MX Player Doesn’t Play 10-bit HEVC: What’s Supported and What to Do

You download a movie or anime episode, hit play in MX Player, and instead of smooth playback you get a black screen, green artifacts, audio-only playback, or an error that looks like a codec problem. A very common cause is this: the file is HEVC (H.265) encoded in 10-bit color, typically the “Main 10” profile, and your MX Player setup (or your device’s decoder) is not able to decode it.

This guide explains what 10-bit HEVC is, what MX Player can and cannot do depending on device and decoder mode, and the most reliable fixes: switching decode modes, using a different player, installing the right codec (where applicable), or converting the file.

1. What “10-bit HEVC” Means (And Why It Breaks Playback)

HEVC, also called H.265, is a video compression standard designed to deliver similar quality to H.264 (AVC) at a lower bitrate. Many modern releases use HEVC because it saves storage and bandwidth.

“10-bit” refers to color depth: how many discrete steps each color channel can represent. In simple terms, 10-bit video can represent more shades than 8-bit video, which reduces color banding and is often used for HDR and high-quality encodes. In HEVC, 10-bit content is typically encoded using the Main 10 profile.

Why does this matter for MX Player? Because decoding 10-bit HEVC reliably often depends on hardware support (your phone’s decoder) or on a software decoder compiled with the right capabilities. If either the app’s decoder path or the device’s underlying decoder cannot handle HEVC Main 10, playback may fail even though “HEVC” is broadly supported in marketing terms.

1.1 The Typical Symptoms of Unsupported 10-bit HEVC

If your file is 10-bit HEVC and your playback chain does not support it, you commonly see one of these:

• Audio plays but video is black.
• Green/purple tinted video or heavy corruption.
• “Can’t open this file” or “Problem with this audio/video format.”
• Severe stutter and overheating when forced into software decoding.

These symptoms can also be caused by other issues (damaged files, unusual container settings, very high resolution/bitrate), but 10-bit HEVC is among the most frequent culprits.

1.2 The Quick Test: Is Your File Actually HEVC Main 10?

Before changing settings, confirm the file’s codec details. The easiest way is to use a media info tool (for example, MediaInfo on desktop). Look for:

• Codec: HEVC / H.265
• Profile: Main 10 (or sometimes “Main 10@L4.1” etc.)
• Bit depth: 10 bits

If you cannot check on a PC, many Android file managers and some players show “H.265/HEVC” and sometimes “10-bit” in file details. The “Main 10” label is the strongest indicator that you need a 10-bit-capable decoder.

2. What MX Player Supports (In Practice)

MX Player is flexible because it can decode video through multiple paths. But what works depends on your device, your Android version, and the specific MX Player build you are using.

2.1 HW, HW+, and SW: The Three Decode Paths

MX Player typically exposes three playback modes:

• HW (Hardware decoding): Uses the device’s hardware video decoder via Android’s media framework. This is usually the most power-efficient and smoothest, but it only works if the device’s decoder supports the exact codec profile and level.
• HW+ (Hardware+): A variant intended to improve compatibility for some formats/containers using a different pipeline while still relying heavily on hardware decoding. Results vary by device and Android version.
• SW (Software decoding): Decodes on the CPU. This can sometimes play formats your hardware cannot, but 10-bit HEVC is computationally heavy. Many phones will struggle at 1080p and above, and 4K is usually unrealistic without very powerful hardware.

Important reality check: even if MX Player offers SW mode, software decoding of HEVC Main 10 may still fail or be unwatchable depending on the build and the device’s performance.

2.2 Why “HEVC Supported” Does Not Always Mean “HEVC 10-bit Supported”

HEVC has multiple profiles. The most common are:

• Main (8-bit): widely supported on modern Android devices.
• Main 10 (10-bit): common in high-quality releases and HDR workflows, but not universally supported in older chipsets or certain device firmware implementations.

Android playback using hardware acceleration generally goes through MediaCodec. Whether MediaCodec can decode HEVC Main 10 depends on the device’s chipset and the vendor’s codec implementation. If the device cannot decode Main 10, MX Player’s HW/HW+ modes will fail for those files regardless of app settings.

