what do i need to play mp4 videos

Playing MP4s on Windows should be easy, but it isn't always. If y'all don't have the right codecs or software, you lot might find that Windows 10 won't play MP4s at all, or that you get stuck with an error bulletin y'all tin't become around.

There are ways to fix that, though. Hither's how to play MP4 files on Windows, no thing which version yous're using.

Windows 10 Won't Play MP4, Why?

Normally the reason you can't play MP4s on Windows 10, is because your media role player of choice doesn't support them. It could exist that playing MP4s on Windows 10 doesn't work considering you lot don't take the right codecs installed, or y'all just need to install a unlike media player. Hither are a few different ways you can play MP4s on Windows 10.

Notation: These steps will work for Windows 8 and Windows vii also, though the steps might differ slightly due to the divergence in user interface between them.

How to Gear up the "Tin't Play MP4 on Windows" Problem

How to Play MP4 Files with Windows Media Player

Wondering if Windows Media Player plays MP4s? It plays MP4s on Windows very well indeed. Learning how to play MP4s on Windows 10 is easy with Windows Media Player, equally information technology's a free MP4 player for Windows that comes pre-installed.

Find your MP4 using Windows File Explorer.
Correct click or tap and hold on it.
Select Open up With.
Select Windows Media Player from the expanded carte du jour.

How to Play MP4 on Windows with VLC

Worried that VLC won't play MP4s? Don't be. VLC offers an excellent Windows x MP4 playing feel, with native support for it and a number of other file formats. It doesn't price a thing too, making it a great free MP4 player for Windows if y'all need an culling to those that Windows comes pre-installed with.

Find the MP4 file you want to play.
Right click or tap and hold on it.
Select Open With followed by VLC Media Player from the drop-downwardly list.

How to Convert a Video Earlier Playing MP4 on Windows

You don't necessarily accept to convert to MP4 to play on Windows Media Player, VLC, or another media actor of your choice. Most offer a robust selection of file format support. That said, if you lot observe Windows 10 tin't play it, MP4 files are easy to play on all sorts of players, so converting information technology can save you a headache.

Here'south how to convert to MP4 to play on Windows Media, or your favorite alternative media histrion.

Visit the Movavi download site and grab Movavi Video Converter. There'south a version for Mac users too, if that's your preferred operating system.
Install the application following the usual steps and open it when finished.
Select the Add Media button in the top left, and search for the file you desire to convert to MP4. Select it, and so select Open. You lot can also drag and drop the file into the main converter window.
In the Video tab, select MP4 and pick a specific preset of options for the output file quality.
Select Salvage to to selection where y'all want to salve the file, then select Convert to begin the process.

When it's complete, you'll exist able to play the MP4 on Windows using your preferred media player. If you detect that Windows ten won't play the MP4, for some reason, repeat the conversion to make sure you followed the steps correctly. If you're notwithstanding having difficulty with the MP4 on Windows, then follow some of the steps below. They may exist able to fix the problem.

Get the Codecs Needed

Windows ten should play MP4 files without difficulty, simply if it doesn't, or your Windows 7 or viii install is having similar issues, and then it might exist considering you don't have the proper MP4 codec for Windows.

There are a number of different codec packs out there which tin can give you all the back up you need to play MP4s on Windows 10, but a popular option is the K-Lite Codec Pack. It brings support for a huge swathe of different file types, and should make playing MP4s on Windows 10 a breeze. Install information technology like you would any program and it will add all the codecs you need.

Try Solving with the Troubleshooter

If you're left scratching your head nigh how to play MP4 files on Windows 10, considering you've done everything correct and it only won't work, it might exist that Windows 10 has a trouble that needs fixing. One of the easiest means to get information technology working properly once more is the Video Playback Troubleshooter.

Press the Windows Key + I to launch the Settings menu.
Open Update and Security, and select the Troubleshoot carte from the left-hand listing.
Select Additional Troubleshooters.
Under the heading Find and fix other problems, select Video Playback.
Select Run the troubleshooter.
Follow the on-screen instructions to find any issues with playing MP4s on Windows.

