Windows Media Player Not Playing MP4 Video Copied from My Phone

The error you're seeing indicates that the MP4 video from your Android phone uses the HEVC (H.265) codec, which Windows Media Player (WMP) does not support by default on many versions of Windows. Here's how to fix Windows Media Player not opening MP4 files in Windows 11/10:

Solution 1. Install the HEVC Codec from Microsoft Store

HEVC Video Extensions is a small software add-on developed by Microsoft that enables your Windows 10 or 11 system to play videos encoded with the HEVC (H.265) codec.

1. Go to the HEVC Video Extensions page on the Microsoft Store.

2. Price: $0.99 (yes, Microsoft charges a small fee).

3. Once installed, WMP and the Movies & TV app should be able to play HEVC videos.

Solution 2. Convert the Video to H.264 (More Compatible Format)

If you prefer to keep using WMP without buying the codec:

Use a free tool like HandBrake or Any2VID to convert the HEVC MP4 to H.264 MP4. This increases compatibility with older players like WMP.

Tip: Most Android phones now record in HEVC by default to save space. You can often change this in your Camera settings by switching video encoding to H.264 (AVC) to avoid compatibility issues in the future.