultural institutions are choosing to forfeit their rights and to publish public domain images. So, in this article, we are going to take you through the ten best public domain image websites where you can download pictures for free.

What Are Public Domain Images?

By definition, public domain images are photos, vectors or clip art that are available to anyone because their copyright has either expired or they never had a copyright owner. Consequently, anyone can use these images for both commercial or private projects without having to purchase the rights to do so. An image can enter a public domain under the following circumstances:

  • Scientists, educators or artists can use the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license to dedicate their images to the public domain
  • A picture’s copyright is no longer in effect
  • A photo was never the subject to copyright

It is of utmost importance to check if an image is within the public domain before you use it publicly in order to avoid potential legal complications.

How and Where to Find Public Domain Images?

A simple google search will reveal hundreds of websites that let you download public domain and royalty-free images. Which source you’re going to use depends on the type of image you’re looking for, since some websites are dedicated only to photography, while others feature impressive collections of public domain images of artworks. In addition, you’ll only want to download public domain images from the websites that offer information about the author because using a public domain image without crediting its author is strictly prohibited.

Best Websites for Downloading Public Domain Images

We’ve searched the Internet and we utilized our results to compile a collection of the most reliable websites that grant its users access to vast numbers of public domain images. Let’s take a look at some of the best websites that let you download public domain images.

1. Pexels

Public Domain Images from Pexels

Graphic designers and all other creatives in constant need of a fresh supply of public domain images don’t need a special introduction to Pexels. The stock image platform is dedicated to photography and video, so you can’t use it to search for vectors or clip art. Even so, you can use Pexles to search for public domain images based on a particular keyword or browse through its collection of free images and discover photos spontaneously. Clicking on the Popular Searches tab will enable you to see the images from Light, Nature or Animals and it will shorten the amount of time you have to spend looking for a photo you want to download.

Pros:

  • Neatly organized website
  • Free and easy sign-up
  • Offers a huge selection of free public domain images and videos according to the CC0 license
  • Hand-picked High quality Images

Cons:

  • Some categories should contain more images
  • Optimizing the search terms can be difficult

2. Pixabay

Public Domain Images from Plxabay

Besides offering an impressive collection of royalty-free photos, Pixabay also lets you search for public domain vectors, illustrations, and videos. The website hosts more than a million high-resolution photos and videos you can download for free. To make things even better, becoming a member of the Pixabay’s community and creating an account on this platform won’t take more than a few minutes of your time. Pixabay also offers advanced search tools that enable you to combine searches, search for the author of an image or group search terms. In addition, you can also browse through the photographers that contribute their images to the platform on a regular basis.

Pros:

  • Powerful search tools and various filters
  • Huge collection of public domain images

Cons

  • Customer support could be better

3. Wikimedia Commons

wikimedia commons

This is probably the largest website on the Internet where you can download public domain images. There are more than 49 million images, illustrations, vector graphics and videos available that can be downloaded for free. Some media files on Wikimedia Commons have certain restrictions, but these restrictions are mostly related to image citations, which means that you can use them only if you credit the author. Such a huge selection of media files can be overwhelming for the newcomers to the Wikimedia Commons platform, but once you grow accustomed to the website’s interface discovering images becomes a straightforward process.

Pros:

  • All images are available in high resolution
  • Nearly all images can be used without any restrictions

Cons:

  • Getting used to the website’s interface takes time
  • The number of search results can be overwhelming

4. Flickr Commons

Flickr commons

For more than a decade Flickr has been a popular online destination for photographers in need of a platform that enables them to present their work. The Flickr Commons is a project that unites more than a hundred institutions in an effort to create a library of public domain images. The project makes available a stunning amount of historical photographs and it grants you access to highly esteemed collections of photographs. Flick Commons is perfectly suited for researchers and scholars in need of public domain photos, they can use in their essays or research papers.

Pros:

  • Unlimited access to historical photos
  • Extends the knowledge available to the general public

Cons:

  • Doesn’t offer videos or illustrations
  • Search results are poorly organized

5. Unsplash

Unsplash public domain image

With a library that contains over 800,000 photos, Unsplash is easily one of the largest websites that offer public domain images. All pictures on this platform are organized into different categories, which makes finding a photo you want to use in a commercial or non-commercial project a relatively simple process. Alternatively, you can insert a keyword into a search bar and Unsplash will show you the results within seconds. However, the images you can find on this platform are similar to those you can purchase on stock photography websites, although some of them have an artistic touch that is hard to find on the majority of stock photos.

Pros:

  • Excellent source of high-resolution photos
  • Quick and easy search

Cons:

  • Unsplash is dedicated solely to photography
  • Limited amount of available public domain images

6. From Old Books

In case you are searching for images from old books you should look no further. This is a private collection of 2,600 images that are hard to find anywhere else on the Internet. You can browse through woodcuts, old texts or old holiday images, which makes this platform an excellent choice for anyone interested in rare images that were featured in old books. All pictures you can find on the From Old Books website are free to use on non-commercial projects, but you must pay a small fee if you want to download a high-resolution image you can use on a commercial project.

  • Images are organized into categories
  • Access to rare images

Cons

  • Some images are not free
  • Rudimentary website design

7. Morguefile

Morguefile public domain image

Morguefile is a website that offers stock footage to its users, but some of the images can’t be downloaded for free. That’s why you must click on the Free Photos tab before you start searching for public domain images on this website. The website hosts nearly 400.000 photos, videos, and vector graphics, but you must make sure that a file you want to download is within the public domain before you download it. The only downside is that the images aren’t organized into categories which can make finding the images you’re searching for more difficult than it needs to be.

Pros:

  • Creating an account on Morguefile is free
  • All free photos can be used on commercial projects

Cons:

  • Images can be organized better
  • Fewer free images than on other public domain image websites

8. Public Domain Archive

As the website’s name indicates, this is an archive of public domain images you can download for free and use in commercial contexts. All photos are organized into categories like abstract, free stock photos, people or wood which makes the search simpler. However, these categories don’t contain more than a few hundred photos and some of them offer as few as five pictures you can download. All photos are in high resolution and ready for professional use. The download process can be completed effortlessly in just a few quick steps. New images are added on a weekly basis.

Pros:

  • Professional quality of images
  • All images are free

Cons:

  • A limited selection of photos
  • Doesn’t offer vector graphics

NYPL Digital Gallery

NYPL Digital Gallery is an excellent resource for anyone who is not interested in stock photography. The New Your Public Library has made hundreds of thousands of historical images available to the public and you can use it to browse through items, collections or divisions. Before you enter a keyword you should click on the search only public domain materials tick box to ensure that the search results are going to display only images that can be used without restrictions. Additionally, the NYPL Digital Gallery lets you browse through its collection of digital books while its collections of photographs include the work of some of the highly esteemed American photographers.

Pros

  • Public domain images are available in different resolutions
  • Offers valuable research materials

Cons

  • Some images are subject to copyright
  • Only aimed at scholars and researchers

10. Viintage

Viintage is a gold mine for graphic designers as it grants them access to hundreds of vintage posters, book covers, and images. However, the amount of public domain images this website offers is limited and if you want to download the images from the collections of works created by famous artists from the late 19th and early 20th centuries you must purchase the premium version of Viintage. The website lacks some basic search options as it only allows you to type in the search term into the search bar. The images are not organized into categories which further complicates the process of finding a public domain image you’re looking for.

Pros:

  • Offers a collection of rare vintage public domain images
  • A great resource for graphic designers

Cons:

  • Most images on Viintage can’t be downloaded for free
  • Search tools are far from perfect

You may also like: Best Image Hosting Sites >>

How to Cite Public Domain Images Properly?

