K-Lite Codec Pack

The K-Lite Codec Pack is a collection of audio and video codecs for Microsoft Windows DirectShow that enables an operating system and its software to play various audio and video formats generally not supported by the operating system itself. The K-Lite Codec Pack also includes several related tools, including Media Player Classic Home Cinema (MPC-HC), Media Info Lite, and Codec Tweak Tool.[3]

"K-Lite" redirects here. For the P2P file sharing program Kazaa Lite K++, see Kazaa Lite. For the Philippine radio station with the K-Lite name, see DWKX.
K-Lite Codec Pack
Developer(s)Codec Guide
Stable release15.6.8 (August 12, 2020 (2020-08-12)) [±][1]
Operating systemWindows XP and later[lower-alpha 1]
PlatformIA-32 and x64
Size
  • Basic: 17.6 MB
  • Standard: 41.9 MB
  • Full: 48.3 MB
  • Mega: 58.8 MB
TypeSoftware bundle of audio codecs and video codecs
LicenseFreeware
Websitecodecguide.com

K-Lite adds Video for Windows (VFW) codecs and DirectShow filters to the system, so that DirectShow/VFW based players like MPC, Winamp, and Windows Media Player will use them automatically.

Editions

There are four editions of the K-Lite Codec Pack, all free of charge.[3]

  1. Basic: The Basic edition is the smallest version and enables a Microsoft Windows computer to play the contents of AVI, Matroska (MKV), MP4, Ogg, Flash Video (FLV) and WebM files, etc. It only consists of LAV Filters (for audio and video decoding), DirectVobSub (for subtitle decoding), Codec Tweak Tool, Icaros ThumbnailProvider, and Icaros PropertyHandler.[4] Basic is the only edition that includes neither MPC-HC nor MediaInfo Lite.[5]
  2. Standard: The Standard edition includes all features of the Basic edition plus madVR, MediaInfo Lite, and MPC-HC.[6] This package is recommended for normal users.[3]
  3. Full: The Full edition includes all features of the Standard edition plus ffdshow, DScaler5 MPEG-2 decoder, DC-Bass Source Mod, Haali Media Splitter, Haali Video Renderer, and GraphStudioNext.[7]
  4. Mega: The Mega edition includes all features of the Full edition plus ACM and VFW codecs for video encoding/editing, AC3Filter, Haali Matroska Muxer, FourCC Changer, and VobSubStrip.[8]

After version 10.0.0, 64-bit codecs are integrated into the regular editions. Prior to this version there was a 64-bit edition designed specifically for 64-bit OSes.

After version 11.3.0, the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of LAV Filters share their settings, and an option to install only 64-bit codecs was added (visible only in Expert install mode).

After version 13.7.5, a user can remove installed components by deselecting them while running an updater. This also makes it possible to switch to a smaller variant of the codec pack without uninstalling first.

In the past some editions of the K-Lite Codec Pack included BS.Player, until it was supplemented with an adware package.[9]

Compatibility

K-Lite Codec Packs are compatible with Windows 2003 and later.[10]

The last version that is compatible with Windows XP SP3 is version 13.8.5.[11]

Starting with K-Lite version 10.0.0, 64-bit codecs were integrated into the regular K-Lite Codec Pack. Previously, a separate 64-bit edition of the pack was available for x64 editions of Windows.[12]

Supported file formats

The K-Lite Codec Pack supports the following file formats:[5]

File format Basic Standard Full Mega
AVI
.avi, .divx		 Yes Yes Yes Yes
DVD-Video
.vob, .evo		 Yes Yes Yes Yes
Blu-ray video (non-encrypted)
.m2ts		 Yes Yes Yes Yes
Flash Video
.flv		 Yes Yes Yes Yes
Matroska
.mkv, .mka		 Yes Yes Yes Yes
MP3
.mp3		 Yes Yes Yes Yes
MPEG-1 formats
.mpg, .mpeg, .m1v		 Yes Yes Yes Yes
MPEG-2 formats
.mpe, .m2v, .mpv2, .mp2v, .m2p, .mod, .ts, .m2t, .mts, .pva, .tp, .tpr		 Yes Yes Yes Yes
MPEG-4 formats
.mp4, .m4v, .mp4v, .mpv4, .m4a, .3gp, .3gpp, .3g2, .3gp2		 Yes Yes Yes Yes
Ogg
.ogg, .ogm, .ogv, .oga		 Yes Yes Yes Yes
RealMedia
.rm, .rmvb, .ra, .ram		 Yes Yes Yes Yes
WebM
.webm		 Yes Yes Yes Yes
QuickTime
.mov, .hdmov .qt		 Yes Yes Yes Yes
FLAC
.flac		 Yes Yes Yes Yes
WavPack
.wv		 Yes Yes Yes Yes
AC3/DTS
.ac3, .dts		 No No Yes Yes
AMR
.amr		 Yes Yes Yes Yes
AMV
.amv		 No No Yes Yes
Apple Lossless Audio Codec
.alac		 No No Yes Yes
Monkey's Audio
.ape, .apl		 Yes Yes Yes Yes
MPEG-4 AAC
.aac		 No No Yes Yes
Musepack
.mpc, .mpp		 No No Yes Yes
Trackers
.xm, .s3m, .it, .umx		 No No Yes Yes
OptimFROG
.ofr, .ofs		 No No Yes Yes
File Format Basic Standard Full Mega

