Often, we try to play an audio or video file in a windows device, but it does not play. Instead, a message appears on the screen saying something like “this file cannot be played”. Thus, it displays the Error Code 0xc00d36c4. This error code indicates that the media file is either corrupted or has an unsupported format or an incorrect extension. It can happen after a fresh Windows installation or an update.

Normally, music or video files from a DVD or USB device encounter this problem. Generally, it happens when played on Windows Media Player and other applications. It is especially an issue with videos created from DVDs or on video-editing apps and GoPro cameras.

Error Code 0xc00d36c4 While Playing Music or Video Files

Additionally, a file may be corrupted due to malware attack, incomplete installation or any form of mishandling. Whatever the cause, there are ways to rectify this error so that the file can be played. Below are some of the ways any user can fix Error Code 0xc00d36c4. Move on to enjoy the music or video.

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How to Fix Error Code 0xc00d36c4 While Playing Videos

Solution 1 ⇒ Use Other Media Players

The simplest way to fix Error Code 0xc00d36c4 is to try playing the file on VLC Media Player. It supports media files of almost all formats unless a file is corrupted. Downloaded the VLC Media Player from its official website.

Right-click on the media file after downloading and setup. Lastly, select “Open with ⇒ VLC media player“. VLC Media Player is unable to play the corrupted file. In that case, there are other methods.

Solution 2 ⇒ Run the Troubleshooter for Windows Media Player

Sometimes, the Error Code 0xc00d36c4 is due to an update problem, and troubleshooting Windows may help. You can access the troubleshooter option through the Cortana or search bar of Windows. Once the troubleshooter window opens, scroll down the panel to select the options and click “Run the Troubleshooter“. Following the instructions appearing on the screen will fix the issue.

Solution 3 ⇒ Fixing the Codec

A codec is a program that helps encode and decode the digital data on a file. A media file with a faulty codec will not open. In such a scenario, codecs can be downloaded from online sources like K-Lite. In Windows Media Player 11, codecs can be automatically downloaded as follows:

Step 1 ⇒ Firstly, select “Tools” then select “Options“.

Step 3 ⇒ Now, select “Player”.

Step 4 ⇒ Finally select the “Download Codecs Automatically” checkbox, then click on OK.

You can directly download codecs, even in VLC Media Player as follows:

Step 1 ⇒ Firstly, select “Tools” and then select “Preferences”.

Step 2 ⇒ Then select “Input and Codec Settings”.

Step 3 ⇒ Finally identify portions under “Damaged or incomplete AVI file”. Lastly, select “Always fix”.

Solution 4 ⇒ Turn off Copy Protection on Windows Media Player

Copy protection is a default feature of Windows Media Player to prevent files from being played by other media players. This feature can be disabled in the following way:

Step 1 ⇒ Firstly, select “Organize” on the top left corner of the Window Media Player Window.

Step 2 ⇒ Secondly, choose “Options“.

Step 3 ⇒ Then, click on the “Rip Music” tab.

Step 4 ⇒ Lastly, uncheck “Copy protect music” and click OK.

After disabling the “copy protect” feature. You can play media files without the error occurring in the future.

Solution 5 ⇒ Reconfigure the Playback Settings

Often, the Error Code 0xc00d36c4 may appear due to a misconfiguration of the playback settings of the computer. A malware attack or another user can cause this issue. Follow the given steps to reconfigure it:

Step 1 ⇒ Right-click on the volume icon in the bottom right corner of the screen. It will navigate you to the sound control panel. A simple click may suffice depending on the Windows version.

Step 2 ⇒ Select “Playback devices”.

Step 3 ⇒ Click on the “Speaker/Headphones” option and select “Configure”.

Step 5 ⇒ A speaker setup window will open. It contains a list of audio channels. Test all of them one by one.

Step 6 ⇒ If a channel has a problem, a message will appear saying “Failed to Play Test Tone”.

Step 7 ⇒ Now, do the testings. Then click “Next”.

Step 8 ⇒ Unselect all the speakers facing the problem. Finally, click “Finish”.

Reconfigure the playback settings accordingly. Check whether the media file is playing.

Solution 6 ⇒ Copy and Paste the File to Internal Storage

Often, the media file won’t play directly from an external storage device like DVD or USB-connected phone. Simply copy-pasting (Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V) to the computer’s internal storage may solve the problem. Music files may be moved to the Windows Music Library in the “Users” folder of C drive or whichever is the local drive.

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Final Words

Thus, the different ways to fix the Error Code 0xc00d36c4 have been discussed above. This error can occur for many reasons – corrupted file, unsupported format, incorrect codec or an incomplete or faulty Windows update.

Depending on the cause, one of the above solutions may be more suitable. However, it is not easy to determine the exact cause. Try to begin with the easiest solutions. Opening the file in VLC Media Player should help if the problem is just of an unsupported format, as VLC can play almost all file formats (.avi, .mkv, .mp4 or others).

The other simple options, like moving the files from the external to internal storage may also suffice. However, malware or mishandling corrupts your file, and other methods may be necessary. When VLC Media Player fails to play a media file, it is a sure sign of the corrupted file.

In such a case, the other ways include installing missing codecs, converting the file to another format or repairing it using a reliable Repair tool. Anyone can quickly solve the Error Code 0xc00d36c4, using the given solutions.