What to Do When MP4 File Won’t Play on Windows Media Player

We presume that you have a peculiar choice when it comes to playing videos if you choose the OG Windows Media Player, however, if your Windows Media Player not playing MP4 videos read this article with easy-to-execute solutions to get them back on track.

Video Repair

MP4 is a well-known video file format that can be played on various devices and media players. However, your Windows Media Player may fail to play these MP4 videos or you might experience video or audio playback issues in the file.

Why is the Windows Media Player not Playing MP4?

According to Microsoft’s list of file types supported by Windows Media Player, it is clear that Windows Media Player 7, WMP for Windows XP, WMP 9 Series, and Windows Media Player 10/11 don’t support the MP4 file format.

Even though Windows Media Player 12 plays MP4 videos, it doesn’t support playback of all MP4 file formats.

MP4 is a container format that comprises multiple video and audio streams. In case, the video or audio streams are encoded by codecs that are not supported by WMP 12, then Windows Media Player won’t play your MP4 video files or you encounter issues like sound not playing, no video, other synchronization issues, or all of these.

How to Make Windows Media Player Play MP4 Video? (5 Solutions)

To fix the MP4 file that does not show video with the Windows Media Player problem you can follow below step-by-step procedure.

Solution 1# Install Codecs for WMP

First, check for the latest updates available for your Windows using the Automatic Updates option. Automatic Updates will download and install new/required codecs for your Windows. To install Windows Updates, go to the Start menu, click on the Control Panel, and select Windows Updates. If you see any latest or recommended updates, install it.

To Install Automatic Updates in WMP,

  • Open Windows Media Player and select Tools
  • Click on Options and switch to the Player tab
  • Under Automatic updates, check Once a day and click OK

To Install Necessary Codecs in WMP for Your MP4 Files,

  • Launch Windows Media Player, go to Tools, and select Options
  • Under the Player tab, choose Download codecs automatically and hit OK
  • Play the MP4 file, click the Install button when you are asked to install the codec

Solution 2# Convert MP4 Videos Using Windows Media Player

Convert MP4 file to Windows Media Player supportive file formats using the below steps.

Note: Try these steps on a copy of your MP4 video file.

  • Open your MP4 file in Windows Media Player, click on Organize and select Options
  • Switch to the Rip Music section, click on the Change button and mention the destination location to save the converted video file
  • In Rip settings, under Format select MP3 and hit the OK button

Now, you can play the converted MP4 video file in Windows Media Player without any difficulty.

Solution 3# Run the Troubleshooter

To resolve .mp4 videos not playing in Windows Media Player you can run Troubleshooter. Windows 10/11 comes with a troubleshooter that can check the configuration and network settings that might be preventing the MP4 video files or movies from playing on Windows Media Player.

Steps to run the troubleshooter:

  • Open Settings.
  • Click on the Update & Security option and click on Troubleshoot from the left column.
  • Search for Video Playback and click on Run the troubleshooter.
run the video playback troubleshooter to fix MP4 files that won't run in Windows Media Player

If you get the message saying that no changes or updates were necessary, move to the next method below.

Solution 4# Turn Off DirectX Video Acceleration For WMV Files

  • Open Windows Media Player.
  • Click on the Organize button and select Options.
  • Click on the Performace tab and disable Turn on DirectX Video Acceleration for WMV files.
  • Click on Apply and select OK to save changes.
  • Restart the Windows Media Player.

Solution 5# Clear The Database

  • Close WMP and Press Windows +R.
  • Type: %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Media Player and click on OK.
type the command to open the media player database
  • Select all the individual files in this folder and delete them.
Select the files and delete them
  • Restart the Windows Media Player.

Last Hope to Fix MP4 File that Won’t Play on Windows Media Player

Sometimes, MP4 video files don’t show video in Windows Media Player or WMP cannot play the video clip at all if, the video file is damaged or corrupted. In that case, try to play your unplayable MP4 file in other players like VLC media player, KM player, GOM Media Player, etc.

If you cannot play the video in any of the players, then repair the corrupt MP4 video files using a recommended video repair software like Yodot MOV Repair in a few easy steps.

This powerful video repair tool efficiently repairs broken or damaged MP4, MOV, and M4V video file formats in a hassle-free way. So, get the free download of this video repair software and fix your MP4 video files with ease.

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Steps to use Yodot Video Repair to Fix Corrupt MP4 Videos

Step 1: Download and Install Yodot Video Repair software on your device.
Step 2: Launch the tool, choose the corrupt MP4 file, and click on Repair.

launch the tool and repair the MP4 video file

Step 3: The tool starts repairing the corrupt MP4 videos.

repairing the corrupted mp4 videos

Step 4: After completion, check the preview of the repaired MP4 video file before saving.

preview the repaired MP4 files and save them

Finally, save your repaired MP4 file in your desired location (make sure the location is safe and healthy)

Also Read: Fix Can’t Play MP4 on Windows 10/11

Final words:

Hopefully, now you have complete knowledge of what to do when MP4 files won’t play on Windows Media Player. You can try the new Media Player with advanced features to support the MP4 files.