How to view mkv file. MKV file extension. What to do if the file does not play

The MKV format file is opened by special programs. To open this format, download one of the proposed programs.

How to open MKV file

MKV extension (full. Matroska Video File) is a video container format supported by several compression algorithms. Although it has some similarities with the main video data formats, for example, and, its characteristic feature is its open source code and the ability to include various subtitles. In addition, an MKV file can contain an unlimited number of images, video and audio content.

The MKV extension is a kind of universal format for storing various multimedia data, for example, videos or music.

An MKV file can contain both video and audio content. The format only supports audio data streams.

This extension is in great demand among users of outdated mobile devices based on the operating system. Symbian. To play MKV on such gadgets, you may need the Core Media Player software application.

Anime fans are another consumer of this format, as the user has a unique opportunity to integrate subtitles without compromising the audio and video stream.

Using a special DivX codec, the format will be available for visualization not only on Windows, but MacOS and Linux.

Programs for opening MKV files

In addition to the “native” MKV utility Matroska Splitter, you can use the following software applications to open and format the MKV extension on the Windows platform, in particular:

The MKV format is also adapted for other operating systems, for example, on Mac OS the extension can be opened for viewing by Roxio Popcorn 4, MPlayer or Apple QuickTime Player.

It is noteworthy that a special program has been developed for Linux OS: VideoLAN VLC media player.

If an error occurs when opening the MKV extension, the reasons may be as follows:

• the file is damaged or infected;
• the file is not associated with the OS registry (an incorrect application for playback was selected or a specific plugin was not installed);
• insufficient device or OS resources;
• damaged or outdated drivers.

Convert MKV to other formats

MKV is one of those video data formats that is unpretentious to conversion and can be converted into more than a dozen different extensions.

Using Wondershare Video Converter Ultimate or Freemake Video Converter MKV software utilities you can stream:

• MKV -> ;
• MKV -> ;
• MKV -> ;
• MKV -> ;
• MKV -> ;
• MKV -> ;
• MKV -> ;
• MKV -> .

In order to broadcast data from MKV, you can use one of the online converters, for example, Convertin.io.

Why MKV and what are its advantages?

The excellent dynamics of transmission of audio and video content has allowed the MKV extension to gain great recognition among fans of films in FullHD format.

Before we talk about MKV files, let's look at a little history. MKV files, also known as Matroska videos, appeared in Russia in 2002. It got its name - as you might guess - from the matryoshka doll.

The Matroska project was developed as an open standards project, meaning that it is open source and completely free for anyone who wants to use it. The developer has many resources on their website, including a list of play options. Over time, the format was improved and in 2010 it became the basis for the WebM multimedia format.

What are MKV files

Contrary to popular belief, MKV files are not an audio or video compression format. MKV files, in fact, are multimedia container formats. An MKV container can include audio, video, and subtitles in a single file, even if those elements use different encoding types. For example, you might have an MKV file that contains H.264 video and something like MP3 or AAC for audio.

MKV container files were future-proof, which means that the files will not become outdated. The Matroska developers have included several key features to make this happen:

• Quick search
• Supports chapters, menus and metadata
• Various selectable audio and video streams
• Streaming compatible
• Subtitle support (hard and soft coded)
• Error recovery, allowing you to play damaged files

The MKV container itself also supports almost any audio and video format, making the format highly responsive and easy to use.

How to play MKV files

Because MKV is not an industry standard, not all media players support it, although support is growing rapidly. You have two main options for playing MKV files: using an MKV media player or downloading the appropriate codecs for the media player you prefer.

Best Option: Use VLC Media Player

Our Favorite Pick to play MKV files is a VLC media player, mainly because it has built-in support and doesn't require you to install anything else. Download and install this program following the instructions. Start by going to the official download page on videolan.org.

Beware of downloading from other locations, as attackers may embed their code in the download file.

Just run the downloaded file to install VLC. The entire installation process takes no more than two to three minutes.

Once the installation is complete, you will be able to watch any of your MKV files. Please note that although VLC is associated with all supported video and audio formats during installation, including MKV, it is not registered as the default application for these file types.

To watch an MKV file using VLC, right-click the MKV file, select Open With, and then select VLC Media Player.

To make VLC the default player for MKV files, right-click any MKV file, select "Open with" and click "Select another application".

In the application selection window, select "VLC Media Player", enable the "Always use this application to open .mkv files" option, and then click "OK".

After this, you can simply double-click the MKV file to have it open in VLC.

Of course, not everyone likes VLC player. If that doesn't suit you, the Matroska website offers several media players for Windows with built-in support.

Alternative: Download codecs

If you prefer to use Windows Media Player or another Windows player that does not yet support MKV files, you can add this support. To do this you need to install some files known as codecs(the name comes from compression/decompression). These codecs help your video player understand how to decompress files it doesn't support.

Sounds great, but there's a reason we suggest downloading codecs as an alternative to using a video player with built-in support. Codec sets are notorious for often containing vulnerabilities or, worse, malware. The good news is that if you're careful about where you download (and update) your codecs, they're a viable option.

From the Ninite home page, select the CCCP option and any other applications that interest you, and then click Get Your Ninite. Once the file is downloaded, run it to install all the programs you selected.