Delete and Install Microsoft Alive Essentials

Some Windows users have found that they tin't play MP4s on Windows 10 using apps in Windows Alive Essentials, a suite of tools that included Windows Movie Maker, Photo Gallery, and Live Post, among others.

It'south no longer officially supported by Microsoft, so there are improve tools for playing MP4s on Windows. Simply if you lot want to use them, then reinstalling the whole Live Essentials suite is your best bet.

Search for Programs in the Windows search bar and select Add or Remove Programs.
Search for the Windows Live Essentials awarding you want to use and select it. And so select Uninstall.
Ostend information technology by pressing Uninstall again.
Download the Windows Live Essentials pack from a reputable source, similar CNET, then install it similar you would whatsoever other program.

Disable WMV DirectX Video Dispatch

In some rare cases, Windows 10 can't play MP4s because of WMD DirectX Video Acceleration. Fortunately, turning it off is easy.

Open up Windows Media Player.
Select Organize followed by Options.
Select the Operation tab.
Under the heading Video Playback untick the Turn on DirectX Video Acceleration for WMV files.
Select Apply, then OK to relieve your settings.
Restart Windows Media player and then attempt to play the MP4 on Windows again.

Enter a Unlike Extension for the File

If you've wearied all other options to become Windows 10 to play MP4s, then you lot can force information technology to try using a different codec to play it by changing its extension.

Create a backup of the video past copy and pasting it. Ideally, rename it something easily memorable as the original.
Correct-click or tap and agree on the video file and select Rename. Rename it to whatsoever you desire, with the suffix ".mp4v".
When asked to confirm the modify, select Yes.

Try playing the MP4 on Windows again using your preferred media player. If it worked, it would play using the H.264 codec instead of the MPEG-4 i.

Jon Martindale is a writer and author from the United Kingdom. He's written how-to guides and in-depth features for some of the largest digital publications in the earth, including Digital Trends, ITProPortal, and Forbes. He'south been building and working with computers all his life.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What plays MP4 files on Windows?

Learning how to play MP4s on Windows 10 is largely a question of using the right software for the job. MP4s are widely supported by all sorts of media players. Windows Media Player is a great MP4 player on Windows, and is part of the main Windows install. VLC is a popular third-party media player which is also practiced for playing MP4s.

Does Windows Media Thespian play MP4?

For Windows 10, MP4s are most easily played on Windows Media Player simply because it doesn't crave any boosted software installs. If that doesn't work for some reason, VLC is a bully alternative. At that place are also a number of fixes that tin can be applied if you lot particularly want to play an MP4 in Windows Media thespian or yous are having trouble playing MP4 files in another software.

Which MP4 codecs are supported on Windows x?

Windows ten includes a wide range of codecs that go far possible to play all sorts of file formats, from AVIs, to MP3s. It as well fully supports both MPEG-four and H.264 for playing MP4 files in Windows Media Thespian.

MP4 files are so widely supported that most media players, including Windows' own, tin play them without the need to download additional codecs. Nonetheless, if you run into issues playing MP4s on Windows, and so updating your codecs with a robust codec pack can sometimes set up the issue.

Why VLC won't play MP4

The VLC media player MP4 playing experience is typically solid. VLC should be able to play MP4 files without the need for tweaking or adjustments of any kind. It's a media player with extremely broad support for almost all video and audio files and is a corking option if you find that Windows Media Role player or your other preferred player can't play a video file properly.

If y'all run into an issue where VLC won't play an MP4 file, information technology could exist that the file you're trying to play isn't an MP4 at all. It'due south worth running a virus scan on it to brand sure that information technology isn't malware. Alternatively, download the file once again to see if that fixes the problem – it might have been corrupted when it was downloaded.

If you lot're certain that y'all are trying to play an MP4 file but it still doesn't work, try downloading a codec pack earlier attempting to play it again. It might exist that your PC just needed the right codec for the job.

If that doesn't work, endeavour converting the file from MP4 to something else, like an AVI. That's also a robust and well supported file format that almost media players, including VLC, should have no trouble playing.

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