How to play DAV files on Mac, PC and phone
On Windows, Dahua's free Smart Player opens .dav files directly, and VLC opens many of them on Windows and Mac. Phones, messaging apps and anyone you send the clip to need an MP4. Converting rewraps the same video into MP4 in seconds without re-encoding it, and the converter on this site runs in your browser, so the footage isn't uploaded.
The quick answer by device
| Device | Watch it as it is | Make it play anywhere |
|---|---|---|
| Windows PC | Dahua Smart Player, or VLC | Convert to MP4 |
| Mac | VLC | Convert to MP4 |
| iPhone or iPad | Not possible | Convert to MP4 in Safari |
| Android | Not possible in most apps | Convert to MP4 in Chrome |
| Someone you send it to | Only if they install a player | Send an MP4 |
Windows
Dahua’s free Smart Player opens .dav files directly and shows the recorder’s time stamp. It’s listed on Dahua’s own software page (Dahua Wiki software downloads). VLC also opens many .dav files, because it includes FFmpeg’s DHAV reader.
Both are fine for watching. For sharing, convert the file: a .dav still won’t play for anyone who hasn’t installed a player.
Mac
VLC is the simplest player. People also ask for a native player in Apple’s community forums, as in How to play .DAV files on Mac?, and the common answer is VLC or converting. For QuickTime, Photos or iMovie, convert to MP4.
iPhone and Android
Phones don’t play .dav files. Open DAV to MP4 in Safari or Chrome, choose the file, and download the MP4. It plays in Photos, Files, the gallery and messaging apps. On a phone, very long recordings can run out of memory; a computer handles files over a few hundred MB more reliably.
Converting keeps the quality
A .dav file holds ordinary H.264 or H.265 video in a Dahua wrapper. Converting moves the same video into an MP4 wrapper without re-encoding it, so the picture is identical and a 200 MB recording takes seconds. The recording time inside the file is saved as the MP4’s creation date, and the MP4 is named by it, like 2023-11-05_14-22-33_to_14-32-33_CH01.mp4. To keep only part of it, cut it with the video trimmer.
More about the format: What is a DAV file and how do you open it?
Sound but no picture
The recording is probably H.265. The MP4 keeps it. It plays on macOS, iPhone and Android, in Chrome and Edge on most recent computers, and on Windows with Microsoft’s HEVC Video Extensions. VLC plays it everywhere.
Sources
- Dahua Wiki: Software, Dahua’s downloads page, with Smart Player.
- FFmpeg’s DHAV demuxer, the reader VLC and this converter use.
- VideoLAN: VLC media player.
- Apple Community: How to play .DAV files on Mac?
- Microsoft Store: HEVC Video Extensions.
Questions
Can VLC play DAV files?
Often, yes. VLC includes FFmpeg's DHAV reader, so it opens many .dav files on Windows, Mac and Linux. Results depend on the recorder model and the VLC version, seeking can be unreliable, and some files play without sound. If VLC fails, convert the file to MP4.
Is there a DAV player for Mac?
VLC is the usual choice, and Dahua's Smart Player has had Mac versions. Neither changes the file, so it still won't play for anyone you send it to. Converting to MP4 in the browser works on a Mac and gives you a file QuickTime and Photos open.
How do I play a DAV file on my iPhone?
iPhones can't play .dav files. Convert the file to MP4, in Safari on the iPhone itself or on a computer, and the MP4 plays in Photos, Files and messaging apps. Recordings in H.265 play on iPhones too.
Why does the video play without sound?
Many recorders store sound as G.711, which most players and MP4 can't play. The converter turns it into AAC, so the MP4 has sound in every player.