2.3 The Role of “Custom Codec” Packs (And Why It’s Confusing)

Historically, MX Player supported “custom codec” packs (often associated with FFmpeg-based components) that could expand decoding capabilities on some devices. On the internet you will still see guides telling users to install specific codec packages (for example, ARMv7, ARMv8, x86) to fix HEVC playback.

Two cautions are important:

• Codec pack support and behavior can differ by MX Player version and distribution channel. Instructions written for older versions may not apply to the current build you have installed.
• Even with a software-based codec, 10-bit HEVC can be too demanding for many devices at common resolutions and bitrates.

So: codec packs can help in some scenarios, but they are not a guaranteed “10-bit HEVC fix,” and hardware capability still matters for smooth playback.

3. Why MX Player Fails Specifically on 10-bit HEVC

If you want the underlying “why,” it usually comes down to one (or a combination) of these constraints.

3.1 Your Device Hardware Decoder Does Not Support HEVC Main 10

Many midrange and older devices support HEVC 8-bit but not HEVC 10-bit in hardware. When MX Player is set to HW or HW+ decoding, it is effectively asking the device’s hardware codec to do the job. If the hardware codec rejects the stream or cannot output it correctly, you get failure or corruption.

This is not unique to MX Player. Any app that relies on the same hardware decoding path can show similar behavior on the same device.

3.2 The File Is Too Demanding Even If “Technically Supported”

Even when a device supports HEVC Main 10, edge cases can cause trouble:

• Very high bitrate encodes
• 4K resolution on a device that supports Main 10 only up to a lower level
• Unusual container flags or track combinations (multiple subtitle tracks, odd interleaving)

In those cases, another player might be more tolerant, or a remux (repackaging the same streams into a different container) might help, but sometimes you must re-encode.

3.3 Software Decoding Limitations (Performance and Build Capabilities)

Software decoding 10-bit HEVC is CPU-intensive. If your phone’s CPU cannot keep up, you may see stutter, audio desync, or overheating. Additionally, not every player build includes the same software decoding capabilities for every codec/profile combination, and changes in app versions can affect what works.

4. Step-by-Step Fixes: What to Do When MX Player Won’t Play 10-bit HEVC

Below is a practical troubleshooting sequence. Stop once the problem is solved.

4.1 Switch the Decode Mode (HW, HW+, SW) for That Video

Start with the simplest fix: change the decoder mode while the video is open.

1. Open the video in MX Player.
2. Open the overflow/menu for playback options.
3. Switch between HW, HW+, and SW decoding.

What to expect:

• If HW fails but HW+ works, your device can likely decode it but needed a different pipeline.
• If HW and HW+ both fail, try SW. If SW plays but stutters badly, your device likely lacks smooth 10-bit HEVC capability and you should consider a different player or conversion.

4.2 Toggle Hardware Decoder Settings (If Available)

MX Player settings vary by version, but you may find options related to hardware decoding and performance. If you see toggles like “Use HW decoder,” “HW+ decoder,” or format-specific hardware acceleration settings, try:

• Enabling HW+ if it is disabled.
• Disabling HW for formats that consistently break, then using SW only as needed.

If your device cannot decode Main 10 in hardware, no setting will magically add that hardware capability, but you can sometimes avoid broken output by forcing SW or switching players.

4.3 Try a Player With Strong HEVC Main 10 Software Decoding

If MX Player cannot play the file reliably, the fastest path is often to test another player known for broad codec support. Two common options on Android are:

• VLC for Android: Widely used, open source, and often robust with unusual files.
• mpv-android: Based on mpv, commonly praised for playback quality and flexibility.

Why this helps: different apps ship different demuxers, decoders, and fallback strategies. One player might handle a specific HEVC Main 10 encode more gracefully than another on the same device.

4.4 If You Use MX Player Codec Packs, Match the Right CPU Architecture

If your MX Player version supports external or custom codecs, make sure you are not mixing architectures. A codec pack built for ARMv7 will not work properly on ARM64-only builds, and x86 packs are for Intel-based Android devices.

General guidance:

• Check your device CPU: most modern phones are ARM64 (AArch64).
• Use only codec components from reputable sources and that match your MX Player version and CPU.

Note: codec pack availability and installation flow can differ depending on the MX Player release and Android version. If you cannot find the option in your build, use the “different player” or “convert the file” routes below.

4.5 Convert 10-bit HEVC to a More Compatible Format (Best Reliability)

If you want guaranteed playback across phones, TVs, and apps, converting is the most reliable option. The most compatible targets are:

• H.264 (AVC) 8-bit in an MP4 container for maximum compatibility.
• HEVC (H.265) 8-bit if you want smaller size but still better compatibility than Main 10.

A common tool for this is HandBrake. Suggested settings for broad compatibility:

• Format: MP4
• Video codec: H.264 (x264)
• Framerate: Same as source (constant if you want easier playback)
• Encoder preset: medium or slower (slower usually yields better quality per bitrate)
• Bitrate or quality: use a quality-based setting (CRF) if you understand it; otherwise, pick a sensible bitrate for your resolution

If storage is a concern, you can also convert to HEVC 8-bit, but be aware that some older devices have weaker HEVC support than H.264.

4.6 Consider Remuxing If the Video Is Fine but the Container Causes Issues

Sometimes the video stream is supported, but the container or metadata causes trouble. For example, a file might be MKV with unusual track flags. In such cases, remuxing can help: you keep the same audio and video streams but place them into a fresh container.

Tools like FFmpeg can remux without re-encoding. This will not fix a true “Main 10 not supported” problem, but it can fix certain playback quirks if the stream is otherwise decodable.

5. FAQs: Quick Answers People Search For

5.1 Does MX Player Support HEVC (H.265)?

MX Player can play HEVC in many cases, especially when your device provides hardware decoding support through Android’s media stack. But HEVC support is not a single checkbox: different profiles (like Main vs Main 10), levels, bitrates, and resolutions determine whether playback succeeds on your specific device.

5.2 Why Does 8-bit HEVC Play but 10-bit HEVC Does Not?

Because 10-bit HEVC (Main 10) requires decoder support for 10-bit output and the Main 10 profile. Many devices and decoders support 8-bit HEVC (Main profile) but not 10-bit. Even when software decoding is possible, it may be too slow for smooth playback.

5.3 Can I “Force” 10-bit HEVC to Play in MX Player?

You can try switching to SW decoding, and on some devices it will play, but performance may be poor. If your device lacks hardware Main 10 support, there is no setting that can create hardware capability. The dependable solutions are using a player with strong software decoding on your device, or converting the file.

5.4 Is 10-bit HEVC Always HDR?

No. 10-bit is commonly used for HDR workflows, but 10-bit content can be SDR as well. HDR depends on additional metadata and color space characteristics (for example HDR10 signaling), not just bit depth.

5.5 What’s the Best Format for Maximum Compatibility on Android?

If you want the file to play on almost any device and in almost any app, H.264 (AVC) 8-bit in MP4 is still the safest bet. HEVC can be efficient, but compatibility varies more across older devices, and Main 10 varies even more.

6. A Practical Decision Guide

If you want a simple way to decide what to do, use this checklist:

• If the file is HEVC Main 10 and HW/HW+ fails: your device likely lacks hardware Main 10 support. Try VLC or mpv, then convert if needed.
• If SW plays smoothly: you can keep using SW for those files, but expect more battery drain.
• If SW plays but stutters: convert to H.264 8-bit, or source an 8-bit encode.
• If only one specific file fails: try remuxing, or test the file on another device to rule out corruption.

In other words: when MX Player won’t play 10-bit HEVC, the root cause is usually capability mismatch, not a “broken app.” The fastest fix is often to use a different player for that file type. The most reliable fix is to convert to a more compatible codec.

Citations

• High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) overview and profiles. (Wikipedia)
• HEVC profiles including Main and Main 10. (Wikipedia)
• Android MediaCodec API (hardware accelerated decoding/encoding). (Android Developers)
• HandBrake documentation (open source video transcoder). (HandBrake)
• FFmpeg documentation (remuxing and transcoding concepts/tools). (FFmpeg)
• VLC for Android project site. (VideoLAN)
• mpv media player project site (and ecosystem). (mpv.io)