Critical reception

As of 27 October 2009, CNET reported a total of 1,074,578 downloads for K-Lite Mega Codec Pack 5.2 since its release date of 12 October 2009. User ratings gave it an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars, but it received only 87 reviews.[13] Meanwhile, CNET reported only 122,552 downloads for K-Lite Codec Pack Full Edition 5.2 (released on the same date); however, it also received an average user rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars, albeit from only seven reviewers.[14] No CNET editors had reviewed these products up until this time.

On the same date, Betanews Fileforum reported a rating of 4.7 out of 5, based on 2,346 votes for K-Lite Mega Codec Pack 5.2.0 and 9,416,511 downloads.[15] Fileforum did not have an entry for K-Lite Codec Pack 5.2 Full.

In October 2009, Softpedia reported K-Lite Mega Codec Pack 5.2 and K-Lite Codec Pack 5.2 Update had been downloaded a combined total of 2,011,113 times after their release on 12 October 2009, and gave them a user rating of 4.4 out of 5 based on 2,281 votes. K-Lite Mega Codec Pack was chosen as a Softpedia Pick.[16] Softpedia also reported K-Lite Codec Pack 5.2 Full, K-Lite Codec Pack Full 5.2 Update, and K-Lite Codec Pack 2.7 64-bit Edition have been downloaded a combined total of 1,452,750 times up until this date, and have received a user rating of 4.3 out of 5 from 2,082 users. K-Lite Codec Pack Full 5.2 was also a Softpedia Pick.[17]

Also in October 2009, SnapFiles also highly praised K-Lite Codec Pack Full edition, giving it five stars.[18]

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See also

Notes
  1. After 13.8.5 WinXP SP3 is no longer supported.[2]

References
  1. "K-Lite Codec Pack - Update Pack". codecguide.com. Retrieved 14 Aug 2020.
  2. "Download old versions of the K-Lite Codec Pack". codecguide.com. Retrieved 2019-02-19.
  3. "About the K-Lite Codec Pack". Codec Guide. Retrieved 18 October 2009.
  4. "Contents of K-Lite Codec Pack Basic". Codec Guide. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  5. K-Lite Codec Pack: Comparison of contents
  6. "Contents of K-Lite Codec Pack Standard". Codec Guide. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  7. "Contents of K-Lite Codec Pack Full". Codec Guide. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  8. "Contents of K-Lite Mega Codec Pack". Codec Guide. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  9. "K-Lite Mega Codec Pack Update 8.7.5 Build 2012.04.27 / 8.7.0 - Changelog". Softpedia. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  10. "Download K-Lite Codec Pack". Codec Guide. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  11. "Download old versions of the K-Lite Codec Pack". codecguide.com. Retrieved 2019-02-19.
  12. "K-Lite Codec Pack 64-bit". Codec Guide. Retrieved 26 July 2011.
  13. "K-Lite Mega Codec Pack 5.2". CNET. 12 October 2009. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  14. "K-Lite Codec Pack Full 5.2". CNET. 12 October 2009. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  15. "K-Lite Mega Codec Pack – Free Download and Reviews". fileforum.betanews.com. 13 October 2009. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  16. "K-Lite Mega Codec Pack – Softpedia". Softpedia. 13 October 2009. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  17. "K-Lite Codec Pack Full Update 5.2.0 Build 20091013 / 5.2.0 / 2.7.0 - x64". Softpedia. 13 October 2009. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  18. "K-Lite Codec Pack (Full) Freeware download and review - installs popular audio and video codecs from SnapFiles". SnapFiles. 29 October 2009. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
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