If you download a video and then see an error like “could not play this file” or the sound is missing, then Mx Player codecs come into play. Codecs are like a special translator that helps to understand and display the video. If you want to use the pro version of MX Player free, then download the MX Player Mod Apk, which gives all the premium features for free. Here, we all break down the MX player codec and explore how to fix playback issues.
What Are Codecs?
Codec + Decoder = Codecs: These are tools that compress video and audio files and decompress them.
Why You Need Them: Without codecs, your player can not read the video. The player supports many codecs.
MX Player’s Top Supported Video Codecs
Mx Player supports at least all file formats.
Codec Use Case
H.264/AVC Most common for HD videos (MP4, MKV).
H.265/HEVC high-efficiency 4K/8K videos.
VP9 YouTube videos & streaming.
MPEG-4 old-school DVDs and mobile videos.
AV1 is a newer format for ultra-HD streaming.
Audio codecs
If you have no sounds in your audio, then you need codecs
AAC: This is for mp4 video
MP3: this is for music files
FLAC: best for high-quality audio
Dolby Digital: this is for around sound
How do we check MX player support codecs
- Open your player
- Tap the three dot menu and go to properties
- Look for video and audio codecs
Codecs not supported error and how to fix them
- Install custom codecs
MX Player allows adding extra codecs to take your experience to the next level.
- Download the MX player custom codecs from the MX Player.in.
- The zip file is downloaded to your phone folder
- Open your player, go to settings, decoder, custom codecs, and select the zip file.
- Convert the video
Using free tools for conversion of video into h.264 or mp4
Hardware vs software decoding

Hardware decoding (HW): this is used for the phone’s best performance, to save battery and make the phone faster, but it does not support new code
Software decoding (SW): SW works for all codecs, makes the phone lazier, and drains the battery faster.
How to switch
During playback, click on HW/SW to switch these codecs.
support codecs; it’s better than other player
- Support AC3 or DTS audio
- Play MKV AVI, FLV and 3GP files smoothly
- Support large free HD video
Codec Troubleshooting
Issues
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Fix
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---|---|
217_85e041-91> | 217_56931c-d4> |
217_21f616-82> | 217_7ab3a2-81> |
217_157e3c-43> | 217_18c4d0-53> |
217_427e1b-84> | 217_dae001-78> |
217_f0671d-27> | 217_24fecb-d8> |
Features of codecs
New codecs like AV1 and H.266 or VVC make MX Player the next level
New codecs are coming in update
Conclusion
Codecs take MX players to the next level. If your video is trucking and has any errors, like sounds not being supported or lagging, then codecs remove these errors and make the video play smoothly. You can easily switch between hardware (HW) and software (SW). You can easily resolve the issue of playback through codecs for regularly updating support for new codecs. By using these tips, enjoy smooth and high-quality playback.
FAQs
Why does MX Player show a codecs not supported error?
This error occurs when your app lacks and does not decode the video/audio. You can easily fix it by downloading these codecs from a trusted site or converting the file to support the H.264/MP4
How do I check which codecs the MX Player supports?
The list of supported codecs is in your app menu under the video and audio section.
Should I use hardware (HW) or software (SW) decoding?
HW has the best battery performance and does not support all the codecs
SW support all types of coding and drains the battery quickly
Why is there no audio in my video?
Codecs may not be supported by installing custom codecs or converting the audio track into AAC/MP3.