If you’re planning on using a public domain image in a blog or on your website, you must cite the source from which you acquired a particular image. The image citations should include the following information:

  • The title of the image
  • Author’s name
  • Information about the institution at which an image is kept
  • The source from which you acquired an image

In case you don’t have access to all of these information or if the information is simply not available you should include all details about a public domain image you have the access to. Furthermore, there are several styles of image citations that depend on the source from which an image was acquired.

Conclusion

Spending large sums of money on images you can use in commercial or private projects is not always necessary. The public domain images are widely available and they can be used in a broad range of contexts. Which website that lets you download public domain images do you like to use the most? Leave a comment and share your opinions with us.

Dont worry when you forget the syntax of an HTML element, like and iframe, a link, a table, an image or anything else. Visit HTML CheatSheet and generate the code you need.

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Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

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Make Quick Work of Long Videos: Speed Up Playback in QuickTime

Are you watching a pre-recorded lecture or a video presentation that is too long? You can always save your time by fast-forwarding a video. Different software available in the market let you speed up video clips on your computer or laptop. Amongst hundreds of software available online, QuickTime Player- a creation of Apple Inc.- is easy to operate and works on all active versions of macOS and Windows.

Some features of QuickTime Video Player cannot be overlooked, such as fast-forward, slow down, video compression, and more. Moreover, the application supports multiple video formats, and you can even use 3rd party codecs- unsupported codecs are no more a problem now. Here, in this guide, we’ve provided detailed information about using QuickTime player to speed up a video.

In this article

01 What is QuickTime Player?

02 How to Speed Up Videos on QuickTime Player [Windows]?

03 How to Speed Up Videos on Mac with QuickTime Player?

04 Tips for Speeding up Video on QuickTime Player

05 Adjust Video Speed withWondershare Filmora Video Editor

Part 1: What is QuickTime Player?

QuickTime Player is a media player that Apple has developed. This media player or software allows you to play a movie file on your computer. You can also use QuickTime player to speed up a movie file according to your preferences.

Part 2: How to Speed Up Videos on QuickTime Player [Windows]?

Want to speed up an instructional or step-by-step guide to save your time? Worry not! QuickTime video player lets you fast-forward all types of video clips on your windows laptop in a breeze. Using the QuickTime video player, you can speed up your videos from 1/2x to 3x by simply moving the slider. Want to know how to speed up QuickTime player? Follow these steps.

Step 1: Open a movie or music video file on QuickTime Player.

Step 2: Open the Window menu and select the Show A/V Controls option. A dialog box will appear.

quicktime player window show av controls

Step 3: Adjust the playback speed slider from 1x to 3x.

change video playback speed quicktime player windows

Step 4: Close the dialog box and play the video.

Related: How to Change Video Playback Speed on Windows 10 ?

Part 3: How to Speed Up Videos on Mac with QuickTime Player?

Whether you’re a Mac or Windows user- QuickTime Video Player has got you covered. The interface and functions of this video player are intuitive and user-friendly for all Mac users.

If Mac doesn’t support any codec or format, you can also download the third-party codecs and use them with the QuickTime video player. Here’s how to speed up a video on Mac:

Step 1: Install QuickTime Player on your Mac computer.

Step 2: Drag the video file into the player or right-click on the video file and select **Open with -**> QuickTime Player app.

Step 3: Click on the Play button to stream the video content.

Note: The Play button will turn into the Pause button in a second.

Step 4: Hold the Option key, click the fast forward button from the player menu to increase the playback speed.

change video speed quicktime player mac

Part 4: Tips for Speeding up Video on QuickTime Player

It is necessary to learn some tips regarding how to speed up video on Mac or Windows using QuickTime Player. Following these tips will let you edit your video efficiently and flawlessly. The tips for speeding up video on QuickTime Player have been mentioned below:

  • Make Proper Adjustments

If you want to edit or speed up your video up to 2x without using the fast forward button, you must make adjustments in the editing process. QuickTime Player allows you to apply a 200% speed adjustment for editing each video clip and bring that clip into a new timeline. Then, you should apply the 2x Speed to it. After completing the editing process, you can export that clip.

  • Learn Keyboard Shortcuts

You can use shortcut keys to speed up your videos using QuickTime Player. You need to hold the Command key and press the arrow keys to adjust the video speed. For example, hold the Command key and press Right Arrow to fast-forward the Speed of your video. You can also trim the video using the shortcut key or Command + T.

  • Control Audio Quality

For your information, the audio quality of the original video is disturbed when you speed up the video up to 2.0x. If you do not want the audio quality to worsen, you should stop speeding up the video until 1.9x.

  • Control Playback Speed

You can control the playback QuickTime player speed while the video is playing. You only need to hold the option key and click the fast forward button. On every click, you will notice the Speed increases from 1.0x to 1.1x, 1.1x to 1.2x, and up to so on.

Related: How to Edit Videos with QuickTime Player

Part 5: Adjust Video Speed with Wondershare Filmora

Wondershare Filmora video editor allows you to adjust your video clip’s time duration and Speed. You can download and install this software from your Windows computer and Mac computer. You can create fast or slow-motion videos at any speed by using Wondershare Filmora. In addition, this player supports a wide variety of formats.

You need to follow the following steps to adjust the video speed using Wondershare Filmora:

Method 1: Change video speed with Uniform Speed

Step 1: Install Wondershare Filmora and launch it on your computer. Click on Import Media Files Here to add a video file to this editor.

Note: This editor supports multiple video formats such as MP4 WMV, DAT, TP, TRP, TS, EVO. NSV, MKV, MOD, FLV, M4V, VOB etc. Moreover, you can add videos through the import feature of simple drag and drop the video file.

Step 2: Drag the video to the timeline. Right-click on it, select Speed> Uniform Speed from the menu.

filmora speed menu

Step 3: At the Uniform Speed tab, move the slider to speed up the video and hit OK to save changes.

filmora uniform speed change speed

Step 4: Click on Export to export the edited video. Click on the Local to save the video in a popular format on your computer.

Method 2: Change video speed with Speed Raming

Step 1: Right-click on the video in the timeline and select Speed -> Speed Ramping from the menu.

Step 2: In the Speed Raming tab, you will see some speed presets which allows you to change the speed smoother quickly. You can also click the Custom option to set the speed points from scratch.

change video speed ramping filmora

Step 3: Now, to speed up the video, enter the duration less than the original one next to the Duration tab, and hit OK. Save the speed-up video by clicking on Export.

Watch the video tutorial about how to use the Speed Ramping feature in Filmora video editor.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

FAQs about Changing Speed on QuickTime Player

Why is my QuickTime player lagging?

Sometimes, you might experience lagging or sluggishness when you speed up the video via QuickTime. It affects the smoothness of the video. Here we’ve stated some errors and their solutions:

Check settings: Always check settings before you speed up any video on QuickTime player. Go to Windows>Check A/V controls and check all the payback setting there.

Codec Faut: Sometimes, an unsupportive codec can also affect the smoothness of the video. You can run your video through MediaInfo or GSpot to identify the codec and install proper plug-ins.

Conclusion

Now you can easily and effortlessly utilize QuickTime player speed up by following the above-mentioned essential tips. No doubt, QuickTime Player is one of the best players that can be used to play video files and edit them. Alternatively, you can also use Wondershare Filmora, another excellent Mac video editor , to speed up your video files to the extent you want.

02 How to Speed Up Videos on QuickTime Player [Windows]?

03 How to Speed Up Videos on Mac with QuickTime Player?

04 Tips for Speeding up Video on QuickTime Player

05 Adjust Video Speed withWondershare Filmora Video Editor

Part 1: What is QuickTime Player?

QuickTime Player is a media player that Apple has developed. This media player or software allows you to play a movie file on your computer. You can also use QuickTime player to speed up a movie file according to your preferences.

Part 2: How to Speed Up Videos on QuickTime Player [Windows]?

