Can’t play MP4 on Windows Media Player 12 or older? Solved!

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The different formats of video files represent different levels of compression. MP4 is a container format and can store video, audio and other information, allows for large video files to be much smaller. So, it is a highly sought after and popular format of video. However, Some playback software like Windows Media Player (12) comes with built-in support to open MP4 files, but that does not guarantee that the all MP4 video and audio data can be played without additional software. So some tweaking has to be done to play MP4 in Windows Media Player.

• First You Must Read: File types supported by Windows Media Player

The Major issues that lead to MP4 malfunctioning are as follows:

1. MP4 not played at all
2. The users are facing issue with audio
3. The issue of video/voice synchronization
4. MP4 Video file is corrupted or broken
5. All of above

In order to make sure that the Windows Media Player can’t play MP4 issues is resolved, you need go on reading the following four different ways

1. Method 1. K-Lite Codec Pack
2. Method 2. Install MP4 codecs from microsoft.com
3. Method 3. Convert MP4 to Windows Media Player compatible format

Play MP4 on Windows Media Player Method 1. K-Lite Codec Pack

One of the best codecs for Windows Media Player is the K-Lite Codec Pack. The K-Lite Codec Pack lets Windows Media Player play many file formats, including MP4, MKV, OGG and FLAC. The codec pack is available in different-sized packages: basic, standard, full and mega. The larger packs contain more codecs and include a lightweight media player called Media Player Classic.

To download the K-Lite Codec Pack, navigate to the Codec Guide website and click “Download”. Select a mirror from which to download the software. Once it has downloaded, install the software. Restart the computer and then play the MP4 file.

Play MP4 on Windows Media Player Method 2. Install MP4 codecs from microsoft.com

This is the second and a relatively tech savvy process that should be followed in this regard to make sure that the user gets the best result. It is also to be noted that the complete information about the installation is available at the URL https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/316992 whereas to download the codecs it is advised to paste the URL https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=507 during the process to make sure that the right direction is again taken. The complete process is as follows:

Step 1. The mp4 file that is giving the error is to be played using the media player so that the following error appears:

Step 2. It is also to be noted that the web help button is to be pressed to proceed further in this regard and to make sure that the process advances:

Step 3. WMplugins.com is the ink that is then to be followed:

Step 4. Within the search bar as it has been mentioned before as well the link i.e. the URL https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=507 is to be pasted to get the results:

Step 5. The download button is to be pressed and the prompts are to be followed to make sure that the codec is installed and the player should be restarted to make sure that the process ends in full and the file is played without any issue:

Play MP4 on Windows Media Player Method 3. Convert MP4 to WMP compatible format

Why MP4 Video Files are Corrupted or Broken?

• Videos may corrupt due to various reasons. Here we list several commonest causes.
• Record MP4 videos when the storage media such as memory card is full.
• Camcorder or device error while recording MP4 videos.
• Interruption while moving video files from one storage drive to another.
• The header file of a MP4 video is corrupted due to unknown errors.
• CRC errors or interruption during MP4 video file download.
• Virus infection or bad sectors on the storage drive containing your MP4 videos.
• Changing the MP4 file format from one to another can also cause video corruption

Therefor, if you can’t play MP4 files on Windows Media Player because the file was corrupted, we need to use professional, easily, safe and top-ranked video converter, as an example, let’s take the software Wondershare UniConverter. It is designed as the worlds’s No.1 fast and the state of the art Video Converter, built-in with hardware encoder to make sure that gives you 90X faster-converting speed than other common converters you can find. Built-in with YouTube downloader, capable of downloading and converting MP4 videos for playing back on Windows Media Player, for example: WMV – the best compatible format for Windows Media Player. On top of that, the WMV is less compressed than MP4, and this results in better video quality. You can also compress the file size with the original quality to save your space. It supports video editing features such as trim video, crop video, add watermark, apply effects, etc.

The best MP4 Video Converter is also a functional video editor, which can auto fix incorrect data, repair your corrupted (common, HD, 3D, 4K)MP4 video file and convert MP4 to 1000 formats for playing on various platforms, incl. iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV, Android phone and tablet, Media Server, Chromecast, Roku, Seagate, HD Media Player, Game Consoles, smart TVs, VR Headsets, PPT, even all Non-linear editing softwares, etc. Additional functions like downloading videos online, burning DVD and CD, transferring videos to external devices, and more others.

• Convert MP4 to WMV, MKV, AVI, MOV, and more without quality loss
• 90X faster conversion speed than any conventional converters
• Edit the video files with trimming, cropping, cutting, merging, adding subtitles, etc.
• Burn videos to DVD with customized free DVD menu templates
• Download or record videos from 10,000+ video sharing sites
• Industry-leading APEXTRANS technology converts videos with zero quality loss or video compression
• Versatile toolbox combines video metadata editor, GIF maker, video compressor, and screen recorder

Free Download the 2022 best Video Converter Ultimate and get it installed on your computer:

Go to Wondershare UniConverter for Mac

Note: It is very important that you should make sure that each and every step is followed without any skipping to get the state of the art results without any issue:

Step 1. Import videos to the MP4 to WMV converter.
Run this MP4 to WMV converter, click the Add Files button and add the MP4 videos you want to convert, or directly drag & drop them into the program. Wondershare UniConverter can convert videos in batch without quality loss between MP4, WMV, VOB, MKV, 3GP, FLV, etc.

