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Office 64-bit won’t work with MPEG-4 or QuickTime video
A hidden trap in the 64-bit versions of Microsoft Office 2016 or 2013, they can’t work with MPEG-4 video .mp4, audio .m4a, nor QuickTime .mov .
If you’ve ever seen this error message:
“PowerPoint cannot insert a video from the selected file. Verify that the necessary 64-bit codec for this media format is installed, and then try again.”
It means you have PowerPoint 64-bit version but Windows (also 64-bit) doesn’t have the proper video and audio support. Microsoft left the codecs (which translate the media file) in 32-bit form even on what’s supposed to be a 64-bit operating system.
The error message is worded to put the responsibility on the customer for the problem. What the message should say is:
“PowerPoint 64-bit version cannot insert this file because Windows doesn’t have the necessary 64-bit codec support”.
Installing Apple’s QuickTime isn’t an option anymore. Apple stopped supporting Windows back in 2009.
The fix
The workaround is to convert the media file into something that any PowerPoint (2010, 2013 or 2016) will understand like Windows Media or MP3 for audio.
Hiding without lying
Microsoft is a master at hiding their limitations without overtly lying. They skirt around this nasty in their support page about PowerPoint video and audio support.
If you read between the lines of that page, you’d see that 64-bit support isn’t complete.
Near the bottom they refer to the error message we’ve copied above with a support page that tells the sad story.
Why no Windows 64-bit codec support?
Microsoft hasn’t bothered to update Windows or as Microsoft itself says:
“because currently the Windows operating system does not have a 64-bit video or audio codec for the three QuickTime media formats.”
Even this excuse doesn’t tell the whole story. They use the term ‘Quicktime’ to imply a proprietary Apple system, but that’s not true. MPEG-4 is NOT a QuickTime format, it’s been a global standard since 2001. Sixteen years is more than enough time for Microsoft to develop proper support in Windows.
Microsoft has chosen to save some development costs by not updating the MPEG-4 codecs. The fact that MPEG-4 came from rival Apple may have something to do with Redmond’s reluctance.
Windows development money is funneled into ‘sexy’ features that will grab headlines or cloud related technologies. Boring but important things like full 64-bit support get pushed down the list.
Fixed: Codec Unavailable — PowerPoint Doesn’t Play Video/Audio
One of the great things about PowerPoint is that you can embed videos or audio clips in the slideshow to make your presentations more interesting. But sometimes, PowerPoint cannot play its embedded videos and audios with the message saying «Codec unavailable» or «Media unavailable«. Codec Unavailable or Media Unavailable error could come up when there is a compatibility problem or required codec missing. Here we will introduce several workarounds to fix the «Codec Unavailable» error when PowerPoint cannot play video or audio.
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Change Presentation File Extension
The first workaround is to change the extension of the troublesome presentation and convert the audio/video that won’t play in the file into a more commonly-used format. The following method has helped many users to make the «Codec Unavailable» error go away.
- If the PowerPoint file with codec unavailable error is created by PowerPoint of an old version, right-click the PPT file and change the file extension to .pptx.
- Make a copy of this file to any path. (Using combined keys [Control]+[C] to copy & [Control]+[V] to paste and right-click the file to make a copy are both acceptable.)
- Again right-click the newly-cloned file and edit its file extension from .pptx to .zip.
- Unzip the zip file into a folder by using any compressing software. (Normally you can right-click the file and select «unzip the file to . «)
- In the unzipped folder, navigate to ppt>media folder. There you’ll find all kinds of files you embed to the PowerPoint such as images, audio and video, and so on.
- Convert all audios to WAV/MP3 format and convert videos to MP4 or WMV format. You’d better try both formats because their compatibility is quite complex. Use the converted files to replace the original media files.
Note: If you don’t have any media converter software, you can try FonePaw Video Converter Ultimate. Read: How to Convert WMA to MP3
Optimize Media Compatibility
Another method is to try using the built-in proper media compatibility settings in PowerPoint to fix the video or audio that won’t play. Below are the procedures.
- Open the PowerPoint file and click the File menu on the most left position of the top bar.