Want to speed up an instructional or step-by-step guide to save your time? Worry not! QuickTime video player lets you fast-forward all types of video clips on your windows laptop in a breeze. Using the QuickTime video player, you can speed up your videos from 1/2x to 3x by simply moving the slider. Want to know how to speed up QuickTime player? Follow these steps.

Step 1: Open a movie or music video file on QuickTime Player.

Step 2: Open the Window menu and select the Show A/V Controls option. A dialog box will appear.

quicktime player window show av controls

Step 3: Adjust the playback speed slider from 1x to 3x.

change video playback speed quicktime player windows

Step 4: Close the dialog box and play the video.

Related: How to Change Video Playback Speed on Windows 10 ?

Part 3: How to Speed Up Videos on Mac with QuickTime Player?

Whether you’re a Mac or Windows user- QuickTime Video Player has got you covered. The interface and functions of this video player are intuitive and user-friendly for all Mac users.

If Mac doesn’t support any codec or format, you can also download the third-party codecs and use them with the QuickTime video player. Here’s how to speed up a video on Mac:

Step 1: Install QuickTime Player on your Mac computer.

Step 2: Drag the video file into the player or right-click on the video file and select **Open with -**> QuickTime Player app.

Step 3: Click on the Play button to stream the video content.

Note: The Play button will turn into the Pause button in a second.

Step 4: Hold the Option key, click the fast forward button from the player menu to increase the playback speed.

change video speed quicktime player mac

Part 4: Tips for Speeding up Video on QuickTime Player

It is necessary to learn some tips regarding how to speed up video on Mac or Windows using QuickTime Player. Following these tips will let you edit your video efficiently and flawlessly. The tips for speeding up video on QuickTime Player have been mentioned below:

  • Make Proper Adjustments

If you want to edit or speed up your video up to 2x without using the fast forward button, you must make adjustments in the editing process. QuickTime Player allows you to apply a 200% speed adjustment for editing each video clip and bring that clip into a new timeline. Then, you should apply the 2x Speed to it. After completing the editing process, you can export that clip.

  • Learn Keyboard Shortcuts

You can use shortcut keys to speed up your videos using QuickTime Player. You need to hold the Command key and press the arrow keys to adjust the video speed. For example, hold the Command key and press Right Arrow to fast-forward the Speed of your video. You can also trim the video using the shortcut key or Command + T.

  • Control Audio Quality

For your information, the audio quality of the original video is disturbed when you speed up the video up to 2.0x. If you do not want the audio quality to worsen, you should stop speeding up the video until 1.9x.

  • Control Playback Speed

You can control the playback QuickTime player speed while the video is playing. You only need to hold the option key and click the fast forward button. On every click, you will notice the Speed increases from 1.0x to 1.1x, 1.1x to 1.2x, and up to so on.

Related: How to Edit Videos with QuickTime Player

Part 5: Adjust Video Speed with Wondershare Filmora

Wondershare Filmora video editor allows you to adjust your video clip’s time duration and Speed. You can download and install this software from your Windows computer and Mac computer. You can create fast or slow-motion videos at any speed by using Wondershare Filmora. In addition, this player supports a wide variety of formats.

You need to follow the following steps to adjust the video speed using Wondershare Filmora:

Method 1: Change video speed with Uniform Speed

Step 1: Install Wondershare Filmora and launch it on your computer. Click on Import Media Files Here to add a video file to this editor.

Note: This editor supports multiple video formats such as MP4 WMV, DAT, TP, TRP, TS, EVO. NSV, MKV, MOD, FLV, M4V, VOB etc. Moreover, you can add videos through the import feature of simple drag and drop the video file.

Step 2: Drag the video to the timeline. Right-click on it, select Speed> Uniform Speed from the menu.

filmora speed menu

Step 3: At the Uniform Speed tab, move the slider to speed up the video and hit OK to save changes.

filmora uniform speed change speed

Step 4: Click on Export to export the edited video. Click on the Local to save the video in a popular format on your computer.

Method 2: Change video speed with Speed Raming

Step 1: Right-click on the video in the timeline and select Speed -> Speed Ramping from the menu.

Step 2: In the Speed Raming tab, you will see some speed presets which allows you to change the speed smoother quickly. You can also click the Custom option to set the speed points from scratch.

change video speed ramping filmora

Step 3: Now, to speed up the video, enter the duration less than the original one next to the Duration tab, and hit OK. Save the speed-up video by clicking on Export.

Watch the video tutorial about how to use the Speed Ramping feature in Filmora video editor.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

FAQs about Changing Speed on QuickTime Player

Why is my QuickTime player lagging?

Sometimes, you might experience lagging or sluggishness when you speed up the video via QuickTime. It affects the smoothness of the video. Here we’ve stated some errors and their solutions:

Check settings: Always check settings before you speed up any video on QuickTime player. Go to Windows>Check A/V controls and check all the payback setting there.

Codec Faut: Sometimes, an unsupportive codec can also affect the smoothness of the video. You can run your video through MediaInfo or GSpot to identify the codec and install proper plug-ins.

Conclusion

Now you can easily and effortlessly utilize QuickTime player speed up by following the above-mentioned essential tips. No doubt, QuickTime Player is one of the best players that can be used to play video files and edit them. Alternatively, you can also use Wondershare Filmora, another excellent Mac video editor , to speed up your video files to the extent you want.

02 How to Speed Up Videos on QuickTime Player [Windows]?

03 How to Speed Up Videos on Mac with QuickTime Player?

04 Tips for Speeding up Video on QuickTime Player

05 Adjust Video Speed withWondershare Filmora Video Editor

Part 1: What is QuickTime Player?

QuickTime Player is a media player that Apple has developed. This media player or software allows you to play a movie file on your computer. You can also use QuickTime player to speed up a movie file according to your preferences.

Part 2: How to Speed Up Videos on QuickTime Player [Windows]?

Want to speed up an instructional or step-by-step guide to save your time? Worry not! QuickTime video player lets you fast-forward all types of video clips on your windows laptop in a breeze. Using the QuickTime video player, you can speed up your videos from 1/2x to 3x by simply moving the slider. Want to know how to speed up QuickTime player? Follow these steps.

Step 1: Open a movie or music video file on QuickTime Player.

Step 2: Open the Window menu and select the Show A/V Controls option. A dialog box will appear.

quicktime player window show av controls

Step 3: Adjust the playback speed slider from 1x to 3x.

change video playback speed quicktime player windows

Step 4: Close the dialog box and play the video.

Related: How to Change Video Playback Speed on Windows 10 ?

Part 3: How to Speed Up Videos on Mac with QuickTime Player?

Whether you’re a Mac or Windows user- QuickTime Video Player has got you covered. The interface and functions of this video player are intuitive and user-friendly for all Mac users.

If Mac doesn’t support any codec or format, you can also download the third-party codecs and use them with the QuickTime video player. Here’s how to speed up a video on Mac:

Step 1: Install QuickTime Player on your Mac computer.

Step 2: Drag the video file into the player or right-click on the video file and select **Open with -**> QuickTime Player app.

Step 3: Click on the Play button to stream the video content.

Note: The Play button will turn into the Pause button in a second.

Step 4: Hold the Option key, click the fast forward button from the player menu to increase the playback speed.

change video speed quicktime player mac

Part 4: Tips for Speeding up Video on QuickTime Player

It is necessary to learn some tips regarding how to speed up video on Mac or Windows using QuickTime Player. Following these tips will let you edit your video efficiently and flawlessly. The tips for speeding up video on QuickTime Player have been mentioned below:

  • Make Proper Adjustments

If you want to edit or speed up your video up to 2x without using the fast forward button, you must make adjustments in the editing process. QuickTime Player allows you to apply a 200% speed adjustment for editing each video clip and bring that clip into a new timeline. Then, you should apply the 2x Speed to it. After completing the editing process, you can export that clip.