Step 2. Set the output format as WMV.
Click the drop-down icon from the Output Format option, and click the Video tab to select WMV as the output format. And also, you can do some other settings, like video encoder, resolution, etc. To do these, just click the Start All button.

Note:

1. If you want to customize your video, please click edit options at the bottom of the video thumbnail. And then you can customize the video with powerful editing functions.
2. If you are converting MP4 for devices like iPhone, Samsung, Google, BlackBerry, Zune, etc., it is suggested that you selected the right optimizations for that from the Device list.
3. For users who are interested in creating and editing a video fast and fun, try the Filmora X video editor.

Step 3. Start to batch convert MP4 to WMV.
Click the Convert button by single conversion or the Start All button for batch MP4 to WMV conversion. The process will be finished soon after a while. You can find the converted videos by clicking the Finished tab.

This MP4 to WMV Video Converter (Windows 11 supported) can convert videos without quality loss between MP4, WMV, VOB, MKV, 3GP, FLV, etc. If you want to convert MP4 to other formats, the steps are the same as above.

Now, the converted MP4 file can then be played on Windows Media Player without any problems:

Tips: Some Safety Measures to Avoid MP4 Video File Corruption

• Don’t record MP4 video when camera battery is low.
• Avoid use of untrusted third party software to play MP4 videos.
• Do not eject memory card during MP4 file transfer process.
• Never record MP4 videos when memory card is full.

FAQs on MP4 to WMV Conversion

1. Can Windows Media Player convert MP4 to WMV?

The answer is No. Windows Media Player by Microsoft works as a great media player with support to an array of formats, but it does not support file conversion from MP4 to WMV but MP4 to MP3 and other audio file formats. Thus, if you want to convert MP4 to WMV Windows Media Player, the solution is not workable. You can use VLC media player though, install any third-party software, or use an online converter.

2. Can Windows Movie Maker convert MP4 to WMV?

Windows Movie Maker is not workable to convert MP4 to WMV. Developed by Microsoft, Windows Movies Maker is a video editing program that is a part of the Windows Essentials software suite. Officially, Movie Maker is discontinued and is now replaced by Windows Story Remix. Even if you have the earlier Movie Maker software installed on your PC, MP4 to WMV conversion will not work as the tool does not support MP4 as an input format. So to convert your MP4 videos to WMV, use an online converter, or go for professional software like Wondershare UniConverter.

3. MP4 Vs WMV

MP4, which is the short form of MPEG-4 Part 14, is a container file format that is mainly used for storing videos and audio files compressed. The format also stores additional information like images, subtitles, and others. It is one of the most popularly used formats that can play on the majority of players and devices. Being a compressed file, MP4 can be easily transferred as well as shared over the net.

WMV, on the other hand, is a short form of Windows Media Video and is a compressed file format developed by Microsoft. The format is commonly played on Windows-based devices and is small in size as compared to MP4.

4. Why convert MP4 to WMV?

We all know that MP4 is one of the most commonly used formats that are compatible with almost all media players and devices. MP4 is basically a lossy compressed file that has decent acceptable quality. In case if your MP4 format is not playing well on Windows-based devices, converting it to WMV is the best solution. Moreover, converting MP4 to WMV makes it easy to edit the videos on Windows-based PC and other devices.

5. How to choose a proper MP4 to WMV converter?

There are different types of MP4 to WMV converters. Depending on the number of files for conversion, price, additional features, and other requirements, you can select the most appropriate method as listed below:

• Professional paid software: These paid programs are complete tools that take care of all your file conversion needs along with additional features. These programs need installation and are paid. These programs are best suited for users who have a large number of files to be converted from time to time.
• Free MP4 to WMV converters for desktop: There are a decent number of software and programs that can be downloaded and installed for free and provide basic conversion facility. These programs are a good choice for users who have a limited number of files and do not want to spend on paid software.
• MP4 to WMV online free tools: The majority of the online programs are available for free of cost and does not require any software download or installation. These are simple to use tools without any additional features of functions. If you have only a few small files to convert and take time to convert files, then you can use online converters.

The majority of the above methods allow converting MP4 to WMV Mac as well as on Windows.

6. What’re Pros and Cons of MP4 and WMV file format?

There are various pros and cons associated with MP4 and WMV file formats.

Pros of MP4:

• Decent video quality.
• Small compressed file.
• Compatible of playing with almost all players and devices.
• Allows quick sharing of videos online.

Cons of the MP4 file format:

• Editing MP4 videos needs more system resources.

Pros of WMV file format:

• Smaller than MP4 in size and thus easy and quick for online sharing and transferring.
• Plays well with Windows-based PC and other devices.

Cons of WMV file format:

• Need plug-ins for playing on the Mac system.
• The quality of the video is not as good as the MP4 format.

7. What offers better quality, MP4 or WMV?

It is really difficult to decide as to which offer better quality- MP4 or WMV. Both MP4 and WMV are container file formats that have video, audio, and other data which are encoded in a different manner. It’s not only the way of encoding but a set of other parameters as well like the bitrate that decides upon the video quality. Keeping the bitrate same, MP4 will have a slight edge as compared to WMV in terms of quality. Here it can be concluded that it’s not the quality that differentiates these two formats, it’s the platform with which they are compatible. WMV has standards designed for Windows devices while MP4 has cross-platform standards. Additionally, MP4 being more popular has better support for hardware encoders and decoders.

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