Once you've installed the codecs, you may have to restart your computer, but you can usually start playing MKV files right after installation.

The most common problem that prevents users from opening this file is an incorrectly assigned program. To fix this in Windows OS, you need to right-click on the file, in the context menu, hover the mouse over the “Open with” item, and select “Select a program...” from the drop-down menu. As a result, you will see a list of installed programs on your computer, and you can select the appropriate one. We also recommend checking the box next to "Use this application for all MKV files."

Another problem that our users also encounter quite often is that the MKV file is corrupted. This situation can arise in many cases. For example: the file was downloaded incompletely as a result of a server error, the file was damaged initially, etc. To resolve this problem, use one of the recommendations:

• Try finding the file you need in another source on the Internet. You may have luck finding a more suitable version. Example Google search: "File filetype:MKV" . Just replace the word "file" with the name you want;
• Ask them to send you the original file again, it may have been damaged during transmission;

If you have not had to deal with such a multimedia format as .mkv until now, then before playing it on your PC, you will need to download mkv player, since it is most suitable for reproducing the above format with high quality. After all, as practice shows, not all common programs will be able to correctly open and play MKV files.

MKV Player is a simple and convenient player in Russian for playing video, which has modest technical parameters and is not at all demanding on computer resources. The developers have endowed it with a simple and concise interface, which is literally understandable on an intuitive level - all the necessary functions are activated in just a couple of mouse clicks.

You can download the Russian version of MKV Player for free from our website. Further, after successful installation, the system will automatically associate all file formats available for it (including *.mkv), which in turn can be launched with one click.

The player menu will easily help you create a convenient playlist, as well as understand the search for individual necessary materials in it. By downloading the Russian version of MKV Player for free, you can effortlessly play the desired high-quality video and look with a grin at other more primitive analogues.

Automatic installation of codecs

Not very experienced users will be pleased to know that the player itself will search for all the video files missing for playback. This naturally saves a lot of time and nerves.
MKV Player will also be useful when watching DVD videos. And more experienced users will be able to use additional program options to edit DVD menus.

Separately, it is worth noting that MKV Player can be configured for special playback of streaming video. Although most users will use only a basic set of its options, namely: normal playback, including full-screen mode, and scrolling. And yet, if necessary, the user can change the video playback speed, delay subtitles, and the like.

As you browse through content that interests you, you can share your fun and educational finds with your friends on social networks. To do this, it will be enough to take a regular screenshot using the player and post it on your page. You can also experiment with the current subtitles by making your own creative changes to them using a special program option.

Even if you don’t yet have a very powerful personal computer, you shouldn’t be afraid that downloading the MKV Player you need will make it work slower. For normal functioning of the program, only 256 MB of free RAM and a simple processor operating at a modest, by today's standards, frequency of 800 MHz will be enough.

Comparison with analogues

Of course, MKV Player has other free analogues, but for interacting with the .mkv format? this is the most correct and correct choice.

The format allows you to store several video and audio tracks as well as subtitles in one file. MKV stores various voluminous multimedia content, such as movies or TV programs. The format is open source, unlike similar AVI and MP4.

Matroska, like most formats, uses XML to store binary data. In most cases, MKV can be opened by any media player; below is a selection of the best free programs for viewing MKV videos.

What free programs can open the MKV format?

1. – provides the user with a huge number of functions, from setting up external displays to fine-tuning audio and video. Over its long history, the VLC media player has learned to open and play a large number of formats. All these advantages are emphasized by a beautiful, elegant, simple and clear interface, in which there is nothing superfluous.

2. is a universal audio and video player for Microsoft Windows, it has the same appearance as Windows media player 6.4, it is small and lightweight, but at the same time it can play a huge number of formats. Media Player Classic has many options and features not found anywhere else. The application supports formats such as MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DirectShow, QuickTime, RealPlayer, Matroska and Ogg containers, TV tuners.

3. is a compact media player that allows you to view various video and audio file formats, such as VCD, DVD, avi, mkv, ogg, ogm, 3gp and MPEG-1/2/4, WMV, RealMedia, QuickTime and many others. It displays subtitles and allows you to take screenshots, capture audio and video streams.

4. – A very popular player in Russia with a huge number of settings, ranging from localization to the choice of codecs, both external and internal. The interface is not overloaded and intuitive; when you right-click on the playback area, an extensive menu with playback settings appears.

5. – A small media player with a large number of playable formats. The seemingly simple and pleasant interface is actually not very convenient. New users are saved by tooltips, so getting used to the interface will not be difficult. A great feature of this player is its support for Winamp plugins. When playing a video, you can take screenshots and save them in bmp or jpeg format.

6. – Convenient free player. Behind the modest and laconic design lies almost an entire media center. Here you have an equalizer, custom playlists, zooming in/out of videos and much more. The utility supports subtitles, a huge number of supported formats, and flash support. QuickTime, HTML.

7. – Multifunctional media player with a nice minimalistic interface that can be changed thanks to the support of skins. In addition to all popular formats, including mkv, there is support for the AVCHD format, which is used in modern professional digital video cameras. There are functions for capturing frames and slow motion playback, displaying and editing subtitles.