Today, video content is the most popular type of multimedia content, and playing video files on a Windows PC or any other device can be fun. However, this as well as many troubleshooting concerns. While opening a video, you might be confronted with an error message such as 0xc00d36c4 or 0xc00d5212 (audio codec not supported) “unsupported audio codec”.

The issue would be grave, especially when you love this video file, even if it was saved in a well-known format like MP4 or MKV. Indeed, we will share the reasons and solutions which will help you if you are experiencing issues with video playback and cannot figure out why you get the not supported video and audio codec format error.

Three possible solutions to Audio or Video Codec not supported Errors

• Install an not supported audio or video codec
• Using a Third-Party Media Player
• Change the video format to one supported by the player

What is the reason for not supporting video codecs?

Why does it say that video codecs are not supported? The media player doesn’t support the codec of your video. As a result, you only get the not supported video or audio codec error. In relation to the video file, what is a codec, and how does it work?

About the codec: 

The raw form of video and audio takes up a lot of space. Videos are compressed by proper compression standards and decompressed on the fly-by video players to save space or make them transferable. In this case, the word codec refers to the compression standard used to compress an audio or video stream. Video and audio codecs abound, including HEVC, H.264, AV1, DivX, MPEG2, MPEG4, AAC, AC3, etc.

About the container: 

The video and audio streams have to be combined for some reason. Hence, container format. If you have an HEVC video stream and an AAC audio stream, you can put them into a container like WMV, AVI, MP4, MOV, etc. Various container formats support different codecs. For instance, MKV and MP4 hold multiple videos, audio, and subtitle streams. MKV or MP4 files can be encoded in h.264, HEVC, AV1, WebM, VP9, and more.

On the other hand, every device comes with its own set of audio and video formats and codecs. Android phones, for example, only read AV1 files in MP4, MKV format when you upgrade to Android 10+. On an older Android phone, you will not be able to play videos with the AV1 codec. In contrast, you can play a MOV file on QuickTime, but when you import it to Windows 10, you may end up with nothing but an error message about video codecs not being supported.

This is why you receive an error message stating “video or audio codec not supported” or “unsupported video or audio codec” when you try to open media files on your Windows PC, Android device, or any other device.

How Can I Fix Audio or Video Codec Not Supported?

The not supported video or audio codec error can be fixed pretty easily. Below are some troubleshooting tips.

• Install an not supported audio codec or pack

If your PC or smartphone doesn’t have the right codec, you can install it separately and then play the video file to see if the audio or video codec not supported error goes away. Moreover, we will take the example of installing a codec in Windows Media Player.

1. Click Tools > Options.
2. Click on the Player tab > Check the box Download codecs automatically > click OK.
3. The video will be imported and played. If a pop-up message referring to installing the codec appears, click Install.

Downloading video codec packs is another option in addition to installing video codecs. I recommend the K-Lite Video Codec Pack. Follow these steps to install it.

1. Go to the K-Lite Codec Pack page and click Download.
2. Install K-Lite by opening the setup wizard > clicking Next, and selecting Simple mode.
3. Press Install to complete the installation. It includes almost all media codecs and fixes the codec not supported error. Indeed, you can then play the video files with your default media player.

You should be aware that video codec can result in harmful viruses, malware, adware, or infectious files. Moreover, to fix the audio video codec not supported issue, you can use a media player or video converter.

Below are the guides:  

• Using a Third-Party Media Player

Indeed, there are many video players out there that can play almost all video formats without installing video codecs. Moreover, they all have built-in audio and video codecs and are completely free. If you encounter an not supported video or audio codec format error, you can try three free video players.

• The VLC media player is the most reputable free media player in the world. Advanced features include media library organization, network streaming, video converting, and more.
• AV1, HEVC, H.264, DivX, Xvid, MPEG2, and VP9 are among the many codecs installed in 5KPlayer. It supports 4K and 8K UHD videos.
• KMPlayer – KMPlayer is a media player that includes features such as quick buttons, video zoom and move, playlist settings, subtitle settings, and more.

Other alternatives include GOM player, Potplayer, or MX Player. Almost all of them are free and support video and audio codecs and perform better with a variety of video files. You can try them if your video won’t play on Windows or so and avoid the audio and video codec not supported error.

Recommendations for video players: HD video player for Windows 10, HDR video player for Windows 10, and VLC for 4k playback problems

• Change the video format to one supported by the player

One solid workaround for the video not playing issue is to change the video format or codec with a video converter. If third-party media players can’t resolve the format incompatibility issue, but even result in some other issues like choppy playback, audio delay, and more.

With 370+ video and audio codecs, WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe is an excellent video converter that is extremely versatile. It can open almost any video that was recorded on any type of camera, but it is also a professional video converter that can encode any 8K/4K/HD video into a wide range of formats, such as MP4, MKV, MOV, AVI, HEVC, H.264, WebM, and more.

It uses hardware acceleration technology to convert a video at the fastest speed without sacrificing quality. Also, batch conversion allows you to convert dozens of files with just one click. If the error message video codec is not supported appears, you can try the following steps and then import the converted file.

To convert an unsupported video format, follow these steps: (Unsupported Audio Codec)

1. Click the +Video button to load the problematic video.
2. From the pop-up window, select the output format. MP4 H.264 is recommended since it has the most compatibility with media players, PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android, Xbox, PS4, Chromecast, and YouTube.
3. Select the file by clicking Browse and click RUN to begin changing the video format.

If you just want to convert the video format, you can click the Auto Copy box. Moreover, this will only remux the video file into another format without changing the video codec, bitrate, frame rate, etc., nor will it reduce video quality. And it’s pretty fast.

To change the codec of a video, click the gear-shaped button on the main interface, after which a window will appear where you can select your preferred codec.

Frequently Asked Questions about Not Supported/Unsupported Audio or Video Codecs

1. How to Fix the Not Supported Audio or Video Codec Error on Android

A typical Android phone supports .mp4 or .3gp videos encoded in h.263 or h.264 formats. Android Lollipop or newer supports HEVC, and Android 10 adds support for AV1. You can change the video codec or format to H.264 if your phone isn’t updated.

2. How do I fix the Samsung/LG Smart TV error “Video/Audio Codec Not Supported/Unsupported“?

You may still encounter the error “codec not supported” even if most smart TVs, such as LG or Samsung TVs, accept the majority of video formats, such as MP4, WMV, MKV, MOV, and 3GP. The issue can be resolved by making sure the video files are in the format and codec the smart TV recognizes. H.264 is the most popular codec for smart TVs, and AC3 is the most popular audio codec. If you encounter the video codec not supported error, please convert it to MP4 H.264 in AC3 audio codec.

Summary

Usually, the solutions mentioned above will fix the audio or video codec not supported error for most users so they can play videos smoothly. Indeed, the best and most reliable solution is probably to use a video converter. Furthermore, the solutions can also be applied when you experience a missing codec issue.

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