If you accept downloaded an MKV file, opening information technology using an earlier version of Windows Media Player 10 might not work. This is because the previous versions of Windows Media Histrion did not support MKV files.

Even if you lot have a new version of Windows Media Player, in that location's no guarantee that you even so won't be encountering problems. Your file may load but you may simply hear the audio and the video will not be visible.

In this postal service, let's look at how you lot tin utilise Windows Media Player to play MKV files. We'll as well talk about some alternatives for playing MKV files in Windows.

It's worth noting that MKV (Matroska Video) files are a container format for multimedia and not any kind of pinch format. They are basically future-proof because they can contain video, audio and subtitles in a unmarried file with a mix of encodings (H.264, H.265, MP3, AAC, etc).

Convert The File To a Format Supported Past Your Version Of Windows Media Role player

If a plan can't play your MKV file, i gear up is to brand the file playable by converting it. So in this case, going with an acceptable format for Windows Media Player is the straightforward solution.

The file you're looking for comes with the extension .wmv. It stands for Windows Media Video and it's a video file that uses Microsoft'southward ASF (Advanced Systems Format) every bit the footing.

So what you lot need to do is find a reliable converter that will convert your MKV file to WMV. Wondershare UniConverter is a tool you lot can use for this.

  • To begin, open the plan and cull Add Files.
  • Go to Convert all files to: and select WMV as the output format.
  • This tool is just one of many tools that tin can convert your MKV files to WMV files. You can also choose AVS Media Converter, Handbrake, and more. All three of these tools are malware and spyware free.

Use Alternative Media Players

Windows Media Player is a great built-in program for playing media. However, if information technology can't play your MKV file, a quick gear up is to utilise other media players.

The best option that nosotros recommend is to use VLC Media Player. If you prefer some other media player, you tin check out the listing on the Matroska website. Other not bad media players they recommend include MPC-HC and BS.player.

VLC Media Player

VLC is a gratuitous open-source multimedia player that can play near every multimedia file format.

It as well comes with a lineup of tools that tin meliorate your viewing experience. This includes a menu for Media, Playback, and Video.

  • The first pace to using VLC media histrion is to download and install the program.
  • Then select your MKV file. Right-click on information technology and cull Open up with.
  • From the option, choose VLC media player.
  • You can also launch the media role player. So go to Media and select Open File from the drop-down menu.

Install a CODEC

The terminal option if you really want to play MKV files using only a media player like Windows Media Role player is to download a CODEC. A CODEC, which is short for compression/decompression, is used to give a programme the ability to play a file format that information technology doesn't support natively.

The main thing with CODEC "packs" is that they are usually from shady websites and will install a agglomeration of crapware onto your organisation. The safest place to get the CODEC we need in this case is Ninite.

This is a prophylactic website where you can download a lot of gratuitous software for Windows without any bundled software included. You can select any other plan you similar in add-on to the CCCP option, which stands for Combined Community Codec Pack.

This is simply a pack of codecs for Windows that will allow you to play pretty much any video format, including MKV. Using 1 of the three methods above, you lot should be able to play your MKV file on Windows without whatsoever issues.