Mastering Video Conversion with HandBrake for macOS - Full Installation Guide

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HandBrake for Mac Instructions:

Download, Install, Use, and Alternatives

In this article, you will learn which version of HandBrake to download for your Mac, how to use HandBrake, and discover some alternatives to address issues that HandBrake may not resolve, such as ripping copy-protected DVDs.

By Bella Brown ｜Last updated onOctober 11, 2023

HandBrake is a powerful and free tool that offers the versatility to convert videos and rip physical media, along with a wide range of customization options. Wondering if HandBrake is Mac-compatible? The answer is yes. HandBrake is designed to work on multiple platforms, including Mac, Windows, and Linux.

In this article, we will guide you through the process of downloading and installing HandBrake on your Mac, as well as demonstrate how to use HandBrake on Mac.

Part 1. Download and Install HandBrake on Mac

Part 2. How to Use HandBrake on Mac

Part 3. You May Need Handbrake Alternative for Mac

Download and Install HandBrake on Mac

Before downloading HandBrake on your Mac, please ensure that your Mac meets the minimum requirements as listed below:

Processor:

AMD Ryzen, Threadripper, or Epyc
Intel Core (6th generation and newer) i3, i5, i7, i9, or equivalent Xeon
Apple Silicon M1 and newer, recent Intel Macs supported per the above

Free memory:

Depends on settings used but as a general guide:
1 GB for transcoding standard definition video (480p/576p)
2 to 8 GB for transcoding high definition video (720p/1080p)
6 to 16 GB or more for transcoding ultra high definition video (2160p 4K)

System storage:

150 MB for the HandBrake app
10 GB or more recommended for processing and storing your new videos

Display resolution:

1280x960 minimum, proportionately higher with display scaling.

Which Version of HandBrake Should You Download?

HandBrake is compatible with recent macOS versions and, starting from version 1.4.0, is a Universal Binary that supports both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.

macOS Version	Status	Last Compatible Version	Notes
13 Ventura	Supported	Requires HandBrake 1.5.0 or later.
12 Monterey	Supported	Requires HandBrake 1.4.0 or later.
11 Big Sur	Supported	Requires HandBrake 1.4.0 or later.
10.15 Catalina	Deprecated	Requires HandBrake 1.2.2 or later.
10.14 Mojave	Deprecated	End of life.
10.13 High Sierra	Deprecated	End of life.
10.12 Sierra	Unsupported	1.4.2	End of life.
10.11 El Capitan	Unsupported	1.4.2	End of life.
10.10 Yosemite	Unsupported	1.1.2	End of life.
10.9 Mavericks	Unsupported	1.1.2	End of life.
10.8 Mountain Lion	Unsupported	1.1.2	End of life.
10.7 Lion	Unsupported	1.1.2	End of life.
10.6 Snow Leopard	Unsupported	0.10.5	End of life.

Note: The Status describes the support status available for the current HandBrake version.

Supported: HandBrake is actively maintained and rigorously tested on these system versions.
Deprecated: HandBrake may function on these system versions but with potential limitations.
Unsupported: HandBrake is incompatible or significantly restricted on these system versions.

You can obtain HandBrake for Mac from the following download links:

After you have successfully downloaded HandBrake for Mac, open the disk image in your Downloads folder. Subsequently, simply drag the HandBrake application into your Applications folder.

FAQs:

1. Does HandBrake work on M1 Mac?

Yes. According to the system requirements, you can download HandBrake for Apple Silicon M1.

2. Dose HandBrake work on Mac Big Sur?

Yes. To use HandBrake on Mac 11 Big Sur, you’re required to download HandBrake 1.4.0 or later.

3. Does HandBrake work on macOS Sierra?

According to the table above, the current HandBrake version does not wok or is severely limited on this system version. if you want to use HandBrake on macOS Sierra, you can download HandBrake 1.4.2.

How to Use HandBrake on Mac

Once you have successfully installed HandBrake on your Mac, you can utilize it to convert videos, DVDs, or Blu-rays. Here is a step-by-step guide:

Step 1. Launch HandBrake.