- Select «Info«. Then PowerPoint will detect if the embedded media is incompatible with the program. If so, the Optimize Media Compatibility option will appear. Select that option and embedded media will be optimized by the PowerPoint.
- Let the wizard scan the embed media. If the immediate solution is available, the wizard will resolve the problem automatically.
If the Optimize Media Compatibility option does not resolve the «Codec/Media Unavailable» issue on PowerPoint, it will at least show you the bane and you can do something further based on it.
Convert Video/Audio to PowerPoint Compatible Formats
In addition, it is also possible that the video/audio format you are using is unsupported. So you can convert them to a format with good compatibility with PowerPoint.
For audio files, PowerPoint 2010 mainly uses WAV files; and in PowerPoint 2016, the version also adds M4A files encoded with AAC audio (This parameter needs your attention when converting.)
For video files, WMV files for PowerPoint 2010 are preferred, while in the 2016 version, MP4 files encoded with H.264 video and AAC audio are also supported. Microsoft also notes that Flash videos might not work in the newer versions of PowerPoint (2013 and 2016).
If you do not find a suitable tool to convert video or audio to PowerPoint compatible formats, I recommend you FonePaw Video Converter Ultimate, which can easily convert video and audio to any format that you need.
Clear the TEMP folder
The last method is to empty the temporary files of PowerPoint for tons of them might affect the working of PowerPoint. Here’s how to clean the TEMP folder in Windows 10:
- Press the combined keys: [Win]+[R].
- In the prompted window on the left bottom of the desktop, type in the following path:%temp%
- Select all the files with the TMP extension.
- Delete the files.
- Restart your computer.
Then you can open the PowerPoint presentation again and see whether the videos or audios in question can play now.
Practical Solutions to Codec Unavailable PowerPoint Errors on Windows
This post shows you all-round solutions to the codec unavailable PowerPoint error, all of which are workable and have helped many people solve the problem of video/audio not playing in PowerPoint.
Tips. You can also use this universal codec converter to convert video/audio to PowerPoint-compatible formats to fix the issue right away:
- Part 1. Several Methods to Fix Codec Unavailable PowerPoint Problems
- Part 2. How to Convert Video & Audio Files to Fix PowerPoint Media Unavailable Error
- Convert Videos to Be Supported by PowerPoint for Smooth Playback
You have created a good PowerPoint presentation with some interesting videos and audio embedded. Everything is ready and you are going to make your presentation before audiences. Suddenly, the audio or video file failed to play. You only get a “codec unavailable” or “media unavailable” error message on the screen. You might just think that your well-prepared presentation is hence ruined. But hold on, there are some quick fixes to the PowerPoint codec unavailable errors. Follow the part below to get the effective approaches just in case of need in the future or solve the burning problem.
What does codec unavailable mean?
The video or audio codec is software that encodes and decodes the digital video/audio data. To play a video/audio file, it requires the end player to have the matching codec so it can decode and play the video/audio successfully. Codec unavailable in PowerPoint means that the program does not have the corresponding codec to decode your media, hence PowerPoint cannot play the file. You can get the problem easily fixed by installing the corresponding codecs for PowerPoint or converting the media to PowerPoint-compatible formats. Below are more fixes to this issue. Read on.
Convert Videos for PowerPoint to Avoid Codec Unavailable Errors
WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro is a dedicated codec converter designed to deal with all kinds of media incompatibility issues. It can easily convert video or audio to PowerPoint-supported formats/codecs to avoid most PowerPoint codec unavailable errors. Get it now and make your video compatible with PowerPoint.
Several Methods to Fix Codec Unavailable PowerPoint Problems
Info > Compatibility Mode
1. Optimize Media Compatibility
Since the version of PowerPoint 2007, a compatibility checker is available on the Windows computer. When encountering the PowerPoint codec unavailable problem, you should first open the presentation file, then go to “File” > “Info”. If there are some media files incompatible with the PowerPoint version you’re using, the Compatibility Mode option will appear. Select the option and optimize videos, audio and other media files in the PowerPoint. Then play the video or audio to see whether the problem is solved.
