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 Grabbit to produce ProRes 422 HQ locally.
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.
"I need to download and install the Apple ProRes 422 HQ codec for Windows 10 or 11 before I can use ProRes files."
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.
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 |
| Grabbit | ✓ Yes | ✓ ProRes 422 HQ |
| HandBrake 1.11+ | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
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.
Grabbit 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.
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 |
Grabbit 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.
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.
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.
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.
Grabbit 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 a Pro feature at $8.99/month or $59.99/year. HandBrake 1.11+ and Shutter Encoder are free alternatives if you prefer to configure the encoder settings yourself.
No Apple codec, no Mac, no cloud upload, no file size limit · Converter requires Pro — $8.99/mo or $59.99/yr