  • Learn Keyboard Shortcuts

You can use shortcut keys to speed up your videos using QuickTime Player. You need to hold the Command key and press the arrow keys to adjust the video speed. For example, hold the Command key and press Right Arrow to fast-forward the Speed of your video. You can also trim the video using the shortcut key or Command + T.

  • Control Audio Quality

For your information, the audio quality of the original video is disturbed when you speed up the video up to 2.0x. If you do not want the audio quality to worsen, you should stop speeding up the video until 1.9x.

  • Control Playback Speed

You can control the playback QuickTime player speed while the video is playing. You only need to hold the option key and click the fast forward button. On every click, you will notice the Speed increases from 1.0x to 1.1x, 1.1x to 1.2x, and up to so on.

Related: How to Edit Videos with QuickTime Player

Part 5: Adjust Video Speed with Wondershare Filmora

Wondershare Filmora video editor allows you to adjust your video clip’s time duration and Speed. You can download and install this software from your Windows computer and Mac computer. You can create fast or slow-motion videos at any speed by using Wondershare Filmora. In addition, this player supports a wide variety of formats.

You need to follow the following steps to adjust the video speed using Wondershare Filmora:

Method 1: Change video speed with Uniform Speed

Step 1: Install Wondershare Filmora and launch it on your computer. Click on Import Media Files Here to add a video file to this editor.

Note: This editor supports multiple video formats such as MP4 WMV, DAT, TP, TRP, TS, EVO. NSV, MKV, MOD, FLV, M4V, VOB etc. Moreover, you can add videos through the import feature of simple drag and drop the video file.

Step 2: Drag the video to the timeline. Right-click on it, select Speed> Uniform Speed from the menu.

filmora speed menu

Step 3: At the Uniform Speed tab, move the slider to speed up the video and hit OK to save changes.

filmora uniform speed change speed

Step 4: Click on Export to export the edited video. Click on the Local to save the video in a popular format on your computer.

Method 2: Change video speed with Speed Raming

Step 1: Right-click on the video in the timeline and select Speed -> Speed Ramping from the menu.

Step 2: In the Speed Raming tab, you will see some speed presets which allows you to change the speed smoother quickly. You can also click the Custom option to set the speed points from scratch.

change video speed ramping filmora

Step 3: Now, to speed up the video, enter the duration less than the original one next to the Duration tab, and hit OK. Save the speed-up video by clicking on Export.

Watch the video tutorial about how to use the Speed Ramping feature in Filmora video editor.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

FAQs about Changing Speed on QuickTime Player

Why is my QuickTime player lagging?

Sometimes, you might experience lagging or sluggishness when you speed up the video via QuickTime. It affects the smoothness of the video. Here we’ve stated some errors and their solutions:

Check settings: Always check settings before you speed up any video on QuickTime player. Go to Windows>Check A/V controls and check all the payback setting there.

Codec Faut: Sometimes, an unsupportive codec can also affect the smoothness of the video. You can run your video through MediaInfo or GSpot to identify the codec and install proper plug-ins.

Conclusion

Now you can easily and effortlessly utilize QuickTime player speed up by following the above-mentioned essential tips. No doubt, QuickTime Player is one of the best players that can be used to play video files and edit them. Alternatively, you can also use Wondershare Filmora, another excellent Mac video editor , to speed up your video files to the extent you want.

02 How to Speed Up Videos on QuickTime Player [Windows]?

03 How to Speed Up Videos on Mac with QuickTime Player?

04 Tips for Speeding up Video on QuickTime Player

05 Adjust Video Speed withWondershare Filmora Video Editor

Part 1: What is QuickTime Player?

QuickTime Player is a media player that Apple has developed. This media player or software allows you to play a movie file on your computer. You can also use QuickTime player to speed up a movie file according to your preferences.

Part 2: How to Speed Up Videos on QuickTime Player [Windows]?

Want to speed up an instructional or step-by-step guide to save your time? Worry not! QuickTime video player lets you fast-forward all types of video clips on your windows laptop in a breeze. Using the QuickTime video player, you can speed up your videos from 1/2x to 3x by simply moving the slider. Want to know how to speed up QuickTime player? Follow these steps.

Step 1: Open a movie or music video file on QuickTime Player.

Step 2: Open the Window menu and select the Show A/V Controls option. A dialog box will appear.

quicktime player window show av controls

Step 3: Adjust the playback speed slider from 1x to 3x.

change video playback speed quicktime player windows

Step 4: Close the dialog box and play the video.

Related: How to Change Video Playback Speed on Windows 10 ?

Part 3: How to Speed Up Videos on Mac with QuickTime Player?

Whether you’re a Mac or Windows user- QuickTime Video Player has got you covered. The interface and functions of this video player are intuitive and user-friendly for all Mac users.

If Mac doesn’t support any codec or format, you can also download the third-party codecs and use them with the QuickTime video player. Here’s how to speed up a video on Mac:

Step 1: Install QuickTime Player on your Mac computer.

Step 2: Drag the video file into the player or right-click on the video file and select **Open with -**> QuickTime Player app.

Step 3: Click on the Play button to stream the video content.

Note: The Play button will turn into the Pause button in a second.

Step 4: Hold the Option key, click the fast forward button from the player menu to increase the playback speed.

change video speed quicktime player mac

Part 4: Tips for Speeding up Video on QuickTime Player

It is necessary to learn some tips regarding how to speed up video on Mac or Windows using QuickTime Player. Following these tips will let you edit your video efficiently and flawlessly. The tips for speeding up video on QuickTime Player have been mentioned below:

  • Make Proper Adjustments

If you want to edit or speed up your video up to 2x without using the fast forward button, you must make adjustments in the editing process. QuickTime Player allows you to apply a 200% speed adjustment for editing each video clip and bring that clip into a new timeline. Then, you should apply the 2x Speed to it. After completing the editing process, you can export that clip.

  • Learn Keyboard Shortcuts

You can use shortcut keys to speed up your videos using QuickTime Player. You need to hold the Command key and press the arrow keys to adjust the video speed. For example, hold the Command key and press Right Arrow to fast-forward the Speed of your video. You can also trim the video using the shortcut key or Command + T.

  • Control Audio Quality

For your information, the audio quality of the original video is disturbed when you speed up the video up to 2.0x. If you do not want the audio quality to worsen, you should stop speeding up the video until 1.9x.

  • Control Playback Speed

You can control the playback QuickTime player speed while the video is playing. You only need to hold the option key and click the fast forward button. On every click, you will notice the Speed increases from 1.0x to 1.1x, 1.1x to 1.2x, and up to so on.

Related: How to Edit Videos with QuickTime Player

Part 5: Adjust Video Speed with Wondershare Filmora

Wondershare Filmora video editor allows you to adjust your video clip’s time duration and Speed. You can download and install this software from your Windows computer and Mac computer. You can create fast or slow-motion videos at any speed by using Wondershare Filmora. In addition, this player supports a wide variety of formats.

You need to follow the following steps to adjust the video speed using Wondershare Filmora:

Method 1: Change video speed with Uniform Speed

Step 1: Install Wondershare Filmora and launch it on your computer. Click on Import Media Files Here to add a video file to this editor.

Note: This editor supports multiple video formats such as MP4 WMV, DAT, TP, TRP, TS, EVO. NSV, MKV, MOD, FLV, M4V, VOB etc. Moreover, you can add videos through the import feature of simple drag and drop the video file.

Step 2: Drag the video to the timeline. Right-click on it, select Speed> Uniform Speed from the menu.

filmora speed menu

Step 3: At the Uniform Speed tab, move the slider to speed up the video and hit OK to save changes.

filmora uniform speed change speed

Step 4: Click on Export to export the edited video. Click on the Local to save the video in a popular format on your computer.

Method 2: Change video speed with Speed Raming

Step 1: Right-click on the video in the timeline and select Speed -> Speed Ramping from the menu.

