ProRes on Windows
There is no codec to download.
Updated: August 2026 · 6 min read
Apple has never released a ProRes codec pack for Windows, and QuickTime for Windows was discontinued in 2016. Nothing gets installed into the operating system. Playing ProRes already works in VLC and every major editor. Exporting ProRes depends entirely on the application: Premiere Pro can, DaVinci Resolve on Windows cannot. If yours can't, use a converter like AppGrabbit to produce ProRes 422 HQ locally.
Why searching for a "ProRes codec download" leads nowhere
Windows handles most codecs through the operating system, so it is a reasonable assumption that ProRes works the same way — install a codec pack, and every application gains ProRes support. That is not how ProRes works, and it is why the download you are looking for does not exist.
The myth
"I need to download and install the Apple ProRes 422 HQ codec for Windows 10 or 11 before I can use ProRes files."
What is actually true
ProRes support lives inside each application, not in Windows. Apple licenses the ProRes encoder selectively, which is why some Windows software exports it and some does not. Decoding, on the other hand, is widely available — which is why you can already play and import ProRes on a PC without installing anything.
Apple did once ship a QuickTime package for Windows that included ProRes decoding. It was discontinued in 2016 after unpatched security vulnerabilities, and both Apple and the US Department of Homeland Security advised users to uninstall it. Any site offering "Apple ProRes codec for Windows" today is repackaging something you neither need nor should trust.
Playing ProRes on Windows vs exporting it
These are two different problems and they have different answers. Most people searching for a codec only need the first one, and it already works.
| Software on Windows | Plays / imports ProRes | Exports ProRes |
|---|---|---|
| VLC Media Player | ✓ Yes, out of the box | ✗ Not an editor |
| Windows Media Player | ✗ Usually fails | ✗ No |
| Adobe Premiere Pro | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes, since 13.0.2 (2018) |
| After Effects / Media Encoder | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| DaVinci Resolve (Windows) | ✓ Yes | ✗ No — macOS only |
| Avid Media Composer | ✓ Yes | ~ DNxHR is its native format |
| AppGrabbit | ✓ Yes | ✓ ProRes 422 HQ |
| HandBrake 1.11+ | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
If you use DaVinci Resolve on Windows
This is the single most common reason people go looking for a ProRes codec, and it deserves a straight answer: the Windows build of DaVinci Resolve cannot export ProRes, and no download will change that. Apple licenses the ProRes encoder for macOS only, so Blackmagic Design cannot legally include it in the Windows version. Resolve on Windows imports and plays ProRes without issue — the format simply is not in the render list.
Your two realistic options
- Deliver DNxHR instead — if whoever receives the file only needs a high-quality mezzanine, DNxHR HQ is Resolve's built-in equivalent and is accepted by every professional NLE. No extra software needed.
- Export a master, then convert — when the client specifically requires ProRes, render a high-quality master from Resolve and convert that file to ProRes 422 HQ with an external tool such as AppGrabbit, HandBrake or Shutter Encoder.
How to export ProRes on Windows with AppGrabbit
AppGrabbit is built from two separate modules. Downloads saves video from a URL to your PC; the Converter works on files that are already on your disk. For ProRes you use the Converter — point it at a file you exported from your editor, or at a video you saved earlier with the downloader.
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1Install AppGrabbit for Windows — free installer, Windows 10 and 11. FFmpeg comes bundled, so there is no separate codec to install.
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2Open the Converter tab and drag in a local file — MP4, MKV, AVI, MOV or WebM — or click Browse files to pick it from your PC.
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3Select ProRes HQ in the format picker. AppGrabbit writes ProRes 422 HQ, 10-bit 4:2:2, in a .mov container.
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4Click Add to Queue. Encoding runs on your own machine — nothing is uploaded and there is no file size cap.
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5Import the resulting .mov into Resolve, Premiere Pro, Avid Media Composer or Final Cut Pro. Pro
The Windows equivalent of ProRes: DNxHR
If the goal is smooth editing rather than a client requirement for ProRes specifically, DNxHR is the answer on Windows. Avid developed it for exactly the same job — an intra-frame mezzanine codec that keeps timelines responsive — and it carries no macOS-only encoding restriction. DNxHR HQ sits at roughly the same quality tier as ProRes 422 HQ.
| ProRes 422 HQ | DNxHR HQ | |
|---|---|---|
| Created by | Apple | Avid |
| Compression | Intra-frame | Intra-frame |
| Colour sampling | 10-bit 4:2:2 | 10-bit 4:2:2 |
| Encoding on Windows | ~ Restricted by licence | ✓ Unrestricted |
| Exports from Resolve on Windows | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Best for | Client delivery, Final Cut workflows | Editing and grading on Windows, Avid workflows |
AppGrabbit outputs both. If you are unsure which one to send, ask the person receiving the file — the requirement almost always comes from their editing software, not from the footage itself. Read more on converting to ProRes or converting to DNxHR.
Which ProRes variant do you actually need?
ProRes is a family, not a single codec. The variant matters less than most people expect — for the overwhelming majority of professional work the answer is 422 HQ.
- ProRes 422 Proxy — very low data rate, for offline editing on modest hardware
- ProRes 422 LT — light delivery and proxy workflows
- ProRes 422 — standard editing, a good quality-to-size balance
- ProRes 422 HQ — broadcast delivery standard, ample grading headroom ← what AppGrabbit outputs
- ProRes 4444 — adds an alpha channel, for VFX and motion graphics
- ProRes 4444 XQ — highest data rate, HDR and heavy grading
Unless you specifically need transparency, ProRes 4444 only produces larger files with no visible benefit. ProRes 422 HQ is what broadcasters ask for and what most post houses expect.
Frequently asked questions
No. Apple does not distribute a ProRes codec pack for Windows, and QuickTime for Windows was discontinued in 2016 after security vulnerabilities went unpatched. ProRes support comes from the application you use, not from something installed into the operating system.
Yes. VLC Media Player plays ProRes .mov files on Windows with no setup, and Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve and Avid Media Composer all import ProRes natively. Windows Media Player is the notable exception and usually fails to open them.
Apple licenses the ProRes encoder for macOS only, so Blackmagic Design cannot ship ProRes export in the Windows build. Resolve on Windows imports and plays ProRes normally — it just cannot write it. Export a high-quality master and convert it externally, or deliver DNxHR instead.
Yes. Adobe added native ProRes export on Windows to Premiere Pro, After Effects and Media Encoder in version 13.0.2, released in December 2018. On a current Creative Cloud subscription, ProRes appears in the export format list without any extra installation.
No, and it is important to be clear about this: converting cannot recover detail that was never captured. ProRes preserves what is already there far better through repeated edits, effects and grading passes than H.264 does. Converting an H.264 file to ProRes makes it easier to work with, not sharper.
AppGrabbit is free to download and its download features include a permanent free plan. The Converter — ProRes 422 HQ, DNxHR HQ and the other format conversions — is paid: a 7-day pass for $3.99 (doesn't renew) or Pro for $8.99 a month. HandBrake 1.11+ and Shutter Encoder are free alternatives if you prefer to configure the encoder settings yourself.
Related guides
Export ProRes 422 HQ on Windows
No Apple codec, no Mac, no upload, no file size limit
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