Summary: VLC media player is one of the popular software to play many different formats of multimedia files. But it can have some issues when playing MKV files. In this article, we will discuss the issue in detail and methods to solve them with easy steps.
Content Table:
- Why is my VLC media player not playing MKV files?
- Methods to solve MKV files not playing in VLC media player
- Method 1: Play the MKV file in a different media player
- Method 2: Update the VLC media player
- Method 3: Install missing codecs
- Method 4: Increase file caching value
- Method 5: Modify video/audio preferences
- Method 6: Disable hardware-accelerated decoding
- Method 7: Convert the MKV files to a different format
Why is My VLC Media Player Not Playing MKV Files?
VLC Media Player supports many video formats, such as MP4, MOV, AVI, MKV, etc., and plays them easily. But when you try to play an MKV file, it doesn’t play it. There are many reasons for the issue. Some of the common causes are,
- Conflict with VLC media player settings.
- Required codecs are missing or corrupt.
- Incorrect codec settings in the player.
- The VLC player version is out of date.
Methods to Solve MKV Files Not Playing in VLC Media Player
If you are looking for solutions for MKV files that are not playing in a VLC player, you may find lots of methods, but how do you know which will give you the result or which one corrupt the file? Below, we gave you some of the solutions that surely give you results.
Method 1: Play MKV File in a Different Media Player
The common solution for playing an MKV file that won’t play in a VLC player is to try to play it in a different player, such as a Windows media player, QuickTime player, Winamp player, and others. You can find and download them from the internet easily. Make sure the one you choose has a wide variety of video formats.
Method 2: Update the VLC Media Player
The common reason for any file not playing in the VLC player is that your version is not updated to the latest available one. Updating the software will solve most of the problems with the player. Follow the steps below to update your VLC media player,
- Open the VLC media player and click on Help from the menu bar.
- Now in the list click on Check for Updates.
This will check for any available updates. If it finds any update, follow the instructions to complete the update process.
Method 3: Install Missing Codecs
Updating the VLC player will update the codecs to the latest available to give you a smooth video playback experience. But if you still having codec issues then you can find specific codecs or codec packs from the web and install them to your system.
Some of the common codecs you might need to play MKV files are,
- Video codec:264 (AVC), H.265 (HEVC), VP9, MPEG-2.
- Audio codec: AAC, MP3, AC3, DTS, FLAC.
Method 4: Increase File Caching Value
VLC creates small cache files to give you smooth playing of your video playback. If other programs are using the disk space, then this will cause the MKV not to play in the VLC player. You can increase file caching value using the below instructions,
- Open the VLC media player and click on Tools from the menu bar.
- Now click on Preferences from the list.
- Click on All for the Show settings at the bottom of the window.
- Now click on Input/Codecs on the left side of the window.
- Then found File caching (ms) and set the value as 1000.
- Now click on Save and restart the player.
Method 5: Modify Video/Audio Preferences
Another cause for the video file not playing in the VLC player can be if you disable Audio or Video. You can follow the steps below and enable audio and video preferences,
- Open the VLC media player and click on Tools from the menu bar.
- Now click on Preferences from the list.
- Click on the Audio tab and check Enable audio
- Now click on the Video tab and check Enable video
- You can change Output settings to an appropriate option.
- Now click on Save and restart the player.
Method 6: Disable Hardware Accelerated Decoding
Hardware accelerated decoding is a technology used to perform the decoding process faster. However, if your graphics card does not support the technology, VLC may waste your CPU space for no reason. This will lead to MKV not playing in the VLC media player. You can solve the issue by following the instructions,
- Open the VLC media player and click on Tools from the menu bar.
- Now click on Preferences from the list.
- Click on the Input / Codecs tab.
- Now set Hardware-accelerated decoding to Disable from the dropdown list.
You can perform the next two steps to repair the corrupted MKV file if that may be the issue that causing VLC not to play MKV.
- You can click on Preload MKV files in the same directory checkbox if it is not checked.
- Now set the Damaged or incomplete AVI file to Always fix from the dropdown list.
- Now click on Save and restart the player.
Method 7: Convert the MKV Files to Different Format
You can convert your MKV files that won’t play in a VLC media player. This will repair the corruption in the MKV file. You can follow the steps below to convert your MKV file using the VLC media player,
- Open the VLC media player and click on Media from the menu bar.
- In the Open Media window, click Add to select the file.
- Now click on the Convert/Save button at the bottom of the window.
- In the Convert window, select Profile and provide the Destination file path by clicking Browse.
- Once the location is decided, then click on Save, then click on Start.
- Wait for the process to complete.
Note: If you are finding issues fixing MP4 or MOV files, then you can use the SFWare video repair tool.
Conclusion
Though the VLC media player is popular and can play most video formats, sometimes you can face MKV files not playing. Well, you can use this guide to solve the issue easily. You can share your experience with us in the comment box below.