Step 2: In the Speed Raming tab, you will see some speed presets which allows you to change the speed smoother quickly. You can also click the Custom option to set the speed points from scratch.

change video speed ramping filmora

Step 3: Now, to speed up the video, enter the duration less than the original one next to the Duration tab, and hit OK. Save the speed-up video by clicking on Export.

Watch the video tutorial about how to use the Speed Ramping feature in Filmora video editor.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

FAQs about Changing Speed on QuickTime Player

Why is my QuickTime player lagging?

Sometimes, you might experience lagging or sluggishness when you speed up the video via QuickTime. It affects the smoothness of the video. Here we’ve stated some errors and their solutions:

Check settings: Always check settings before you speed up any video on QuickTime player. Go to Windows>Check A/V controls and check all the payback setting there.

Codec Faut: Sometimes, an unsupportive codec can also affect the smoothness of the video. You can run your video through MediaInfo or GSpot to identify the codec and install proper plug-ins.

Conclusion

Now you can easily and effortlessly utilize QuickTime player speed up by following the above-mentioned essential tips. No doubt, QuickTime Player is one of the best players that can be used to play video files and edit them. Alternatively, you can also use Wondershare Filmora, another excellent Mac video editor , to speed up your video files to the extent you want.

Chromecast Mastery: Playing Any Video File Type with Ease (2023 Update)

How to Stream Any Video Format to Google Chromecast

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Google Chromecast is a digital media player that allows you to stream MP4, WebM, MPEG-DASH, Smooth Streaming, and HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) video formats on your High Definition Television (HDTV). It requires a wireless connection using the Internet or a network-connected computer, tablet, or smartphone. You can play various multimedia content, but only Google Cast-supported formats can be streamed directly.

If you would like to play unsupported formats, such as MKV, VOB, FLV, and AVI, you will need to get a video format converter to stream movies, TV shows, and music videos with unsupported formats. We’ve picked some best video converters that you can use which also support 4K footage. Check the list of thebest 4K video converters here. In this article, you will learn about supported and unsupported video formats and how you can stream them using your Chromecast media player.

google chromecast


This article contains:


Part 1: Chromecast Supported and Unsupported Video Formats

The default Chromecast video formats are MP4 and WebM. It also supports MPEG-DASH, Smooth Streaming, and HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) video files. All other video formats are unsupported. The following information provides a brief introduction of supported and unsupported formats.

Standard supported Chromecast video formats include:

  • MP4 - MPEG 4 or MP4 video files use the standard .mp4 extension. It is most commonly used to store video and audio files.
  • WebM – An open video format for the web that allows everyone to stream video and audio codecs.

Some unsupported video formats include:

  • AVI – AVI (Audio Video Interleave), the most common format for audio/video data on the PC, is a multimedia container format with video and audio.
  • MKV – The Matroska Multimedia Container holds video, audio, picture, or subtitle tracks in one file.
  • FLV – Flash video formats are video files that are streamed over the Internet using the Adobe Flash Player.
  • MOV – MOV is a multimedia file format that contains one and more tracks of data, such as audio, video or text.
  • VOB – VOB (Video Object) files are DVD-Video file formats that contain digital video audio, audio, and subtitles relevant to DVDs.
  • 3G2 – This is a video container file for audio, video, and text that is an extension of MP4.

What are the differences between each format? Check What’s Video Format?

Since Chromecast only supports few video formats, it is recommended that you get avideo streaming application that allows you to stream unsupported formats, such as M2TS, 3GP, DIVX, RM, RMVB, ASF, TS, DV, F4V, OGV, TOD. Wondershare Video Converter for example allows you to use Chromecast to stream unsupported formats through your Windows computer to your television.


Part 2: Three Ways to Stream Supported Videos

There are various ways that you can stream supported videos using your Chromecast media player, but here you will learn three of the most commonly used methods. You will learn how to connect using a computer, mobile device, and through the YouTube app.

1.Connect with your Mobile device

To stream videos using your mobile device, you will need to download and open the Chromecast app on your Android or iOS smartphone or tablet using Google Play or the App Store. The Chromecast app is available for Android tablets and smartphones through Google Play and for iPhones and iPads in the App store.

Note: You should ensure that your mobile device is connected to your Wi-Fi and not your mobile network. Also, you must have the latest app installed and be on the same network as your Chromecast digital media player.

2.Connect with your Computer

Chromecast allows you to stream videos on your TV using your Mac or PC running the Chrome browser. This is the only browser that Chromecast is compatible with. Follow the instructions below to connect with your computer.

Step 1. Open the Chrome browser on your computer and then set up Chromecast.

cast video

Step 2. Download the Chromecast app to your computer.

Step 3. Select the instruction below that is applicable to your computer.

i. On your Windows computer, Save the file, run the Chromecast app and follow the prompts to complete setting up Chromecast.
ii. On your Mac OS X computer, drag and drop the Chromecast app into your Applications folder. You will need to open the folder, run the application, and then select the Chromecast device. Follow the instructions to complete the setup process.

3. Connect with YouTube

Follow the instructions below to download and set up YouTube to watch videos on your TV using your Chromecast device.

Step 1. Connect your Chromecast device to an available HDMI slot on your HDTV.
Step 2. When your Chromecast digital media player is securely connected to your TV you will see the Chromecast Home screen with your Wi-Fi name at the bottom of the screen.
Step 3. Now, download the YouTube app on your Android or Apple tablet or smartphone.
Step 4. Connect your Android or Apple device to the same Wi-Fi network as your Chromecast device.
Step 5. Open the YouTube app on your Android or Apple device and click the Cast button to start streaming videos.


Part 3: Comparison Methods for Streaming Supported Videos

The following chart provides a list of requirements for streaming supported videos using a computer, YouTube, and a mobile device.

| | Computer | YouTube | Mobile Devices | |
| ———————– | ———————————————- | —————————————– | ————– |
| TELEVISION | HDTV | HDTV | HDTV |
| OPERATING SYSTEM | Mac OS X 7 or higher or Windows 7 or higher | Android or iOS | Android or iOS |
| MOBILE APPLICATION | Chromecast | YouTube | Chromecast |
| INTERNET CONNECTION | Wireless | Wireless | Wireless |
| GOOGLE DEVICE | Chromecast | Chromecast | Chromecast |
| BROWSER | Chrome | | |
| MOBILE DEVICE | iPad, iPhone, and Android smartphone or Tablet | iPad, iPhone, and Android Phone or Tablet | |


Part 4: Three Ways to Stream Unsupported Videos

  • Wondershare Video Converter – It provides a powerful plugin called “Media Server” which allows you to directly stream both supported and unsupported audio and video formats to Chromecast.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

  • Wondershare DreamStream Application - DreamStream allows HD streaming from PC and tablet to TV through Chromecast. It allows you to stream TV shows, movies, and music videos with any video format to your TV.

Download Win Version

  • RealPlayer Cloud– The Real Player Cloud app allows you to stream unsupported videos to your TV with your computer or mobile device.

Part 5: Comparison Methods for Streaming Unsupported Videos

The following chart provides a list of requirements for streaming unsupported videos to your TV using iDealShare video converter, RealPlayer Cloud app, and Wondershare DreamStream.

| | Wondershare Video Converter | Wondershare DreamStream Application | RealPlayer Cloud | |
| —————————————————————————– | —————————————————————————————- | ————————————————————————————————————————– | ————————————————————– |
| VIDEO FORMATS | MKV, AVI , MP4 , Apple ProRes, MOV, FLV, VOB, DAV, MPG, MXF, avchd, WTV, WMV , ASF, RMVB | MP4 , WebM, AVI , MKV , RM, RMVB, MOV, MPG, VOB, FLV , WMV, ASF, TS, M2TS, 3G2, 3GP, DIVX, DV, F4V, MTS, OGV, TOD, TP, TRP | FLV , WMV , MKV , DIVX, XVID, MOV, AVI , and MP4 . |
| AUDIO FORMATS | LAC, DTS, AIFF, APE, WAV, WMA, Apple Lossless, M4A, OGG, CAF | MP3, WMA, APE, FLAC, OGG, M4A, WAV, AC3, MP2 | Android or iOS |
| OPERATING SYSTEM | Mac OS X and Windows | Windows | Chromecast |
| PRICE | $49.95 | Free Lite, $4.99 mo. (Registered) | Free app, $4.99 to $29.99 mo. (25 to 300 GB Storage) |
| BROWSER | Firefox, Chrome, Safari, etc | All Browsers (Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, Chrome, etc) | All Browsers (Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, Chrome, etc) |
| MOBILE DEVICE | Windows Tablet | iPhone, iPad, Android tablet and smartphone | |

At the end of the day, streaming supported and unsupported video formats to your TV with Chromecast are easy to accomplish with any of the methods and tools discussed.

