A novel micro arc oxidation (MAO) film is developed to protect Mg alloys from corrosion. This film contains plenty of titanium oxides, which exhibits higher chemical stability than traditional MAO films. Especially, the micropores on the surface of the film are in situ sealed during the film formation process instead of the sealing pores post treatment. The film formation process is investigated by the observation of surface and cross-section morphologies and analysis of chemical composition. It is found that the sizes of micropores increase but the quantities decrease with increasing oxidation voltages. The micropores are open in the initial stage of oxidation and then they are sealed gradually. The growth direction of the film takes place change at different oxidation voltages. The elements of F and Ti play a significant role in the film growth process. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.