How to Fix MKV/MP4 Playback and Play Movies from USB on Xbox One

The Xbox One is more than just a gaming console, you can also use it to watch movies from a USB drive. But a lot of people run into a problem where the Xbox says "Format Not Supported" or the USB drive doesn't show up at all.

This usually happens for two reasons: the video file uses a format or codec the Xbox doesn't understand, or the USB drive is formatted incorrectly. Below is a simple guide on how to fix both issues so you can get your movies playing.

The Xbox One compatible video formats include 3GP, ASF, AVI, MKV, MOV, MPG, MPEG, MP4, WMV, H.264, and MPEG-4. But you might’ve noticed that even if your video format is supported, it may still fail to play. This is due to unsupported video codecs, like HEVC or DTS audio hidden inside MKV and MP4 files. To enable smooth playback, you need to convert the video to an Xbox One-friendly format, such as MP4 encoded with H.264/AAC.

We can use a dedicated Xbox video converter, WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro, to convert video to the Xbox one video format in just a few clicks. Now, let’s download and install download and install the software to get started:

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It’s important to know that Xbox One supports USB with a file system formatted with FAT16, FAT32, exFAT, or NTFS. If your USB isn’t in the right format, it cannot be recognized by your Xbox.

Here’s how to check your USB format and the fix:

1. Plug the USB into your PC.
2. Open File Explorer, right-click your USB drive, and choose Properties. Look at the "File system" line.
3. If it’s not NTFS or exFAT, you need to format it. Right-click the drive again and select Format.
4. Choose NTFS or exFAT from the list. (I recommend avoiding FAT32 because it won't let you put files larger than 4GB on the drive).
5. Check "Quick Format" and click Start.

Note: This will delete everything on the USB, so save your files somewhere else first.

💡 It helps to create a folder on the USB named Video and put your movies inside it. It makes it easier for the Xbox to find them.

Once your files are converted and your USB is ready, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open the Xbox Store > My Games & Apps > Apps > Find more in the Xbox Store. Search for Media Player and install it.

Step 2: Plug the drive into an Xbox USB port. You should see a pop-up saying it's connected.

Step 3: Go to My Games & Apps and open the Media Player app. You will see your USB drive listed there. Click on it, find your movie folder, and select the video you want to watch.

• No Sound: If the video plays but there is no audio, the original file likely used an unsupported format like DTS. Following the steps in Part 1 to convert the audio to AAC can fix this.
• Subtitles Missing: Ensure your subtitle file (.srt) has the exact same name as your video file (for example: movie.mp4 and movie.srt) and is saved in the same folder on your USB. Or you can burn the subtitles into the video for permanent embedding.
• Video Stuttering: This can happen with very high-quality 4K files. Try using a USB 3.0 drive or a USB 3.0 port on the back of the console for faster speeds.

That’s all I want to share about how to watch movies on Xbox One from USB. The two most important things to remember are: 1. Optimize your video codecs and formats, and 2. Use the correct USB format. After that, you can enjoy your movies on Xbox One trouble-free.

In addition to USB, you can also set up a DLNA media server to stream content, which we will cover in a future guide. Thanks for reading!

The most common reason an MP4 or MKV won't play is that the video codec inside the file isn't supported by your specific Xbox model. Many modern MKVs use HEVC or DTS/AC3 audio that older Xbox One consoles often struggle with.

• Video Format: MP4
• Video Codec: H.264
• Audio Codec: AAC
• Frame Rate: 30fps

Yes, if you have an Xbox One S or Xbox One X. The original Xbox One is limited to 1080p.

Usually no. Xbox formats game drives in a special way that hides them from the Media Player. It's best to use a dedicated USB stick for your movies.