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Google Chromecast is a digital media player that allows you to stream MP4, WebM, MPEG-DASH, Smooth Streaming, and HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) video formats on your High Definition Television (HDTV). It requires a wireless connection using the Internet or a network-connected computer, tablet, or smartphone. You can play various multimedia content, but only Google Cast-supported formats can be streamed directly.

If you would like to play unsupported formats, such as MKV, VOB, FLV, and AVI, you will need to get a video format converter to stream movies, TV shows, and music videos with unsupported formats. We’ve picked some best video converters that you can use which also support 4K footage. Check the list of thebest 4K video converters here. In this article, you will learn about supported and unsupported video formats and how you can stream them using your Chromecast media player.

google chromecast


This article contains:


Part 1: Chromecast Supported and Unsupported Video Formats

The default Chromecast video formats are MP4 and WebM. It also supports MPEG-DASH, Smooth Streaming, and HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) video files. All other video formats are unsupported. The following information provides a brief introduction of supported and unsupported formats.

Standard supported Chromecast video formats include:

  • MP4 - MPEG 4 or MP4 video files use the standard .mp4 extension. It is most commonly used to store video and audio files.
  • WebM – An open video format for the web that allows everyone to stream video and audio codecs.

Some unsupported video formats include:

  • AVI – AVI (Audio Video Interleave), the most common format for audio/video data on the PC, is a multimedia container format with video and audio.
  • MKV – The Matroska Multimedia Container holds video, audio, picture, or subtitle tracks in one file.
  • FLV – Flash video formats are video files that are streamed over the Internet using the Adobe Flash Player.
  • MOV – MOV is a multimedia file format that contains one and more tracks of data, such as audio, video or text.
  • VOB – VOB (Video Object) files are DVD-Video file formats that contain digital video audio, audio, and subtitles relevant to DVDs.
  • 3G2 – This is a video container file for audio, video, and text that is an extension of MP4.

What are the differences between each format? Check What’s Video Format?

Since Chromecast only supports few video formats, it is recommended that you get avideo streaming application that allows you to stream unsupported formats, such as M2TS, 3GP, DIVX, RM, RMVB, ASF, TS, DV, F4V, OGV, TOD. Wondershare Video Converter for example allows you to use Chromecast to stream unsupported formats through your Windows computer to your television.


Part 2: Three Ways to Stream Supported Videos

There are various ways that you can stream supported videos using your Chromecast media player, but here you will learn three of the most commonly used methods. You will learn how to connect using a computer, mobile device, and through the YouTube app.

1.Connect with your Mobile device

To stream videos using your mobile device, you will need to download and open the Chromecast app on your Android or iOS smartphone or tablet using Google Play or the App Store. The Chromecast app is available for Android tablets and smartphones through Google Play and for iPhones and iPads in the App store.

Note: You should ensure that your mobile device is connected to your Wi-Fi and not your mobile network. Also, you must have the latest app installed and be on the same network as your Chromecast digital media player.

2.Connect with your Computer

Chromecast allows you to stream videos on your TV using your Mac or PC running the Chrome browser. This is the only browser that Chromecast is compatible with. Follow the instructions below to connect with your computer.

Step 1. Open the Chrome browser on your computer and then set up Chromecast.

cast video

Step 2. Download the Chromecast app to your computer.

Step 3. Select the instruction below that is applicable to your computer.

i. On your Windows computer, Save the file, run the Chromecast app and follow the prompts to complete setting up Chromecast.
ii. On your Mac OS X computer, drag and drop the Chromecast app into your Applications folder. You will need to open the folder, run the application, and then select the Chromecast device. Follow the instructions to complete the setup process.

3. Connect with YouTube

Follow the instructions below to download and set up YouTube to watch videos on your TV using your Chromecast device.

Step 1. Connect your Chromecast device to an available HDMI slot on your HDTV.
Step 2. When your Chromecast digital media player is securely connected to your TV you will see the Chromecast Home screen with your Wi-Fi name at the bottom of the screen.
Step 3. Now, download the YouTube app on your Android or Apple tablet or smartphone.
Step 4. Connect your Android or Apple device to the same Wi-Fi network as your Chromecast device.
Step 5. Open the YouTube app on your Android or Apple device and click the Cast button to start streaming videos.


Part 3: Comparison Methods for Streaming Supported Videos

The following chart provides a list of requirements for streaming supported videos using a computer, YouTube, and a mobile device.

| | Computer | YouTube | Mobile Devices | |
| ———————– | ———————————————- | —————————————– | ————– |
| TELEVISION | HDTV | HDTV | HDTV |
| OPERATING SYSTEM | Mac OS X 7 or higher or Windows 7 or higher | Android or iOS | Android or iOS |
| MOBILE APPLICATION | Chromecast | YouTube | Chromecast |
| INTERNET CONNECTION | Wireless | Wireless | Wireless |
| GOOGLE DEVICE | Chromecast | Chromecast | Chromecast |
| BROWSER | Chrome | | |
| MOBILE DEVICE | iPad, iPhone, and Android smartphone or Tablet | iPad, iPhone, and Android Phone or Tablet | |


Part 4: Three Ways to Stream Unsupported Videos

  • Wondershare Video Converter – It provides a powerful plugin called “Media Server” which allows you to directly stream both supported and unsupported audio and video formats to Chromecast.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

  • Wondershare DreamStream Application - DreamStream allows HD streaming from PC and tablet to TV through Chromecast. It allows you to stream TV shows, movies, and music videos with any video format to your TV.

Download Win Version

  • RealPlayer Cloud– The Real Player Cloud app allows you to stream unsupported videos to your TV with your computer or mobile device.

Part 5: Comparison Methods for Streaming Unsupported Videos

The following chart provides a list of requirements for streaming unsupported videos to your TV using iDealShare video converter, RealPlayer Cloud app, and Wondershare DreamStream.

| | Wondershare Video Converter | Wondershare DreamStream Application | RealPlayer Cloud | |
| —————————————————————————– | —————————————————————————————- | ————————————————————————————————————————– | ————————————————————– |
| VIDEO FORMATS | MKV, AVI , MP4 , Apple ProRes, MOV, FLV, VOB, DAV, MPG, MXF, avchd, WTV, WMV , ASF, RMVB | MP4 , WebM, AVI , MKV , RM, RMVB, MOV, MPG, VOB, FLV , WMV, ASF, TS, M2TS, 3G2, 3GP, DIVX, DV, F4V, MTS, OGV, TOD, TP, TRP | FLV , WMV , MKV , DIVX, XVID, MOV, AVI , and MP4 . |
| AUDIO FORMATS | LAC, DTS, AIFF, APE, WAV, WMA, Apple Lossless, M4A, OGG, CAF | MP3, WMA, APE, FLAC, OGG, M4A, WAV, AC3, MP2 | Android or iOS |
| OPERATING SYSTEM | Mac OS X and Windows | Windows | Chromecast |
| PRICE | $49.95 | Free Lite, $4.99 mo. (Registered) | Free app, $4.99 to $29.99 mo. (25 to 300 GB Storage) |
| BROWSER | Firefox, Chrome, Safari, etc | All Browsers (Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, Chrome, etc) | All Browsers (Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, Chrome, etc) |
| MOBILE DEVICE | Windows Tablet | iPhone, iPad, Android tablet and smartphone | |

At the end of the day, streaming supported and unsupported video formats to your TV with Chromecast are easy to accomplish with any of the methods and tools discussed.

