How do I…?
Make a playable copy
Most files play with no conversion. Make a playable copy is for a file this Mac cannot open in Skagway, when you want a copy it can. If another app already plays it, you can hand the file off and skip the copy.
Convert, or open it somewhere else
Make a playable copy… saves an MP4 beside the original. The original stays in the catalog. Skagway plays the copy.
- If you just need to watch it, right-click → Play in External Player and choose an app that already opens the file. Nothing is converted.
- To make a file Skagway can play, right-click → Make a playable copy…, or use Convert to play on the card. The player offers the same command when playback cannot start.
- Jobs run one at a time. The activity strip at the bottom of the window shows progress. Click the strip to open Re-encode Queue.
- When the copy is saved, the strip keeps a line such as “1 playable copy.” Delete original points the catalog entry at the copy. Clear from queue leaves both files.
- Finished copies show up in the Recently Converted smart library. The video leaves Unplayable once the copy is on disk.
The queue and the card marks are on the File operations page. See Make a playable copy.