Best Formats for Video in PowerPoint
2. Convert Videos for PowerPoint
The most likely cause of the problem is unsupported codecs.
For PowerPoint 2010, you’d better use WMV format for video files, and WMA and WAV for audio files. For later versions, MP4 encoded with H.264/AAC is the recommended setting for video files, and M4A format with AAC codec is a suggested option for audio files.
Although MP4 is the recommended option for PowerPoint, there is one exception: the 32-bit version of PowerPoint 2010 can’t play MP4 and MOV files unless the QuickTime for Windows is installed.
You can convert any unsupported video or audio for PowerPoint with a dedicated video converter. Refer to #Part 2 for detailed tutorial.
3. Install a Suitable Codec
The formats that different versions of PowerPoint support are varied yet limited. When you play a video or audio file in PowerPoint but the format is not well supported by the PowerPoint version, you will also face with the codec unavailable PowerPoint issues. Try to install a codec pack that can examine media files and finds the codec needed for playing in PowerPoint, such as CodecInstaller.
Change the Extension of the PPT File
4. Change the File Extension from .ppt to .pptx
If you have received a PowerPoint presentation file from others, which was created on an older version of PowerPoint, you can change the file extension from .ppt to .pptx to let the presentation file to be seamlessly played on your presentation program.
Delete TEMP files
5. Clear the TEMP folder
Large quantities of file data stored in the “TEMP” folder on your PC may cause PowerPoint freezing when you play a media file in it so you can try to delete some needless files in the TEMP folder and free up some space, which can work in some situations.
First close all running programs. To find the TEMP folder, click on Start > Run, or use the shortcut key combinations of Win+R; then, enter %temp% into the new Run dialog, select “OK; in the TEMP folder, select all files with a .tmp extension and delete them. Now, restart your computer and play the file in PowerPoint again.
How to Convert Video & Audio Files to Fix PowerPoint Media Unavailable Error
As mentioned earlier, unsupported codecs and formats usually are the root cause of the codec unavailable PowerPoint error. You can either install a codec pack or convert the files with a video converter tool to fix the error. If you think the second way is more suitable for you, you can use WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro to make the conversion a breeze. It can handle any video and audio files you throw at it and convert them to 500+ formats and devices at fast speed. Free download Free download the converter and follow the tutorial below.
Convert Videos to Be Supported by PowerPoint for Smooth Playback
Step 1. Add Files You Want to Convert
Open HD Video Converter Factory Pro, select “Converter” on the start-up window and there will appear a Video Converter window. Two options are available for importing files: Through the “Add Files” button or drag and drop files from desktop to the interface.
Step 2. Choose WMV or MP4 as the Output Format
Head to the output format icon on the right side, click it to enter a new window where you need to select “Video” then MP4 or WMV as the output format.
The video converter also empowers you to alter both video and audio codecs. Just click on “Parameter Settings” on the lower right corner, and move to the Encoder option under the corresponding sections to choose the needed codecs for the video.
Step 3. Start the Conversion Process
You can keep the default folder or choose one location for saving the exported files by clicking the inverted triangle button. Then press “Run” to finalize the process. The fast video converter promises extremely rapid speed. When the process is complete, insert the converted video into PowerPoint and make your presentation as you wish.
You can also fix PowerPoint audio codec unavailable problem through the same steps.
Many reasons would bring about codec unavailable PowerPoint 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007 issues. As the article has mentioned, the solutions are varied yet always come down to format conversion for PowerPoint. However, if you know other effective fixes to this video and audio not playing in PowerPoint problem, you’re welcome to share them with us. We will update the content so as to offer more people the best methods.
Insert DVD Videos into PowerPoint
WonderFox DVD Ripper Pro
PowerPoint doesn’t support any type of DVD content as embedded files yet there still have some ways to work it out and the most effective way is to extract the files from a DVD using a specific tool. WonderFox DVD Ripper Pro can help you extract videos and audio tracks from a DVD, regardless of whether it’s home-made or encrypted. Meanwhile, it can convert DVDs to MP4, AVI, MKV, WMV, MOV, MKV, etc., create 1:1 ISO image copy from DVDs.