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Google Chromecast is a digital media player that allows you to stream MP4, WebM, MPEG-DASH, Smooth Streaming, and HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) video formats on your High Definition Television (HDTV). It requires a wireless connection using the Internet or a network-connected computer, tablet, or smartphone. You can play various multimedia content, but only Google Cast-supported formats can be streamed directly.

If you would like to play unsupported formats, such as MKV, VOB, FLV, and AVI, you will need to get a video format converter to stream movies, TV shows, and music videos with unsupported formats. We’ve picked some best video converters that you can use which also support 4K footage. Check the list of thebest 4K video converters here. In this article, you will learn about supported and unsupported video formats and how you can stream them using your Chromecast media player.

google chromecast


This article contains:


Part 1: Chromecast Supported and Unsupported Video Formats

The default Chromecast video formats are MP4 and WebM. It also supports MPEG-DASH, Smooth Streaming, and HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) video files. All other video formats are unsupported. The following information provides a brief introduction of supported and unsupported formats.

Standard supported Chromecast video formats include:

  • MP4 - MPEG 4 or MP4 video files use the standard .mp4 extension. It is most commonly used to store video and audio files.
  • WebM – An open video format for the web that allows everyone to stream video and audio codecs.

Some unsupported video formats include:

  • AVI – AVI (Audio Video Interleave), the most common format for audio/video data on the PC, is a multimedia container format with video and audio.
  • MKV – The Matroska Multimedia Container holds video, audio, picture, or subtitle tracks in one file.
  • FLV – Flash video formats are video files that are streamed over the Internet using the Adobe Flash Player.
  • MOV – MOV is a multimedia file format that contains one and more tracks of data, such as audio, video or text.
  • VOB – VOB (Video Object) files are DVD-Video file formats that contain digital video audio, audio, and subtitles relevant to DVDs.
  • 3G2 – This is a video container file for audio, video, and text that is an extension of MP4.

What are the differences between each format? Check What’s Video Format?

Since Chromecast only supports few video formats, it is recommended that you get avideo streaming application that allows you to stream unsupported formats, such as M2TS, 3GP, DIVX, RM, RMVB, ASF, TS, DV, F4V, OGV, TOD. Wondershare Video Converter for example allows you to use Chromecast to stream unsupported formats through your Windows computer to your television.


Part 2: Three Ways to Stream Supported Videos

There are various ways that you can stream supported videos using your Chromecast media player, but here you will learn three of the most commonly used methods. You will learn how to connect using a computer, mobile device, and through the YouTube app.

1.Connect with your Mobile device

To stream videos using your mobile device, you will need to download and open the Chromecast app on your Android or iOS smartphone or tablet using Google Play or the App Store. The Chromecast app is available for Android tablets and smartphones through Google Play and for iPhones and iPads in the App store.

Note: You should ensure that your mobile device is connected to your Wi-Fi and not your mobile network. Also, you must have the latest app installed and be on the same network as your Chromecast digital media player.

2.Connect with your Computer

Chromecast allows you to stream videos on your TV using your Mac or PC running the Chrome browser. This is the only browser that Chromecast is compatible with. Follow the instructions below to connect with your computer.

Step 1. Open the Chrome browser on your computer and then set up Chromecast.

cast video

Step 2. Download the Chromecast app to your computer.

Step 3. Select the instruction below that is applicable to your computer.

i. On your Windows computer, Save the file, run the Chromecast app and follow the prompts to complete setting up Chromecast.
ii. On your Mac OS X computer, drag and drop the Chromecast app into your Applications folder. You will need to open the folder, run the application, and then select the Chromecast device. Follow the instructions to complete the setup process.

3. Connect with YouTube

Follow the instructions below to download and set up YouTube to watch videos on your TV using your Chromecast device.

Step 1. Connect your Chromecast device to an available HDMI slot on your HDTV.
Step 2. When your Chromecast digital media player is securely connected to your TV you will see the Chromecast Home screen with your Wi-Fi name at the bottom of the screen.
Step 3. Now, download the YouTube app on your Android or Apple tablet or smartphone.
Step 4. Connect your Android or Apple device to the same Wi-Fi network as your Chromecast device.
Step 5. Open the YouTube app on your Android or Apple device and click the Cast button to start streaming videos.


Part 3: Comparison Methods for Streaming Supported Videos

The following chart provides a list of requirements for streaming supported videos using a computer, YouTube, and a mobile device.

| | Computer | YouTube | Mobile Devices | |
| ———————– | ———————————————- | —————————————– | ————– |
| TELEVISION | HDTV | HDTV | HDTV |
| OPERATING SYSTEM | Mac OS X 7 or higher or Windows 7 or higher | Android or iOS | Android or iOS |
| MOBILE APPLICATION | Chromecast | YouTube | Chromecast |
| INTERNET CONNECTION | Wireless | Wireless | Wireless |
| GOOGLE DEVICE | Chromecast | Chromecast | Chromecast |
| BROWSER | Chrome | | |
| MOBILE DEVICE | iPad, iPhone, and Android smartphone or Tablet | iPad, iPhone, and Android Phone or Tablet | |


Part 4: Three Ways to Stream Unsupported Videos

  • Wondershare Video Converter – It provides a powerful plugin called “Media Server” which allows you to directly stream both supported and unsupported audio and video formats to Chromecast.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

  • Wondershare DreamStream Application - DreamStream allows HD streaming from PC and tablet to TV through Chromecast. It allows you to stream TV shows, movies, and music videos with any video format to your TV.

Download Win Version

  • RealPlayer Cloud– The Real Player Cloud app allows you to stream unsupported videos to your TV with your computer or mobile device.

Part 5: Comparison Methods for Streaming Unsupported Videos

The following chart provides a list of requirements for streaming unsupported videos to your TV using iDealShare video converter, RealPlayer Cloud app, and Wondershare DreamStream.

| | Wondershare Video Converter | Wondershare DreamStream Application | RealPlayer Cloud | |
| —————————————————————————– | —————————————————————————————- | ————————————————————————————————————————– | ————————————————————– |
| VIDEO FORMATS | MKV, AVI , MP4 , Apple ProRes, MOV, FLV, VOB, DAV, MPG, MXF, avchd, WTV, WMV , ASF, RMVB | MP4 , WebM, AVI , MKV , RM, RMVB, MOV, MPG, VOB, FLV , WMV, ASF, TS, M2TS, 3G2, 3GP, DIVX, DV, F4V, MTS, OGV, TOD, TP, TRP | FLV , WMV , MKV , DIVX, XVID, MOV, AVI , and MP4 . |
| AUDIO FORMATS | LAC, DTS, AIFF, APE, WAV, WMA, Apple Lossless, M4A, OGG, CAF | MP3, WMA, APE, FLAC, OGG, M4A, WAV, AC3, MP2 | Android or iOS |
| OPERATING SYSTEM | Mac OS X and Windows | Windows | Chromecast |
| PRICE | $49.95 | Free Lite, $4.99 mo. (Registered) | Free app, $4.99 to $29.99 mo. (25 to 300 GB Storage) |
| BROWSER | Firefox, Chrome, Safari, etc | All Browsers (Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, Chrome, etc) | All Browsers (Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, Chrome, etc) |
| MOBILE DEVICE | Windows Tablet | iPhone, iPad, Android tablet and smartphone | |

At the end of the day, streaming supported and unsupported video formats to your TV with Chromecast are easy to accomplish with any of the methods and tools discussed.

