How to Play MKV Files on Windows 10/11 | Detailed Guide

Can Windows Play MKV Files

Absolutely yes. You can play MKV files on Windows with suitable MKV media players. MKV file (Matroska Video File) is an open source multimedia container format. It is popular because it can encapsulate various audio and video encodings and subtitles, making it suitable for high-definition video storage and distribution.

In this post, let's delve into how to play MKV Files on Windows 10 and 11 with the help of a powerful MKV player.

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Use an MKV Compatible Media Player

The direct way to open an MKV file on Windows 10/11 is to use a compatible MKV player. EaseUS RecExperts stands out in the light of its ease of use and powerful features. You can play. MKV file with one click. Also, it supports to play different video formats like MP4, MKV, AVI, and FLV.

Moreover, users can trim, compress, or extract audio from videos with its editing feature. To enrich your videos, you can use its built-in advanced editor. Apart from being an MKV video player for Mac and Windows, it's also a screen recorder to record from desktop, browser, or streaming service platforms like Peacock, Netflix, and Hulu. You can save the recorded videos in MP4, MKV, AVI, and other formats.

Here is the guide on how to view .MKV file via this professional player:

Step 1. Launch EaseUS RecExperts, and click "Recordings" on the lower left to open the media player.

Step 2. Click "Import" on the bottom right to load your media files. It allows you to import multiple files or a folder.

Step 3. Then, you can enjoy your audio or video file with different playback speeds, from 0.5X to 2.0X.

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Play MKV Files via Windows Media Player

The first choice to view MKV files on Windows is to use Windows Media Player, which is pre-installed on Windows OS. You don't need to download other apps to open your video resource. This free music player helps you to run MKV files on Windows easily.

Steps on how to play MKV file in windows media player on windows 10/11:

Step 1. Navigate the MKV file you want to open and right-click on it.

Step 2. Then, click Open with and choose the Windows Media Player to watch the MKV file.

If you find that MKV not playing in Windows media player, you can install MKV codec. The method is below.

Install Windows Media Player MKV Codec

To open MKV files on Windows Media Player, you can install the MKV codec for Windows. K-Lite Codec Pack is such a popular codec pack, containing all the codecs needed to play MKV files.

Here is the guide to installing K-Lite Codec Pack on your Windows PC:

Step 1. Visit K-Lite Codec Pack to download its Standard version. You can download Server 1, Server 2, or Server 3.

Step 2. Choose the Normal mode and click Next.

Step 3. Then, select Windows Media Player as the Preferred video player.

Step 3. Once installed the codec pack, try adding the MKV file to Windows Media Player to check if it can be played normally.

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How to Play MKV Files in VLC

The VLC Media Player is an excellent media player to run MKV file on Windows. This free and open source video player supports playing multiple audio and video formats. VLC has built-in codecs that support various media formats, including MKV, without installing additional third-party software, plugins, or codec packs.

Moreover, it also supports the adjustment of the audio and video effects. While playing, users can record screen with VLC or take snapshots if needed.

Here is the guide on how to play MKV files in VLC on Windows 10 and 11:

Step 1. Install and launch VLC Media Player on your PC.

Step 2. Right click the MKV file you want to view and find the "Open with" option to choose "VLC Media Player." Also, you can open VLC Media Player first and drag the file into it to play.

Step 3. Click on the "Play" button to play the MKV file on your Windows.

If you want to learn how to record audio with VLC, you can check here:

How to Record Audio with VLC Media Player

Learn how to use VLC Media Player to capture the system sound of devices.

Open MKV Videos with 5KPlayer

To open the MKV file in Windows 11/10, you can try using 5KPlayer, a third-party MKV video player for PC and Mac. 5KPlayer is a VLC media player alternative that can play videos when MKV file not playing in VLC.

5KPlayer supports multiple video and audio formats, including MKV. It plays video and music files in different encoding formats, including HD, 4K, and 8K. If needed, you can cut or snapshot the video with its built-in function.

Steps on how to play MKV on Windows with 5KPlayer:

Step 1. Download 5KPlayer from its official website to your Windows.

Step 2. Click on the Video tab in its main interface. Then, choose the video file you want to view.

Step 3. Also, you can navigate the MKV file and right click it to choose Open with > 5KPlayer.

Convert MKV to Other Suitable Formats

If the above methods still cannot allow you to play MKV file on your Windows successfully, you can convert MKV to MP4, AVI or other popular video formats. Then, you can easily play the file with the above methods.

You can convert Matroska video files to MP4 and Webm with VLC Media Player to open it. If you prefer to use an online file converter, you can use Convertio. This free online file converter supports single or batch conversion of any file, whether video, audio, image, or document. You don't need to install the app to convert MKV files easily.

Step guide on how to convert MKV to mp4, AVI, or other formats:

Step 1. Visit the Convertio website and click the Select File option to select the file you want to convert.

Step 2. Select the target format like MP4, AVI, WAV, and WMA. Then, Click on the Conversion button to start converting.

Step 3. When finished, press the Download button to save the file to your computer.

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Conclusion

Playing MKV files on Windows 10 or 11 is extremely easy with the above methods. You can use the Windows built-in video player like Windows Media Player or a powerful MKV file format player like VLC, 5Kplayer, and other MKV file players.

Apart from them, EaseUS RecExperts is also a professional media player. It allows you to play and record files in a variety of formats hassle-free.

How to Open MKV File in Windows 10/11 FAQs

1. How do I play MKV files on Windows 10?

You can play MKV files on Windows 10 using an MKV file support player. VLC, 5KPlayer, etc., are all good options. Besides, you can also convert MKV to MP4, AVI, and other formats to play successfully on your PC.

2. How do I convert MKV to MP4 in Windows 10?

You can use an online file converter to convert your MKV videos to any format like MP4, MOV, AVI, and WebM. Convertio is such an excellent convert tool for helping you.