VLC is a media player that can be used to play different types of audio and video files. But occasionally, your VLC media player will not open an MKV file. A black screen, no sound, jerky video, or a message indicating an issue such as “Unidentified codec: VLC could not identify the audio or video codec” could be the problem.
When playing MKV files, many users have reported experiencing problems like pixelated and freezing videos, playback stuttering, fuzzy images, and glitchy interface quirks with VLC. Don’t worry if you’re having comparable issues with VLC. We’ll give you seven tried-and-true solutions in this in-depth guide to resolve the problem of MKV files not playing on VLC.
We will also investigate the potential causes of VLC not playing MKV.
Table of Contents
Section 01: Does VLC Play MKV Files?
Have you ever had trouble using VLC and wondered why your MKV files are not playing on VLC? MKV format is supported by default by VLC. There are a few possible reasons why MKV files are not playing on a common VLC, including out-of-date versions, incompatible or incorrect preferences, missing codecs, corrupted MKV files, and so forth.
VLC can playback and read MKV videos with a variety of frequently employed and relatively rare video coding formats, including MPEG-1, MPEG-2, H.263, H.264, Theora, Cinepak, Sorenson, and more, as indicated on the official support guide page.
Platform-independent, completely free, and open-source VLC media player is adaptable. It enables the conversion of MKV videos into more easily compatible MP4 formats, which work with the majority of the latest devices.
Section 02: Possible Causes Why MKV Files Not Playing on a VLC Player
There are general configurations for parameters in VLC that may assist in fixing the issue of an MKV file failing to play on the VLC, even though there are many potential causes. The following are some potential causes of the playback problem:
Cause 1: Invalid Codec Settings
Decoding data such as audio and video from multimedia files, such as MKV files, requires codecs. MKV files will not play correctly in VLC if the codec configurations are incorrect or if the necessary codecs need to be updated.
Cause 2: Compromised/Corrupted MKV Files
If unfinished downloading or transmission problems result in corrupted MKV files, VLC may be unable to play them at all or might find it difficult to play them without crashing.
Cause 3: Outdated Version of VLC Player
Using an out-of-date VLC version might constitute an additional factor. Playback errors may occur if the media player version you’ve installed is older and doesn’t support the most recent MKV codecs.
Cause 4: Troubles with Hardware Decoding Settings
Playing MKV files may become challenging if there are configuration issues between the graphics card drivers and VLC’s hardware decoding preferences.
Section 03: What to do if VLC does not Play the MKV File?
As discussed previously, there are a variety of explanations for why VLC might not be able to determine the audio or video codec of an MKV file. In this section, we’ll troubleshoot this issue by using the solutions listed below.
Solution 1: Modify the Codec/Input Configuration
Numerous settings may not be suitable given the player’s settings. In that scenario, you can modify the file’s input or codec settings. The following are the different simple steps to adjust the settings:
Step 1: Start the VLC player on your system.
Step 2: Now select “Tools” followed by “Preferences” from the menu bar.
Step 3: Select “Input & Codecs” from the window that has opened, and then select “All” under “Show Settings.”
Step 4: You need to type “File Caching” into the search field and enter 1000 as the value.
Step 5: Finally, select “Save” to keep the modifications made.
Step 6: Restart the VLC media player and try to play the MKV video.
Solution 2: While playing HD MKV files, the VLC Player lags and stutters
There are numerous explanations why 4K video playback in a VLC media player appears snappy, blurred, or stuttering in MP4.
Some of the primary reasons may involve the high frame rate along with CPU demand of 4K videos, an out-of-date version of the VLC media player on your computer, an inadequate computer, incorrect VLC media player configurations, damaged videos, software conflicts, etc.
If you experience lag, stuttering, or jerky playback of 4K videos with VLC, try adjusting the FFmpeg settings. The All Preferences window is where you can do this. Navigate through the Preferences window and choose FFmpeg under the Video codecs section. Turn off Hardware Decoding from the list that displays. It appears that the VLC 4K choppy playback problem has been resolved.
Solution 3: Turn On Audio Output settings
If you experience audio problems when using VLC Media Player to play MKV files, make sure the player’s settings are correct. When the videos play with little or no sound in the VLC media player, most users become irritated. Simply review the instructions.
Step 1: Navigate to the VLC menu, followed by choosing the Preferences option located on the Tools menu bar.
Step 2: Select the Audio icon by clicking on it.
Step 3: Choose the option Enable Audio.
Step 4: Select the Output option, then choose HDMI/SPDIF audio passthrough and Output Module options.
Solution 4: Repair and Restore Corrupted MKV Files
Should the reason for MKV files not playing on a VLC be considered corruption in the media files themselves, the solution mentioned earlier might not function, and fixing the corrupted files ends up being crucial.
Choosing reputable video repair software, for instance, Wondershare Repairit Video Repair could prove very helpful in these situations. The program is an effective tool made especially for fixing damaged and impossible-to-play video files.
Restore corrupted videos at any level using Wondershare Repairit Video Repair, including those that won’t play, don’t have sound, are out of sync, have playback issues, have distorted headers, flicker, lack a video codec, etc.
Now, see how to fix the corrupted MKV file so that it plays properly in VLC by following the instructions below.
Step 1: Add Corrupted MKV File
On your system, open the Wondershare Repairit Video Repair. To drop in the damaged video and begin fixing these videos, choose the “+Add” option.
Step 2: Fix the Corrupted MKV Video File
Choose multiple videos to fix and to begin the procedure, click on the Repair button.
Step 3: Preview the Repaired Video and Save the MKV File
You will have to wait for a while for the repair process to complete. A pop-up screen will appear as soon as the repair concludes. After you have selected the repair option the process of repairing the MKV file begins. After the completion of the process, you will have the choice of previewing it. Once satisfied, you can now save the changes made during the repair process.
Step 4: Advanced Video Repair/Restoration (Optional)
If your video file is still not repaired, your file is extremely corrupted and now you must select the advanced video repair option. Once you do that, pick out your corrupted files from the Folder option on a separate window that will appear. Now all you have to do is click on the Repair button.
Step 5: Save Repaired File
The final step would be saving the repaired MKV video file in the desired folder.
Section 04: Tips and Tricks on Playing MKV Files on VLC Smoothly
Tip 1: Use a Different Media Player to Play an MKV Video
5KPlayer guarantees that all of the audio and video files in your collection of media will run smoothly on your system. Any type of video, including MKV, M2TS, MP4, AVI, WMV, FLV, and others, can be played with 5KPlayer at a minimal CPU cost.
Over three hundred online video web pages allow 5KPlayer to download videos, which includes 4K videos. When it comes to playing videos, the VLC substitute is a better and more advantageous choice than VLC due to its numerous benefits.
You must complete the following actions to play your MKV file on a different media player:
Step 1: Select the MKV file you need to play by right-clicking on it.
Step 2: Tap on the ‘Open With’ option from the list.
Step 3: now choose the alternative media player of your choice (5KPlayer, for instance).
Tip 2: Convert MKV Files to Another Format
After attempting each of these solutions, if you’re still having trouble that VLC is not playing MKV video files, consider converting the MKV format of the file to one of the other supported file types (DivX, WMV, MPEG-4, etc.) followed by opening the clip in VLC Media Player.
Final Words
In a great deal of instances, you can modify VLC’s settings to resolve the issue of VLC failing to play MKV. Wondershare Repairit Video Repair is our top recommendation when it comes to fixing corrupt video files. This software is unique in that it has a straightforward user interface and great performance. In contrast to other video repair tools, this one is compatible with a wide range of file formats and device variants, thereby providing a flexible choice for anyone using it.
See also:wikipedia
