If your audio or video file does not play, most likely the problem is the lack of suitable codecs. You can learn more about codecs and how to choose them correctly from our article. Let's move from theory to practice and tell you how to install, update or remove codecs.
You can install codecs for playing sound and video either separately for each format, or in a package, which is most convenient.
One of the most popular and complete packages of audio and video codecs - K-Lite Codec Pack- suitable for operating systems Windows XP, 7, 8 and 10. It can be downloaded for free from almost any software portal - a site for downloading programs. To download the most latest version package with all updates, it is better to go to the official website of the manufacturer. In addition, you will protect yourself from possible viruses.
Let's consider step by step how to install codecs
How to update, reinstall, or remove codecs
You have installed the codecs and now you can play files in any media format on your computer. But what to do with watching videos on mobile devices? You can find a player that supports the required codecs, but there is an easier way - convert the file using
Do I need before installing new version K-Lite Codec Pack to delete the previous one?
In general, it never hurts. But when installing K-Lite Codec Pack, the uninstall procedure previous version is optional. If there are only minor changes in the new version, you can simply install it over the old one. This will not lead to any problems and everything will work well. If more significant changes have occurred in the package, the installer itself will ask you to remove the previous version.
At the beginning of the installation of the K-Lite Codec Pack, I am asked if I want to uninstall program X. Is this necessary?
No, this is optional. Just click on "No" if you want to save installed program... But if you are using a different codec pack, then removing it will be highly recommended. This will save you problems and help keep the system clean.
At the beginning of the installation, I am asked if I want to uninstall RealPlayer. It is necessary?
No, not required. Just click on "No" if you want to keep RealPlayer. But if you want to use Real Alternative you must uninstall RealPlayer.
During installation, an error occurs: “An error occurred while trying to replace the existing file: DeleteFile failed; code 5. Access denied. "
This means that the installer is trying to delete a file that is currently being used by another program. Close all active programs and click on "Retry". If the error persists click on "Skip" and continue with the installation.
Is it possible to remove only some of the components of the K-Lite Codec Pack and leave the rest.
No, you have to remove the entire codec pack. Then start the installation from the beginning and in the right place select only those components that you need. You can also disable (and then enable back) all codecs and filters using the Codec Tweak Tool. This program does not remove codecs and other components, but only effectively blocks them.
Does the K-Lite Codec Pack contain an uninstaller?
Yes.
The error "Error writing to registry key" occurs.
This error occurs when the access settings for registry keys are incorrect. To fix the problem, open the register editor:
Start -> Run ... -> regedit.exe
In the registry editor, find the key that is causing the problem. Right-click on this key and select "Access Rights". Make sure the Administrators group has Full Control.
What's the difference between the available AVI splitters?
— Microsoft: Has problems playing incomplete or damaged files.
- Gabest / MPC internal: Allows you to play most incomplete and damaged files without problems
— Haali: Has problems playing (trimmed) files that do not contain the AVI index. Contains a sound switch. This is useful for playing AVI files that have multiple audio tracks in players that do not contain an audio switcher directly, such as WMP and Media Center.
In this article, we will show you step by step how you can configure the parameters of the K-Lite Codec Pack as deeply and in detail as possible. There are two ways to do this:
- Configuring the K-Lite Codec Pack during its installation on a computer
- Configuring the codec through the "Start" menu - programs - K-Lite Codec Pack - Configuration - fine-tuning its individual components after installation on the computer.
Let us examine the first method in detail, since it is the simplest and does not require additional time.
Selecting the installation mode
Run the K-Lite Codec Pack installation file of the required assembly package. In the very first window of the K-Lite Codec Pack installation, select the "Advanced" setting item and click the "Next" button.
Next, the preferred programs and codecs for working with video files are selected. We leave everything as it is by default. That is, the video player Media Player Classic and video-audio LAV codecs and press the button next.
Choosing a profile
The current window will be one of the most important in configuring this K-Lite Codec Pack. Usually the default is "Profile1"... Most users leave these settings like that, as they are perfectly optimized, but if you still want to do full customization codec, then unambiguously select "Profile7".
How to set up K-Lite Codec Pack filters
In the current window of the K-Lite Codec Pack, we also select the video and audio filters we need. "DirectShоw video decoding filters"... We can only choose a few filters: LAV or ffdshow? I choose the first one (I just liked it), although no one noticed a significant difference between them. Also at the very top you need to select the bitness of your Windows - x64 or x86. Most modern computers have a 64 bit operating system. Click "Next".
