5 Useful Apple QuickTime Tips for Windows

QuickTime for Windows: A Comprehensive Guide

QuickTime serves as Apple’s widely-used and freely available media player. It provides a versatile platform for enjoying various multimedia content.

Version 7.6.6 of QuickTime for Windows was made available in March 2010. This complimentary version supports playback of numerous audio and video formats, notably including H.264/MPEG-4 advanced video coding.

QuickTime is a vital software component for Windows systems, particularly when it comes to streaming audio and video content. This guide details how to update the software, configure it correctly, and utilize keyboard shortcuts. Additionally, an efficient alternative is presented for users who prefer not to install Apple software.

1. Obtaining QuickTime

You can acquire QuickTime directly from Apple, either as a standalone application or bundled with iTunes. It’s important to note that providing your email address is not required to download the file. Simply deselect the option to sign up for Apple news during the download process.

2. Updating QuickTime

If you currently have QuickTime installed, verifying you have the newest version is crucial.

If iTunes is present on your system, the Apple Software Update utility can automatically search for and install available updates. This tool can be found under > Start > All Programs > Apple Software Update. The program typically prompts you about updates when they become available.

Alternatively, launch QuickTime Player and navigate to > Help > Check for QuickTime Updates... to initiate the update check.

To determine your current version, open QuickTime Player and select > Help > About QuickTime Player.... A window will then display the installed software version.

The current version of QuickTime is 7.6.6, while the latest iTunes + QuickTime bundle is 9.1.1.

3. Configuring QuickTime Preferences

QuickTime includes several default settings that may not align with your preferences. These can be easily adjusted.

• Desktop Shortcuts: Any shortcuts created during installation can be safely removed.
• System Tray Icon: The icon in the system tray can also be removed. Open QuickTime Player, then go to > Edit > Preferences > QuickTime Preferences. Switch to the > Advanced tab and uncheck > Install QuickTime icon in system tray.
• Disabling qttask.exe: If the system tray icon is removed, you can also disable qttask.exe, which launches briefly at startup. Editing the registry is required, so proceed with caution! Click > Start > Run, type > regedit and press > Enter. Navigate to > HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run. Delete the > QuickTime Task value and close the Registry Editor. Finally, remove the > qttask.exe file from the QuickTime program folder.
• Automatic Updates: In > QuickTime Preferences, go to the > Updates tab and check or uncheck the box for > Check for updates automatically, based on your preference. Enabling automatic updates allows QuickTime to periodically connect to Apple servers.
• Browser Playback: Within > QuickTime Preferences, you can control automatic playback of embedded movies in websites. Navigate to the > Browser tab and adjust the corresponding checkbox.
• Streaming Settings: QuickTime supports instant-on streaming, which may cause issues on slower connections. You can disable this feature on the > Streaming tab by unchecking > Enable Instant-On, or adjust the streaming delay. The > Streaming Speed can also be modified.
• Player Settings: Go to > Edit > Preferences > Player Preferences to further customize settings. For example, you can choose to > Use high quality video setting when available, > Show subtitles when available, or disable the > Show Content Guide at Startup.

4. QuickTime Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows

The following list provides a quick reference for ten of the most frequently used QuickTime keyboard shortcuts.

• Spacebar: Pauses and resumes playback.
• Left / Right Arrow Keys: Fast forwards or rewinds audio or video.
• [J] or [L] Key + [K] Key: Pressing [J] plays the movie in reverse, and [L] fast forwards it, both with audio. Multiple presses increase the speed. Holding [K] while pressing [J] or [L] rewinds or fast forwards frame by frame.
• Up / Down Arrow Keys: Adjusts the volume.
• [CTRL] + [F]: Enters full screen mode.
• [ESC]: Exits full screen mode.
• [CTRL] + 0: Plays the movie at half size.
• [CTRL] + 1: Plays the movie at normal size.
• [CTRL] + 2: Plays the movie at double size.
• [CTRL] + 3: Plays the movie at full size.

5. Considering a QuickTime Alternative

If you prefer to avoid using QuickTime altogether, but still need to view QuickTime movies, QuickTime Alternative is a viable option. This streamlined version includes only essential components, avoiding unnecessary features.

A key benefit of QuickTime Alternative is its reduced background process activity, resulting in lower system resource consumption.

The package includes the QuickTime codec libraries extracted from the official distribution, along with the Media Player Classic player and QuickTime plugins for major browsers to support streaming audio and video. The latest release is based on QuickTime components version 7.66.71.0 and is compatible with Windows XP through Windows 7.

What features of the official QuickTime distribution do you find most valuable on Windows? And what advantages do Mac users experience that Windows users might miss?