If you are seeing an error message like "Audio format not supported" or MX Player prompted you to install a custom codec, follow these steps:
The core issue stems from licensing and royalties. Starting from version , MX Player was forced to remove native support for certain popular, royalty-encumbered audio formats like AC3 (Dolby Digital), E-AC3 (Dolby Digital Plus), and DTS (Digital Theater Systems) due to licensing restrictions. This is a widespread practice in the media player industry to avoid legal and financial liabilities.
For , the specific ARMv8 NEON custom codec is required to enable support for proprietary audio formats like EAC3, DTS, and AC3 . Using a custom codec fixes the common "audio format not supported" error while maintaining hardware-accelerated playback. Recommended Codec Files
: Designed to match the internal FFmpeg requirements of MX Player 1.49.0, ensuring the app recognizes the custom library without "codec version mismatch" errors. Installation Guide for MX Player 1.49.0 : Obtain the mx_aio.zip (All-in-One) or mx_neon64.zip from a trusted source like the Official GitHub Releases Locate Decoder Settings : Open MX Player, tap the (three dots) > Identify Required Codec armv8 neon codec for mx player 1490 top
The traditional standard for multi-channel home theatre audio.
MX Player remains one of the most versatile media players for Android, capable of handling virtually any file format thrown at it. However, due to licensing restrictions, the app often lacks support for certain audio formats like DTS, AC3, and EAC3. This is where the custom codec, specifically the , comes into play.
For MX Player to recognise and use the codec, the you have installed. For instance, if you are using MX Player 1.49.0 , you need a codec file named something like libffmpeg.mx.so.neon64.1.49.0 or mx_neon64.zip that is built for that specific release [10†L9-L11]. Using a mismatched version (e.g., a 1.87.0 codec with MX Player 1.49.0) will trigger the error: "Can't find custom codec. Please use version 1.49.0 ARMv8 NEON codec." [8†L3-L7]. If you are seeing an error message like
By allowing the CPU/GPU to work more efficiently, the device consumes less power decoding video. This means longer binge-watching sessions.
On a Galaxy S7 (Exynos 8890), the 1490 top codec played a sample that crashed VLC and stuttered on Kodi. Battery draw? Just 380 mA—lower than the screen’s own backlight.
Before downloading, verify which version your device specifically needs: and tap the Menu (three dots) in the top-right. Navigate to Settings > Decoder Scroll to the bottom and look at Custom codec . It will likely recommend ARMv8 NEON 2. Download the Codec Pack For most users, the AIO (All-in-One) ZIP For , the specific ARMv8 NEON custom codec
If you are experiencing issues with playback performance, ensuring you have the latest ARMv8 Neon codec is the first step toward a seamless experience.
Rarely, a codec may conflict with certain rare audio formats. Try switching between HW, HW+, and SW decoding in the Decoder settings. If that does not help, revert to the default codec by clearing the “Custom codec” path, then reinstall the codec.