Can’t Play MP4 on Windows 10? 6 Easy Fixes That Work

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Summary: If you can’t play MP4 on Windows 10, maybe it’s a codec issue or a problem with the media player. Try playing the video in VLC Media Player once and install the correct codecs for smooth playback. If nothing helps, check if the issue stems from damage in the video file itself.

Are you a Windows 10 user and feeling difficulty in playing MP4 video files? There is something we can do for you to get out of this situation. Read this blog to resolve the problem of MP4 videos not playing on Windows 10 systems.

Why Won’t MP4 Videos Play on Windows 10?

There can be different reasons why users can’t play MP4 on Windows 10. Some of the most common reasons why MP4 file is unable to play include:

Missing or unsupported codecs: An MP4 is a container file that contains the video stream, audio stream, and codecs required to play the video file properly. If the codecs are outdated or missing entirely, the video file won’t play or display black screen. MP4 file uses HEVC/H.265 and AV1 codecs for video and audio streams.
Broken index: A damaged moov atom (commonly known as a broken index) in MP4 file is a common reason behind MP4 file not playing in Windows 10. This index tells the media player where the audio and video streams are located in the media file. If this gets damaged, the media player won’t be able to play the video file properly.
Outdated graphics driver: Conflicting or outdated graphics driver can cause issues with video playback and disrupt hardware acceleration.
Incompatible media player: Trying to play the MP4 file in an outdated or incompatible media player can also trigger playback errors like video not playing issue.

Damaged video file: MP4 file can get damaged if it gets interrupted while it’s being downloaded or transferred, if the file header is broken, or if the source file got damaged while recording the video. This can prevent media players from playing the video file.

How to Fix Can’t Play MP4 Videos on Windows 10 Issue?

Based on certain experiments and trials, reasons that can be responsible for this problem includes outdated or incompatible codecs, media player incompatibility, inflictions due to hardware or video acceleration, etc. So, the problem can be fixed by resolving the related issue. Let us get knowledge about all possible solutions in our next section.

Method 1. Play MP4 Video Files on Another Media Player

If you are trying your MP4 video files on VLC Media Player/Windows Media Player only and have not tried an alternative media player like Real Player, KM Player, or MX Player, then it is recommended to try that. Just, right-click the MP4 video file, select the Open with option, and select a different player for playing the video. If MP4 videos are playing in another media player other than the one you were trying to play, the issue or problem is with your media player. Try reinstalling the player once. But, if MP4 video files are not playing on any player, the problem is either with your default media player or with conflicting codecs.

Method 2. Install the Required Codecs

Find which all codecs for your player are required to be installed on your Windows 10 system to play MP4 video files. Only download the K-Lite codec pack from the original website and install it successfully on your system. Once installed, reboot your Windows 10 system, and try playing MP4 videos. It can work for you as a solution.

Method 3. Modify MP4 video File Extension

You can try changing the file extension of the MP4 video file to see if it helps you or not. However, it is suggested to make a copy of the original file and save it to some other location on a different drive before changing the file extension.
To change the extension of the MP4 video file, select it and then click on the F2 key.
Next, modify the extension to .mp4v.
Confirm the action by choosing the Yes option in the further upcoming confirmation message.
Try playing the video file with the modified extension. If it plays, then you are really lucky!

Method 4. Check VLC Media Player Input/Codecs Settings

Check for a VLC Media Player settings – Hardware-accelerated decoding under Input/Codecs setting. Follow this process to check this:

Launch your VLC Media Player program.
Click on the Tools menu and select Preferences from the drop-down list.
On the Simple Preferences page, switch to the Input/Codecs tab and then ensure that the Disable option is selected against the Hardware-accelerated decoding. And, if not, select it from the drop-down and click the Save option.
Try playing your MP4 videos in the VLC Media Player. It can work if the Hardware-accelerated decoding setting was the issue.

Method 5. Disable Hardware Acceleration (Temporarily)

Hardware Acceleration setting is what does all the video decoding using system’s graphics driver. If your graphics driver is outdated or is conflicting with your media player, it can introduce playback errors in Windows 10. Turning it off temporarily can sometimes help as the media player itself decodes the video. Here are the steps for this process:

Right-click on the start button and select Device Manager from the list.
Click on the Display Adapters option.
Right-click on Intel(R) HD Graphics to choose the Disable device option. Then click on Yes.
Try playing the MP4 file to see if it works.
When you’re done, right-click on the driver and click on Enable device.
If the MP4 file plays, this means that the graphics driver is causing the problem. Update or reinstall it to prevent this issue in future.

Method 6. Perform Windows 10 Troubleshooting

Windows 10 actually has a built-in video playback troubleshooter that can help identify what the problem is and can suggest fixes to resolve the issue. Check out the process to perform this:

On your Windows 10 system, click on the Start option.
Click on the Settings option, select Update & Security and then click on the Troubleshoot option from the left panel.
Select Additional Troubleshooters from the right panel and click on Video Playback > Run the troubleshooter.
Next, perform the troubleshooting with the given instructions to complete it.

Users can troubleshoot Windows Media Player settings from the Control Panel also by selecting the Troubleshooting category first and then selecting Windows Media Player Settings from the program list. Then start and complete the troubleshooting with the provided instructions.

Hence, we have covered all the possible solutions based on different scenarios to fix the problem where MP4 video files are not playing on Windows 10 system.

Still Can’t Play MP4 on Windows 10? Check if it’s Corrupted

If you’re unable to play the video file in any other media player, or if there’s any kind of visual distortion in the video file, there’s chance that your video file itself is damaged. You should first check the below given things to see if it helps:

Download the file again from its source to see if it plays normally.
Try playing it on another device.
Restore the MP4 video file from a pre-existing backup (if you have one).

If none of the tips work for you, using a dedicated Video Repair Tool might help you recover your video file. Choose a that repairs video files without affecting the original structure and properties of added source videos. Also make sure to always work on a copy of the video file and never overwrite the original video file.