File Format Not Supported? Get the Causes and Workable Fixes

It is frustrating when you want to watch a video file on your computer, but the "File format not supported" error message keeps popping up whenever you play it. Well, there are underlying causes for this error, and thankfully, there are ways to fix it! What are those ways? Continue reading this post, for it features five workable yet efficient methods to fix the unsupported file type issue. So, without any further delay, start exploring each of them now!

Why Do You Get File Format Not Supported Error

Before jumping to this post’s five efficient methods, you may explore the possible underlying causes of this "File format not supported" issue. By studying these potential causes, you can understand what triggers this issue’s occurrence and how to overcome it. So, what are these possible causes? Here is a list for you:

◆ Unsupported File Format - The device or its default media player does not support the video’s format.

◆ Missing Codecs - Your device/media might need more proper codecs to support playing or accessing the video.

◆ Corrupted File - The video you are trying to access is corrupted.

Workable Ways to Fix File Format Not Supported

Now that you know the possible roots of the "File format not supported" issue, it is time to fix it with these post’s five featured methods! Start exploring them and see which one helps you eliminate the problem!

Method 1: Convert Video Format

The first method that you can do to fix the unsupported format error is to convert the video’s format. There might be a great chance that your device or its default media player doesn’t support the video format you wish to play. The best way to fix this is to convert it to the format your device/media player is compatible with.

No matter what players or devices you use, you can simply convert the unplayable videos to MP4 format, which is universal. And to get a quick and batch conversion, just use AnyRec Video Converter to help you. It also provides many preset formats and settings for different devices.

Method 2: Repair Corrupted Video

There is also a great chance that the video is corrupted, which triggers the "File format not supported" issue’s occurrence. To fix a corrupted video, you can use the AnyRec Video Repair tool! This Windows and Mac-compatible tool can repair high-quality corrupted videos of all sizes. Whatever caused the video to be corrupted, this tool can fix it quickly and efficiently. Moreover, this tool can automatically detect, analyze, and fix corrupted videos without compromising their quality and file structure! So, if the corrupted video is a high-quality movie, then this is the best tool to fix it!

Step 1.Install AnyRec Video Repair on your computer. After that, run the program and click each side's "Add" buttons to import the corrupted and sample videos.

Step 2.Then, click the "Repair" button to initiate the fixing process. Once done, you can check the output by clicking the "Preview" button to see whether the video is well-repaired.

Step 3.If satisfied with the outcome, click the "Save" button to export the repaired video. Then, try to play the video on your computer to see if the "File format not supported" error is gone.

Method 3: Try Playing the Video to Another Media Player

Apart from tweaking and fixing specific videos, you can also try to play the video with unsupported file type issues on another media player. By doing this, you can quickly identify your device/default media player is the one that triggers the problem. You can install the VLC on your computer and see whether the video will play without triggering the "File format not supported" issue.

Method 4: Install Proper Codecs

Another method to fix the "this file has an unsupported compression type" issue is to install proper codecs. If your device or media player lacks codecs, it won’t play some specific videos. If you are utilizing Windows Media Player to play videos, here are the steps to install codecs:

Step 1.Run the Windows Media Player, click the "Tools" tab at the top left, and select the "Options" option. Then, click the "Player" tab.

Step 2.After that, click the "Download codecs automatically" checkbox and click the "OK" button. Now, the next time you play the video, a window will pop-up asking you to install codecs.

Step 3.Then, click the "Next" button and select the "Install" option to install the required codecs to play the video, which triggers the "File format not supported" error message to appear.

Method 5: Check for DRM Restrictions

The last method to fix the "File format not supported" issue is to check whether the video you wish to play is DRM-protected. The purpose of DRM or Digital Rights Management is to control content access, which prevents unauthorized copying and distribution.

To check whether your video is DRM-protected, right-click the video and select the "Properties" option. You can also try to open it to other devices and see whether the "File format not supported" error message will pop up. If it is, then you can use a third-party tool that can remove DRM protection.

FAQs

• What does unsupported file type mean?

  Unsupported file type means that your device or default media player doesn’t support the video format you wish to play. The device or media player doesn’t have the proper codec to support playing it.

• How can I install codecs on the VLC media player?

  To install codecs on the VLC media player, you first need to click the Help tab and select the "Check for Updates" option. Then, once there’s an available update on the dialogue box, click the OK button.

• What will I do if there’s no update for the VLC media player to install codecs?

  If the VLC media player doesn’t have an available update, which causes you to be unable to install codecs, you can download a codec pack from third-party sites such as K-Lite or Media Player Codec Pack.

• Which video format will likely trigger the "File format not supported" error message to pop up?

  The video formats likely triggering the "File format not supported" error message to pop up are OGG, MKV, and FLV; those older formats are less common.

• Is there any media players I can use to handle future unsupported file-type videos?

  Yes. You can use media players that can support many video formats. One of the best media players you can use is the VLC media player.

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