Troubleshoot and Repair Unsupported Video Codec Errors

🕔 4 minutes read

Summary: Codecs help play the file by encoding or decoding the multimedia components of a file. But new codecs also come up now and then. This will cause the media player to throw an unsupported issue. So here we discuss what to do when we get an unsupported codec issue.

Gravatar for Admin
Written By
Updated On

Codecs are the algorithms that help the media components of a multimedia file to compress and decompress. These codecs help keep the file’s quality while keeping the file’s size small.

Now you can figure out what happens when a media player does not support the codec. These files cannot play. This is because the player cannot decompress the file components. Below are the common reasons for the unsupported video codecs error,

  • The media player is out of date.
  • Missing or corrupted codecs.
  • Corruption in the file.

Methods to Fix Unsupported Video Codec Issue

We must investigate solutions if you have encountered an unsupported video codec issue. There are lots of methods to deal with the problem. Here we have discussed some common ones, which we have evaluated and found results. Please follow the procedures to repair unsupported video codecs.

Method 1: Update the Media Player

Most of the issues when playing the file can be due to the media player issues, where many of them can be attributed to the outdated media player. The out-of-date media player may not have the latest codecs in the unsupported codec issue. The easy solution is to update the media player. Most of the software has an update checker built into the software itself. Follow the steps to update the Windows media player,

  • Open Window Media Player.
  • Click on the Help option at the top of the screen.
  • Click on Check for updates.

Update Windows Media Player to fix unsupported video codec error

Method 2: Play the Unsupported Video Codec Files on a Different Media Player

Suppose you are facing the issue of an unsupported codec issue, even after updating the software. This can be because the player does not support the required codecs. The simple solution for the problem is downloading and installing other media players, such as VLC. Once you install the player, you can try playing the file to verify that the issue is resolved.

Method 3: Fix Unsupported Video Codec Issue by Installing Required Codecs

Another solution to overcome the unsupported video codec is to install the codec. First, you can check the file for the codecs used and find the ones you need to install. Then, you can search the internet for the codecs and download and install them.

The other solution is to download and install the codec packs. There are lots of options here as well. The most common ones are the K-lite codec pack, Combined Community Codec Pack, and others.

Method 4: Convert File with Different Codec

When converting the file, you can select a different codec or format. This will help to change the codec, which is not supported, to a different one. You can do this simply using a VLC media player and following the steps below,

  • Open the VLC media player and click on Media at the top of the screen.
  • Select Convert/Save from the drop-down menu.

fix unsupported video codec by converting the video file

  • In the window open, click Add in the File tab to choose the file.
  • Once you select the file, click the Convert/Save

VLC Media Player - Select File Convert

  • Now select the Profile to change the codec options.

Note: Provide the location to save the converted file by clicking on Browse.

  • Now click on the Start button to start the conversion.

Start the unsupported video codec repair process and upon completion save it in any location of your choice

Method 5: Repair Unsupported Video Codec File Using SFWare Video Repair

You may need to repair the video file if you have exhausted all the solutions to fix the unsupported video codec issue or the corrupted converted file. You can use the SFWare Video Repair tool to improve the video file, a purpose-built tool to fix various video errors.

Free Download for WindowsFree Download for Mac

Steps to use SFWare Video Repair tool

Download and install the SFWare Video Repair tool to repair the corrupted video file.

  • Open the software and click on Select file to choose the file.

Fix fix unsupported video codec Video File Using SFWare Video Repair tool

Note: Click on Choose Reference MOV file if prompted in the next screen and select a healthy file as reference.

  • Now click on Repair to start the process.

SFWare Video Repair tool - Select Reference File

  • Once the repair process is complete, preview the file.

SFWare Video Repair tool - Preview and Save Repaired File

  • If satisfied with the result, Click on the Save

Also Learn: How to repair GoPro Videos

Conclusion

When playing a video file, you may encounter unsupported video codec issues. We discussed the case’s reasons with this write-up and then checked some solutions. Please use these solutions to repair your problem and let us know how useful they are below.

Related Posts:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *