X Codec Pack 2.7.4

This lightweight codec bundle earned its 4.7-star rating from over 11 million downloads by focusing on what matters: broad format support without system slowdowns or adware.

What's Inside the Pack

X Codec Pack bundles proven components that work seamlessly together:

LAV Filters 0.66 handles video and audio decoding for modern containers like MKV, MP4, and WebM. This same filter powers the popular K-Lite Codec Pack and delivers hardware-accelerated playback on compatible systems.

madVR 0.89.3 provides high-quality video rendering with advanced upscaling and color correction - essential for users who want the best visual quality from their media collection.

MPC-HC 1.7.9 gives you a lightweight, customizable media player as an alternative to Windows Media Player.

For a more feature-rich experience, consider MPC-BE which continues active development.

AC3Filter 2.6b decodes Dolby Digital and DTS surround sound for proper home theater audio output.

xy-VSFilter 3.0 and xySubFilter 3.1 handle subtitle rendering for SRT, ASS, and other external subtitle formats - perfect for foreign films and anime.

Additional components include Matroska Splitter for MKV container handling, CDXA Reader for VideoCD content, RealMedia Splitter for legacy .rm files, and The Codec Detective for identifying missing codecs.

Supported Formats

After installation, your system plays virtually any media format:

Video: MKV, AVI, MP4, DivX, Xvid, RMVB, FLV, OGV, EVO, and more.

Audio: FLAC, OGG, APE, MPC, OFR, AMR, M4B, and standard formats.

Containers: Matroska (MKA), OGM, and all common wrapper formats.

Easy Installation Options

X Codec Pack offers two installation modes:

Complete Mode installs all codecs automatically - recommended for most users who want everything working immediately. The installer handles potential codec conflicts by removing problematic older codecs.

Custom Mode lets advanced users select only specific components. This approach works well if you already have some codecs installed and want to avoid duplicates.

Both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows systems are fully supported.

Important: Development Status

X Codec Pack version 2.7.4 was released in September 2015 and has been the final version - until now.

After nearly a decade of silence, the official X Codec Pack website has recently been updated.

While no official announcement has been made, the signs point to something brewing behind the scenes. Could X Codec Pack v3 be on the horizon?

We're keeping a close eye on developments and will update this page the moment news breaks.

The current version works reliably across Windows 7 through 11. If you're looking for alternatives with more frequent updates, K-Lite Codec Pack offers regular releases with the latest LAV Filters and modern codec support (HEVC, AV1, VP9).

Check our Best Codec Packs Guide for detailed comparisons.

Alternatives Worth Considering

K-Lite Codec Pack - The most actively maintained codec pack with multiple versions (Basic, Standard, Full, Mega) to match your needs. Supports Windows XP through 11.

K-Lite Mega Codec Pack - Comprehensive bundle including professional filters like madVR and advanced encoding tools.

LAV Filters Megamix - Combines LAV Filters with MPC-HC, PotPlayer, and madVR in one package.

Shark007 Codecs - 64-bit optimized codec pack with regular updates for Windows 7 through 11.

VLC Media Player - Self-contained player that handles most formats without installing system-wide codecs.

System Requirements

• Windows 7, 8, 10, or 11 (32-bit or 64-bit).
• 26.4 MB disk space.
• Administrative privileges for installation.

Clean and Safe

X Codec Pack is completely free of spyware, adware, and viruses. The installer includes no bundled toolbars or unwanted software - just the codecs you need.