Fix: VLC Not Playing AVI, MP4, HEVC, H264, MKV Format Video File

Media players such as VLC Media Player support a wide variety of video and audio formats. Some video formats, including AVI, MP4, HEVC, H264, MKV, etc., may...

Subrato Chatterjee

Last updated on May 24, 2023

Subrato Chatterjee

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Subrato Chatterjee is an Engineer who has always searched for something new. He found peace in technology, smartphones, and gaming. What do you need more? He is an expert in every sphere of life.

Media players such as VLC Media Player support a wide variety of video and audio formats. Some video formats, including AVI, MP4, HEVC, H264, MKV, etc., may not be supported by VLC. For users whose media files rely on VLC, this can be frustrating. Several solutions will be discussed in this article to fix VLC not playing these video formats.

Firstly, it’s important to understand why VLC might not be able to play certain video formats. It could be caused by a number of factors, including an outdated version of VLC, corrupt video files, missing codecs, or system problems. We will explore these reasons and the corresponding solutions below.

Fix: VLC Not playing AVI, MP4, HEVC, H264, MKV Format Video File

Why Does VLC Not Playing AVI, MP4, HEVC, H264, MKV Format Video Files?

VLC may not playing certain video formats for a variety of reasons. There are a number of common reasons for this:

How to Fix VLC Not playing AVI, MP4, HEVC, H264, MKV Format Video File

So, here are some fixes that will help you resolve the VLC not playing AVI, MP4, HEVC, H264, or MKV format video files:

Fix 1: Update VLC Media Player

You may be experiencing problems playing certain video formats because you are using an outdated version of VLC. This issue can be resolved by updating VLC to the latest version. Here’s how:

Open VLC Media Player.

Click on the Help menu and select Check for Updates.

If an update is available, click on the Install button to update VLC.

Thereafter, once the update is complete, restart VLC and try playing your video file again.

Fix 2: Check for Corrupt Video Files

Video files that are corrupt may also prevent VLC from playing certain video formats. You can check if the video file is corrupt by playing it with another media player or by running a video repair tool. So, use a video repairs tool such as Stellar Video Repair or EaseUS Video Repair if the video file is corrupt.

Fix 3: Install Missing Codecs

VLC may not be able to decode certain video formats because it lacks the necessary codecs. Digital media files are encoded and decoded by codecs, which are software components. It is possible to fix this issue by installing missing codecs on your computer. Here’s how:

You will need to open VLC Media Player.
Thereafter, go to the Tools menu and select Preferences.
Navigate to the tab Input/Codecs in Simple Preferences.
In the Codec section, check the box next to “Always use subtitles.”
To save, click on the Save button.
Restart VLC and try playing your video file again.

If you don’t succeed in installing missing codecs, you may try installing a codec pack such as the K-Lite Codec Pack or the Combined Community Codec Pack (CCCP). There is a wide range of codecs included in these codec packs, allowing them to decode different video formats.

Fix 4: Use VLC Media Player Alternative

For those who have trouble playing their video files with the above solutions, you may wish to try using an alternative media player. Media players such as Windows Media Player, KMPlayer, and MPC-HC are popular alternatives.

Fix 5: Reset VLC Preferences

It is possible for VLC preferences to become corrupted or changed, which may affect its ability to play certain video formats. It might be a good idea to reset VLC preferences to their default settings in order to fix this problem. Here’s how:

Open VLC Media Player.
Click on the Tools menu and select Preferences.
In the Simple Preferences window, click on the Reset Preferences button.
Restart VLC and try playing your video file again.

Fix 6: Disable Hardware Acceleration

To decode videos faster and improve playback performance, VLC uses hardware acceleration. There are, however, times when hardware acceleration can cause problems with certain video formats. If the issue persists, you can disable hardware acceleration. Here’s how:

Start VLC Media Player.
Thereafter, go to the Tools menu and select Preferences.
Navigate to the tab Input/Codecs in Simple Preferences.
In the Codec section, uncheck the “Use hardware YUV->RGB conversions” checkbox.
Click on the Save button.
Restart VLC and try playing your video file again.

Fix 7: Run VLC as Administrator

You may find that VLC is unable to access certain files or codecs on your system if you don’t give it the necessary permissions. If the issue persists, you can try running VLC as an administrator to give it elevated privileges. To do this, follow these steps:

If you want to run VLC Media Player as administrator, right-click on it and choose Run as administrator.
Try playing your video file again.

Fix 8: Reinstall VLC

To fix any installation issues, you can reinstall VLC if none of the above solutions work. Here’s how:

On your Windows system, open the Control Panel.
Select Programs and Features.
From the installed programs list, select VLC Media Player.
Click on the Uninstall button.
Follow the prompts to uninstall VLC.
Now, download the latest version of VLC from the official website and install it on your system.
Try playing your video file again.

Also Read: How to Fix if 4K Videos Not Playing on Windows 11

Wrap Up

To conclude, VLC Media Player is a powerful media player that supports a variety of audio and video formats. There are some video formats. However, that may not play, such as AVI, MP4, HEVC, H264, MKV, etc. It could be due to a corrupt video file, missing codecs, or an outdated VLC version. If you follow these solutions, you will be able to enjoy your favorite videos without any problems.