How to set up an audio splitter K-Lite Codec Pack
In this window of the K-Lite Codec Pack, move the slider or the mouse wheel below and see the section "DirectShow source filters", by the way it is also quite important! This is the so-called Splitter - it is used to select subtitles and audio tracks. But from the list offered to us, only Haali or LAV Splitter... We mark the items we need, as in the figure, skip others by default and click "Next".
Additional tasks and settings of the K-Lite Codec Pack
In the next window, we are offered to select additional tasks and codec settings.
- If you need to install additional shortcuts for programs and utilities included in the K-Lite Codec Pack on your computer desktop, then you should check all the boxes that are present in this window.
- If you want to drop all the settings to the recommended ones, you need to tick the box "Reset all settings to their defaults"... Note that this option is already enabled by default.
- It is possible to enable video playback exclusively from your white list. To do this, check the box "Restrict usage to whitelisted applications".
- If you want the video to be displayed in RGB32 color mode, check the box Force RGB32 output... In this case, the color palette will be more saturated, but at the same time the load on the processor will increase.
In the current window, you need to select additional settings for the components of the K-Lite Codec Pack. Namely, optimizing the settings of the codec components for Windows 7/8/10 operating systems and the frequency of checking for codec updates (week, month, quarter). The settings of the current window can be left by default, click "Next".
Setting in the Hardware Acceleration codec
It is preferable to leave everything unchanged in this window. The default K-Lite Codec Pack decoding method settings on all operating systems are perfectly optimized for playing any video and audio files. Let's move on to the next window.
Choosing a renderer in the K-Lite Codec Pack
Let's configure the renderer, i.e. a special program that is responsible for the correct image acquisition in the video. You can leave everything as default here. We only recommend that you tick the box "Enable volume normalization» - in order for the sound to be optimized when playing on the player.
Selecting the languages of the codec program
To install various language files, as well as the ability to switch between them, check the box "IPstall lаnguage filеs"... Click "Next".
Below we get to the language settings menu. You are prompted to select a primary and secondary language that will suit your preferences. By default, two languages are selected - Russian and English, but it is possible to install any third one. Also here you can set the subtitle language. Select and click "Next".
Selecting video and audio settings
At one of the final stages, you are offered to choose a video player (player), which we will use by default to play all video files. We choose Media Player Classic and KMPlayer, since we have it installed additionally. You can only leave Media Player Classic, which comes with the default K-Lite Codec Pack.
At the next stage of setting up the K-Lite Codec Pack, we will select the video and audio files that will be played on our player. We recommend checking all available file types in this menu. This can be quickly done with special buttons located at the very bottom of the window - "select all video" and "select all audio". Click "Next".
In the current window, we make audio configuration settings, namely, we mark the audio output device that is used on your computer (ordinary two stereo speakers or several channel output devices, such as 6.1 or 7.1). Leave the rest of the settings unchanged and click "Next". 
At the final stage of configuring the K-Lite Codec Pack, we select all possible video file formats for association Windows explorer with a video player installed on your computer, i.e. the operating system will automatically open video files of a certain extension in the player by default. We mark them all with the "select all" button and click "Next". 
At the last stage, we check all our settings, if we did something wrong, we can change it for each of the previously configured items by returning back to the desired menu with the "Back" button. If everything is correct, then click "Install" and install the K-Lite Codec Pack on your computer. This completes the installation, enjoy watching your favorite movies!
Many computer users are faced with the fact that, having downloaded a movie, they cannot watch it - the system claims that it lacks the necessary codecs for playback. What are codecs, what are the codecs, how to install codecs- All these questions will be answered by the Country of Soviets.
The peculiarity of multimedia files (audio, video) is that they are large. This complicates the exchange of such files and their distribution - a video of a large "weight" cannot be recorded on every disk or flash drive. To make the file "weigh" less, and its quality remains practically the same, use special programs to compress multimedia files - codecs. The codec encodes (compresses) an audio or video file and decodes it when played back.
If an error occurs while playing a file, and the computer asks you to install codecs, this means that the system does not have codecs with which this particular file format was encoded. Codecs do not work by themselves, but in conjunction with multimedia players. The installed codec will not be able to play the file on its own. Therefore, it is not enough just to install the codecs, you need to install a player for multimedia files. Some players already have a built-in set of codecs.
Audio and video files are encoded with different codecs. Most often, the codec of a particular multimedia file can be found by looking at. The most common audio codecs- MP3, WMA, AAC, Ogg Vorbis, etc. From video codecs popular AVI, DivX, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, WMV, H.261 (263, 264), etc.
Of course, these are only the most popular codecs, in fact there are many more. It is best to first install the codecs that you most likely need to play the most popular file formats. And install specific codecs(for example, APE or FLAC codecs for playing lossless audio, compressed without loss) you always have time.
