Xvid Codec for Windows 11 and 10
Do you still need the Xvid codec to play old AVI files? Usually not to watch them - but sometimes yes. Here is how to tell, what to download, and how to fix Xvid videos that will not play.
Quick answer
Quick answer: to watch Xvid videos on Windows 11 or 10 you usually do not need the Xvid codec.
Windows has had its own MPEG-4 Part 2 decoder since Windows 7, and Xvid is MPEG-4 Part 2.
If a file still plays without sound, without picture or not at all, install X Codec Pack. You only need the original Xvid codec to encode Xvid, or for an old program that asks for it by name.
Do you need the Xvid codec?
| What you want to do | What to install |
|---|---|
| Watch Xvid or DivX AVI files in Media Player or Movies & TV | Nothing - try it first. If it fails, X Codec Pack |
| Watch them in MPC-HC, MPC-BE, PotPlayer or other DirectShow players | X Codec Pack (LAV Filters decodes Xvid and its audio) |
| Fix "no sound" or "no picture" on an old AVI | X Codec Pack - see troubleshooting |
| Encode video to Xvid in VirtualDub or another VfW program | The original Xvid codec 1.3.7 |
| An old game, editor or capture tool says "Xvid codec missing" | The original Xvid codec 1.3.7 |
| Make a video for a modern TV, phone or website | Skip Xvid - use H.264 or HEVC, for example with X HEVC Encoder |
Xvid codec download options
Plays Xvid, DivX and their MP3 or AC3 audio in every DirectShow player, plus MKV, HEVC, AV1 and 50+ formats. Windows 11 and 10, 64-bit. No bundled software.
The original open-source codec. One installer for 32-bit and 64-bit Windows with the Video for Windows encoder and a DirectShow decoder. About 11 MB.
On 32-bit Windows? Use the Xvid codec above, or the legacy X Codec Pack 2.7.4 which still supports 32-bit systems.
How to play Xvid videos on Windows 11
Try the built-in player first
Right-click the AVI file, choose Open with and pick Media Player. Most Xvid files play right away.
Check what is inside the file
If it fails, find out which part is missing. Open the file in X Codec Inspector, or right-click it and check Properties - Details.
Look for the video FourCC (XVID, DX50, DIVX) and the audio format (MP3, AC3, PCM).
Install X Codec Pack
One installer adds LAV Filters, which decode Xvid, DivX and every common AVI audio track. It works in Media Player, MPC-HC, MPC-BE and other DirectShow players.
Open the file again
Restart the player and open the file. If one program still refuses it, open it in Media Player Classic, which comes with X Codec Pack.
Xvid video problems and fixes
Picture plays, but there is no sound
The video is fine, the audio track is not. Old AVI files often carry AC3 or variable-bitrate MP3 audio that some players handle badly.
Install X Codec Pack - LAV Audio decodes both.
Sound plays, but the screen is black
The video decoder failed. This happens with files that use an unusual FourCC or rare encoder settings.
X Codec Pack's LAV Video decodes all MPEG-4 ASP variants, including DivX 4, 5 and 6.
"Xvid codec missing" or "decompressor not found"
An older program wants the Video for Windows Xvid codec by name.
Install the original Xvid 1.3.7 - this is the one case where the real codec is required.
The file stutters or the picture is blocky
Usually a damaged or incomplete download, not a missing codec. Try another player - if every player shows the same blocks, the file itself is broken.
Two Xvid decoders fight each other
If you installed several codec packs over the years, more than one decoder may claim Xvid.
Check which one is used with X Codec Inspector, and uninstall the old packs you no longer need.
Is Xvid still developed?
Not really.
The last stable release, Xvid 1.3.7, came out on 28 December 2019 and fixed a single bug.
That is fine for an old format. Xvid is an open-source encoder for MPEG-4 Part 2 (Advanced Simple Profile), a standard that stopped changing long ago.
Millions of AVI files from the 2000s still use it. Modern decoders such as LAV Filters, FFmpeg and Microsoft's own play them without the Xvid codec installed.
Xvid vs DivX vs H.264
| Xvid | DivX | H.264 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | MPEG-4 Part 2 ASP | MPEG-4 Part 2 ASP (DivX 4-6) | MPEG-4 Part 10 AVC |
| License | Open source (GPL) | Commercial, free player | Patented standard, free decoders |
| Typical container | AVI | AVI, DivX | MP4, MKV |
| Quality at the same size | Good | Good | Much better |
| Plays on Windows 11 | Mostly built in | Mostly built in | Built in |
| Use it for new videos? | No | No | Yes |
Xvid and DivX files are interchangeable for playback: any decoder that plays one plays the other.
Avoid fake Xvid codec downloads
"Codec required" pop-ups are a classic way to spread malware.
A video file never needs a codec from the website it came from. Be careful with any site that offers an "Xvid player" or a codec as a .zip, a download manager, or a file only a few hundred KB in size.
- The real Xvid 1.3.7 installer is about 11 MB and is named
Xvid-1.3.7-20191228.exe. - Get it from xvid.com or a long-running download site such as free-codecs.com.
- X Codec Pack is free, has no adware and no bundled offers.