Step 2. Click the Open Source button on the toolbar to browse and open the video, DVD, or Blu-ray you want to convert.

Step 3. Use HandBrake’s Title control to select the title you want to convert. DVD and Blu-ray discs often have more than one titles.

Step 4. Click the drop-down menu of Preset to choose a preset based on your own needs.

Step 5. Click the Browse… button to specify the location for the resulting file.

Step 6. Click the Start button on the toolbar to begin converting your media.

You May Need Handbrake Alternative for Mac

If you face compatibility problems with HandBrake, require the ability to handle copy-protected content, seek faster conversion speed, or need access to a broader array of output formats, you may consider exploring alternative options to HandBrake for Mac. In this article, we will introduce two alternatives that can assist you in DVD ripping and video conversion, namely MacX DVD Ripper Pro and MacX Video Converter Pro.

Handbrake Alternative for Mac to Rip DVD on macOS

MacX DVD Ripper Pro can help you rip copy-protected DVDs to a wide range of formats, including ISO Image, DVD Folder, MP4, FLV, AVI, WMV, MOV, and more. It it compatible with Mac OS X 10.6 and later.

Download for Mac Download for PC

How to Use This Handbrake Alternative to Rip DVDs on macOS?

Step 1: Free download this Handbrake for Mac alternative, and then fire it up. You can load DVD by clicking “DVD Disc” button.

Step 2: Choose the output format as MP4, FLV, MPEG, AVI, etc. for watching on some particular video players, such as VLC, QuickTime, 5KPlayer, etc.; or for uploading to YouTube or other hot video sharing sites.

Step 3: Select a destination folder on your Mac to save the ripped DVD by clicking “Browse”.

Step 4: Then click “RUN” button to start ripping DVD. You can see the ripping process right away and free to pause or stop it.

Handbrake Alternative for Mac to Convert Videos on macOS

Handbrake error does not only occur on ripping DVDs, but also converting videos. And according to some reports from Handbrake users, even if Handbrake can run on macOS Monterey, you may highly possible encounter Handbrake No Valid Source Found error, incomplete encoding, audio/video out of sync problem on converting videos. So in light of the possible problems, a Handbrake for macOS alternative on video conversion - MacX Video Converter Pro jump into our sight.

MacX Video Converter Pro may not be as famous as Handbrake, but it solves all kinds of problems Handbrake does and doesn’t do on converting videos. It converts SD/HD/4K videos from formats to formats fast and losslessly without any error for playback on iPhone iPad Android devices.

Download for Mac Download for PC

How to Use This Handbrake Alternative to Convert Videos on macOS?

Step 1: Download the Handbrake video converter alternative for Mac, and launch it. Click “+ Video “ button to load the target video files.

Step 2: Select output format from the format list. Certainly, MP4 is highly recommended for its better compatibility with media players, video sharing sites and portable devices.

Step 3: Click the “Browse” button to select a folder where you want to place your converted video files.

Step 4: Press the “RUN” button to start video conversion using Handbrake video converter alternative for Mac.

To play the converted video on iPhone iPad iPod, you can take advantage of MacX MediaTrans to transfer video from computer to iDevices for playback on the move. Besides, this iPhone file manager also provides you the easiest solution to transfer music from iPhone to Mac, copy photos from iPhone to Mac, download eBooks from iPad to computer, etc.

Notice: We only advocates using those best Mac DVD rippers to copy and rip DVDs under the concept of Fair Use and does not encourage any illegal reproduction or distribution of copyrighted content. Please abide by the local DVD copyright law before doing it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bella Brown

Bella has been working with DVD digitization for over 12 years. She writes articles about everything related to DVD, from disc drive, DVD copyright protection, physical structure, burning and backup tips. The unceasing passion of DVD movies helps him build a rich DVD library and ensure a practical solution to address almost all possible DVD issues. Bella is also a crazy fan for Apple products.

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Mastering Video Conversion with HandBrake for macOS - Full Installation Guide