Before installing codecs, check which ones are already installed on your system - installing codecs “over” already stopped versions may not be effective. To see the list of installed codecs in operating system Windows XP, click "Start"... In the menu that opens, select the item "Control Panel"... In the Control Panel, we need the System item. In the window "Properties of the system" need to open a tab "Equipment", there will be a button "Device Manager"... In the window that opens, you will see a list of devices, you need the item "Sound Videos and Game Devices"... Clicking on the plus sign next to an item will expand it. In the list you need to select the item "Audio Codecs" / "Video Codecs"... In the dialog box "Properties: Audio codecs" / "Properties: Video codecs" go to tab "Properties"... In the window that opens, you can see a list of audio or video codecs installed on your system.
What if the codecs you need are not in the list? You'll have to install codecs yourself... Often, if the playback of a multimedia file fails, the player offers to search the Internet, download and install codecs. But usually attempts to follow the suggested link and download a particular codec are unsuccessful. Therefore, the easiest way to install codecs is to download package of codecs.
Codec packs contain the most popular and widely used codecs. Installing codecs from a package is as easy as installing most programs. Before installing codecs, it is advisable to remove previously installed codecs and codec packs. While some codec packages allow you not to do this, it is better to be on the safe side - different versions codecs may conflict with each other. Installing codecs from a package allows you to either install the entire package at once (if you do not know which codecs you need) or install some codecs separately.
Most popular codec packs- this is K-Lite Codec Pack, XP Codec Pack, Codec Pack All in 1, K-Lite Mega Codec, The Codecs, Vista Codec Package, Nimo Codec Pack, Gordian Knot Codec Pack, etc. Sometimes, after installing codecs from the package, a reboot is required systems - do this if the installer prompts you to restart the system after the installation of the codecs is complete.
Such players like, for example, Light Alloy, KMPlayer, VLC and some others have an impressive set of built-in codecs, which are enough to play most multimedia files.
Please note that the codec is used differently from a regular program. After installing the codec, you will not see the shortcut on the desktop; you do not need to launch it separately. The media player itself will find the necessary codec in the system to play a video or audio file.
We hope that now you will not have a question, and you will be able to play files encoded with any audio or video codec without any problems.
If you have any problems with playing movies and video clips on your computer, you can solve them using the K-Lite Codec Pack, which is distributed in several versions: Basic, Standard, Full and Mega. In this guide, we will walk you through the installation process of the K-Lite Codec Pack Mega, which includes components from all other packages.
Step 1. Installer
Launch your browser and go to the K-Lite Codec Pack Mega page. Click on the link to download the distribution:
Download and run the distribution kit.
Step 2. Preparation
At the very beginning, you will be asked to indicate the type of installation. We choose Advanced and press the button Next:
Step 3. Path and components
Selecting all the components in the option Player, if they are suddenly not affixed in advance. If you have a 64-bit OS installed, then you can leave the checkbox x64, and if 32-bit - x86... Click on Next:
You will then be prompted to create a K-Lite Codec Pack folder in the Start Menu for quick access. To cancel the action, check the checkbox Don "t create a Start Menu folder... We press Next:
On the next screen, we leave all the default settings:
Optionally, you can add player shortcuts Media Player Classic and K-Lite settings on the desktop and taskbar:
Scroll down, disable options Show configuration tips and Show optional offer... We press Next:
Step 4. Language pack
In the window that appears, enable the language packs option Install language files, if it is suddenly inactive, and click on Next:
Step 5. Hardware acceleration
Leave the default settings for the H.264 codec and click Next:
The developers recommend changing these settings only if you are an experienced user and understand what these options are responsible for, about which you can read in more detail in the Help (Help button in the lower left corner).
Step 6. Language settings
Further, as the main language ( Primary language) we leave Russian ( English) or change at our discretion, and as a secondary language ( Secondary language) we are offered English ( English). It can also be changed at will:
The lower options allow you to customize the subtitle output. For example, if we select the 2nd checkbox, then subtitles will be displayed by default if the audio track language does not match the main one ( Primary language). Leave this option and click Next:
Step 7. Completion
Here we can select those players for which the K-Lite Codec Pack settings will be active. We select our favorite video players, focusing on the bitness of your OS (x86 - 32-bit, and x64 - 64-bit), and click Next:
In the new window, click on the button All video and click on Next:
If you reset the settings for video file extensions, and instead of them all audio formats will be selected, then click on the button None and choose again All video.
Then you will be asked to specify the types of video preview extensions that will be displayed in the standard explorer. Leave everything as default and click Next:
We press Install and wait for the installation of all components to complete:
Upon completion of the installation, click on the button Finish:
