A codec is a necessary plugin to play a video or audio file. But what exactly is a codec?
The word codec comes from the merger of the terms “coder” and “decoder.” It refers to a program responsible for encoding (compressing) and decoding (playing from a compressed medium) a digital signal or multimedia file.
Depending on the file you need to play, you will need the corresponding video and audio codecs that are capable of decompressing and reading this type of format.
Best Free Codec Packs for Windows 11
Currently, there are dozens and dozens of codecs, both video and audio. Some of these codecs have been created by Microsoft and therefore come installed by default in Windows. However, there are many other codecs created by third-party developers. These are often more difficult for Windows to play naturally.
HEVC Video Extension for Windows
The HEVC video extension for Windows contains the H.265 codec that allows you to play MP4 video files encoded in this format. Although it is officially a paid extension, you can install the free version for developers by pasting this address in the browser: ms-windows-store://pdp/?ProductId=9n4wgh0z6vhq
This will automatically open the Microsoft store, and you can install the pack completely free of charge on your Windows 11 computer.
K-Lite Codec Pack
The K-Lite codec pack is one of the most popular, and it allows you to play practically all kinds of formats.
- MKV, AVI, MPEG, MP4, FLV, M2TS, MOV, TS, WMV, RM, RMVB, WebM, OGM
- MP3, FLAC, M4A, AAC, OGG, 3GP, AMR, APE, MKA, Opus, Wavpack, Musepack
- DVD and Blu-ray (after decryption)
From the Codec Guide page, you can download the most recent versions of this multimedia package for free.
Shark007 Codecs for Windows 11
Shark007’s free codec pack allows you to play HD video and audio smoothly without having to install premium players on your PC. Supports various types of formats, including
- amr,
- mpc,
- ofr,
- DivX,
- mka,
- ape,
- FLAC,
- Evo,
- flv,
- m4b,
- mkv,
- ogg,
- ogv,
- ogm,
- Rmvb
- XviD.
Among its functionalities, it supports MOD audio files and M4A files with ALAC, color thumbnails for almost all formats. They have also recently released a portable version (both 32 and 64 bits) that you can run without having to install anything in the equipment.
One of the best video and audio codec packs for Windows 11, which is free, by the way, because it is supported by donations.
Download Shark007 codecs from its official website
DivX Codec Pack
DivX video codecs are known to be particularly good at playing MKV files. Although it doesn’t support as many formats as the Shark007 codecs, the truth is that it handles AVI and HEVC files with resolutions of up to 4K quite well.
The package also includes the DivX Media Player video player.
Download DivX codecs from its official website
Media Feature Pack for Windows 11
This package is intended for those with an N or KN Edition of Windows 11. These versions are variants of Windows for the European and Korean markets. The difference from the standard versions of Windows is that they do not include any Microsoft media players.
The package known as “Media Feature Pack” installs components such as Windows Media Player, EVR, Media Foundation codecs and Windows Media Format codecs.
As indicated on the Microsoft support page, you can download this package by clicking on the Windows 11 start button and navigating to “Settings -> Applications -> Applications and features -> Additional functions -> Add function”, and selecting “Media Feature Pack” from the available options.