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Google Chromecast is a digital media player that allows you to stream MP4, WebM, MPEG-DASH, Smooth Streaming, and HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) video formats on your High Definition Television (HDTV). It requires a wireless connection using the Internet or a network-connected computer, tablet, or smartphone. You can play various multimedia content, but only Google Cast-supported formats can be streamed directly.

If you would like to play unsupported formats, such as MKV, VOB, FLV, and AVI, you will need to get a video format converter to stream movies, TV shows, and music videos with unsupported formats. We’ve picked some best video converters that you can use which also support 4K footage. Check the list of thebest 4K video converters here. In this article, you will learn about supported and unsupported video formats and how you can stream them using your Chromecast media player.

google chromecast


This article contains:


Part 1: Chromecast Supported and Unsupported Video Formats

The default Chromecast video formats are MP4 and WebM. It also supports MPEG-DASH, Smooth Streaming, and HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) video files. All other video formats are unsupported. The following information provides a brief introduction of supported and unsupported formats.

Standard supported Chromecast video formats include:

  • MP4 - MPEG 4 or MP4 video files use the standard .mp4 extension. It is most commonly used to store video and audio files.
  • WebM – An open video format for the web that allows everyone to stream video and audio codecs.

Some unsupported video formats include:

  • AVI – AVI (Audio Video Interleave), the most common format for audio/video data on the PC, is a multimedia container format with video and audio.
  • MKV – The Matroska Multimedia Container holds video, audio, picture, or subtitle tracks in one file.
  • FLV – Flash video formats are video files that are streamed over the Internet using the Adobe Flash Player.
  • MOV – MOV is a multimedia file format that contains one and more tracks of data, such as audio, video or text.
  • VOB – VOB (Video Object) files are DVD-Video file formats that contain digital video audio, audio, and subtitles relevant to DVDs.
  • 3G2 – This is a video container file for audio, video, and text that is an extension of MP4.

What are the differences between each format? Check What’s Video Format?

Since Chromecast only supports few video formats, it is recommended that you get avideo streaming application that allows you to stream unsupported formats, such as M2TS, 3GP, DIVX, RM, RMVB, ASF, TS, DV, F4V, OGV, TOD. Wondershare Video Converter for example allows you to use Chromecast to stream unsupported formats through your Windows computer to your television.


Part 2: Three Ways to Stream Supported Videos

There are various ways that you can stream supported videos using your Chromecast media player, but here you will learn three of the most commonly used methods. You will learn how to connect using a computer, mobile device, and through the YouTube app.

1.Connect with your Mobile device

To stream videos using your mobile device, you will need to download and open the Chromecast app on your Android or iOS smartphone or tablet using Google Play or the App Store. The Chromecast app is available for Android tablets and smartphones through Google Play and for iPhones and iPads in the App store.

Note: You should ensure that your mobile device is connected to your Wi-Fi and not your mobile network. Also, you must have the latest app installed and be on the same network as your Chromecast digital media player.

2.Connect with your Computer

Chromecast allows you to stream videos on your TV using your Mac or PC running the Chrome browser. This is the only browser that Chromecast is compatible with. Follow the instructions below to connect with your computer.

Step 1. Open the Chrome browser on your computer and then set up Chromecast.

cast video

Step 2. Download the Chromecast app to your computer.

Step 3. Select the instruction below that is applicable to your computer.

i. On your Windows computer, Save the file, run the Chromecast app and follow the prompts to complete setting up Chromecast.
ii. On your Mac OS X computer, drag and drop the Chromecast app into your Applications folder. You will need to open the folder, run the application, and then select the Chromecast device. Follow the instructions to complete the setup process.

3. Connect with YouTube

Follow the instructions below to download and set up YouTube to watch videos on your TV using your Chromecast device.

Step 1. Connect your Chromecast device to an available HDMI slot on your HDTV.
Step 2. When your Chromecast digital media player is securely connected to your TV you will see the Chromecast Home screen with your Wi-Fi name at the bottom of the screen.
Step 3. Now, download the YouTube app on your Android or Apple tablet or smartphone.
Step 4. Connect your Android or Apple device to the same Wi-Fi network as your Chromecast device.
Step 5. Open the YouTube app on your Android or Apple device and click the Cast button to start streaming videos.


Part 3: Comparison Methods for Streaming Supported Videos

The following chart provides a list of requirements for streaming supported videos using a computer, YouTube, and a mobile device.

| | Computer | YouTube | Mobile Devices | |
| ———————– | ———————————————- | —————————————– | ————– |
| TELEVISION | HDTV | HDTV | HDTV |
| OPERATING SYSTEM | Mac OS X 7 or higher or Windows 7 or higher | Android or iOS | Android or iOS |
| MOBILE APPLICATION | Chromecast | YouTube | Chromecast |
| INTERNET CONNECTION | Wireless | Wireless | Wireless |
| GOOGLE DEVICE | Chromecast | Chromecast | Chromecast |
| BROWSER | Chrome | | |
| MOBILE DEVICE | iPad, iPhone, and Android smartphone or Tablet | iPad, iPhone, and Android Phone or Tablet | |


Part 4: Three Ways to Stream Unsupported Videos

  • Wondershare Video Converter – It provides a powerful plugin called “Media Server” which allows you to directly stream both supported and unsupported audio and video formats to Chromecast.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

  • Wondershare DreamStream Application - DreamStream allows HD streaming from PC and tablet to TV through Chromecast. It allows you to stream TV shows, movies, and music videos with any video format to your TV.

Download Win Version

  • RealPlayer Cloud– The Real Player Cloud app allows you to stream unsupported videos to your TV with your computer or mobile device.

Part 5: Comparison Methods for Streaming Unsupported Videos

The following chart provides a list of requirements for streaming unsupported videos to your TV using iDealShare video converter, RealPlayer Cloud app, and Wondershare DreamStream.

| | Wondershare Video Converter | Wondershare DreamStream Application | RealPlayer Cloud | |
| —————————————————————————– | —————————————————————————————- | ————————————————————————————————————————– | ————————————————————– |
| VIDEO FORMATS | MKV, AVI , MP4 , Apple ProRes, MOV, FLV, VOB, DAV, MPG, MXF, avchd, WTV, WMV , ASF, RMVB | MP4 , WebM, AVI , MKV , RM, RMVB, MOV, MPG, VOB, FLV , WMV, ASF, TS, M2TS, 3G2, 3GP, DIVX, DV, F4V, MTS, OGV, TOD, TP, TRP | FLV , WMV , MKV , DIVX, XVID, MOV, AVI , and MP4 . |
| AUDIO FORMATS | LAC, DTS, AIFF, APE, WAV, WMA, Apple Lossless, M4A, OGG, CAF | MP3, WMA, APE, FLAC, OGG, M4A, WAV, AC3, MP2 | Android or iOS |
| OPERATING SYSTEM | Mac OS X and Windows | Windows | Chromecast |
| PRICE | $49.95 | Free Lite, $4.99 mo. (Registered) | Free app, $4.99 to $29.99 mo. (25 to 300 GB Storage) |
| BROWSER | Firefox, Chrome, Safari, etc | All Browsers (Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, Chrome, etc) | All Browsers (Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, Chrome, etc) |
| MOBILE DEVICE | Windows Tablet | iPhone, iPad, Android tablet and smartphone | |

At the end of the day, streaming supported and unsupported video formats to your TV with Chromecast are easy to accomplish with any of the methods and tools discussed.

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Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

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  • Title: New S Most Popular Public Domain Image Websites for 2024
  • Author: Isabella
  • Created at : 2024-04-29 12:49:30
  • Updated at : 2024-04-30 12:49:30
  • Link: https://video-creation-software.techidaily.com/new-s-most-popular-public-domain-image-websites-for-2024/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
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