Xvid Codec: What Is It? How do I get the Xvid Codec for Windows 10 for free?

As an open-source project, Xvid is created in accordance with the MPEG-4 video coding standard. Although Xvid is not as popular as DivX, it is completely compliant with the MPEG-4 compression standard, therefore Xvid videos may typically be played on DVD players that support DivX.

The Windows operating system is the primary target audience for the video codec. If the required Xvid codec is missing, Windows Media Player will often generate an error message stating that it is unable to download an appropriate Xvid decompressor. Learn more about the Xvid codec in this post, including how to get it for free and play videos encoded with it without any problems.

Xvid Codec: What Is It?

Based on the MPEG-4 ISO format, the compression codec XviD is open-source. XviD can be played on some standalone DVD/DivX/XviD players that are MPEG-4 compatible, just like many other MPEG-4 formats can. DivX is where Xvid got its start.

The original MPEG-4 Version 3 video codec from Microsoft was simply hacked, therefore it wasn't created from start. This version—best known as DivX v3.11 alpha—quickly rose to incredible popularity among video nerds all around the world because it was the last legitimate release of the hacked codec. Following its popularity, a group of individuals—including the hacker responsible for the DivX codec—began working on creating a true codec in place of a crude modification of the Microsoft codec already in use.

To create this codec, they started an open source initiative called Project Mayo, sometimes known as Open-DivX. The codec eventually reached maturity, but the original creators wanted to push it even farther. They founded DivX-Networks, which began creating its own closed-source version based on the work of Project Mayo. Eventually, this closed-source code was made public as DivX 4 (the most recent iteration of the codec is now known as DivX 6.0). Since then, we've seen this closed-source version mature further. Open source developers continued to work on the codec and eventually created XviD because they didn't want to give up on Project Mayo's work.

A DivX-compatible DVD player can play files that have been encoded in XviD and have been written to a CD or DVD.

Most DivX Certified set-top players do not support the sophisticated capabilities that XviD can optionally use to encode video using. On DivX Certified hardware devices, it is possible that files encoded with global motion compensation, Qpel, MPEG quantization, multiple B-frames, or files that exceed the VBV limitations would not play successfully.

Inaccuracies in the Xvid Codec

Let's examine the components of the video codec that are most susceptible to misunderstanding prior to downloading the free Xvid codec:

Xvid is a video format.

Xvid is not a video format; it is an utility for compressing to and decompressing from the MPEG-4 ASP format. Any video encoded with Xvid is referred to be a "MPEG-4 ASP video" rather than a "Xvid video" and can be decoded by any decoder that adheres to MPEG-4 ASP standards. This includes a large number of media players and decoders, especially those built using the free and open-source FFmpeg libavcodec library.

Infrequently is the Xvid codec employed.

Yes, the Xvid codec is widely available. Remember that Xvid videos have the.mp4 or.avi file extension, not.xvid. If an MP4 video is encoded with Xvid, you may not even be aware. However, not all media players can play Xvid-encoded videos natively.

One group opts to download the Xvid Codec, whereas the other decides to convert the Xvid video to a more compatible format in order to resolve the "some xvid-encoded video will not play" problem.

How to Freely Download the Xvid Codec for Windows (10/11)

Not all codecs, especially common ones, must be downloaded individually for your Windows (10) PC's media player (such as VLC and Windows Media Player), video editor, or screen recorder (such as CamStudio). However, Xvid Codec is quite exceptional. For successful playback on their original, default, or, let's say, familiar player hardware or software, the first wave of consumers who insist on downloading Xvid Codec on PC or Mac have excellent reason to do so - Xvid codec offers a number of benefits:

Since Xvid is open source, anyone can utilize it. It is free of viruses and adware.
The Xvid Codec offers excellent compression. It allows for the compression of videos at a ratio of 200:1 or more when compared to uncompressed videos. For instance, it may reduce the size of an AVI file from 50MB to 40MB in just one minute. Its superior compression capabilities not only free up space on the computer's hard drive but also speed up the transmission of video over a network.
TVs and DVD/BD players both support Xvid video.

How Can I Download the Xvid Codec for Windows 10 or 11?

The Xvid codec can be downloaded and installed without cost. You should visit the official Xvid website to download Xvid Codec for Windows 10/11 or Windows 7 without risk. Similar to this, reputable online download sites like download.cnet.com and softonic.com offer free Xvid codec download alternatives.

Free Xvid codec download for Windows 10/11/7. On Linux, the Xvid codec is also available for download.
Version 1.3.7, which was released in December 2019. The most recent version also works with MPEG-4, 3IVX, and DivX files.
11.57 megabytes in size. Please be aware that the Xvid codec file size may vary slightly based on your version and operating system.
Note: DirectX software and a compatible video player, such as VLC or Windows Media Player 6.4 or higher, are required to use the downloaded Xvid codec without experiencing any playing issues.

How to Fix Common Issues When Downloading the Xvid Codec?

wring file opening error
Code 5: Installer corrupted or insufficient. Detect file failed.
Windows Explorer crashes or stops when Xvid.dll is used.

Problems installing Xvid might be attributed to a lack of authorization, a troublesome download process that results in incomplete or corrupted file installation, or an out-of-date Xivd codec. Follow the actions listed below to troubleshoot the error:

Make sure you have the rights to download and install the Xvid codec if you don't already have the xvid.ax file installed on your system.
Before installing the Xvid codec, quit all other programs.
Download the installation package again.
When you have an issue with xvid.dll, install the most recent version of the Xvid codec, 3.1.7.

If you find the installation of the Xvid video codec to be too hard, you may download a free all-in-one media player that can play Xvid and other video formats without the need to install codecs manually.

How Can Xvid Videos Be Converted for Playback on Windows 10 and 11?

The second group of people thinks that Xvid videos are less common than other videos that have been encoded. When it comes to high definition, for instance, they might employ the Matroska (MKV) format instead of Xvid due to "lossy" compression. Additionally, not all video formats are compatible with the compression capability. The user may encounter an error when attempting to compress an MP4 file using the Xvid codec. Many people complain that the Xvid codec's user interface is uninspiring and uninstructive.

Files that exceed the video buffering verification restrictions or are encoded with global motion compensation, Qpel, MPEG quantization, multiple B-frames, or other approaches, according to Wikipedia, may not play back correctly on DivX Certified hardware devices.

Some people may wonder "how do I convert Xvid to MP4" for all the reasons listed above or for other considerations to take into account. The query is a little bit ambiguous. According to what we've discussed, Xvid encoded video produces MP4 video. However, if you want to make the MP4 movie more compatible with iPhone, iPad, Android smartphone, Xbox, PSP, and other devices, or convert Xvid to AVI, you can use a free video converter called WinX Movie Converter.

Convert Xvid to MP4 using WinX Video Converter to make Xvid videos playable!

Convert video formats and codecs, including AVI, MP4, MKV, MOV, WMV, DivX, HEVC, and more.
Convert video resolutions up to 4K, including 1080p, 720p, and 480p, without sacrificing quality.
Alternate between 1:1, 4:3, and 16:9 aspect ratios, and cut, edit, and combine videos
Make a video 90% smaller using compression. 47X faster without sacrificing quality

How to Use a Free Video Converter to Convert Xvid Videos on Windows 10 and 11

Prepare by downloading and installing WinX Video Converter and placing the Xvid video on your HDD.

Step 1: Launch the software, click "+Video" on the user interface, and then select the source video on your computer.

Step 2: In step two, select an output format. It lets you play Xvid video on a variety of systems, including the iPhone and iPad, as well as convert Xvid video to conventional PC/Mac videos, DVD videos, HD videos, internet videos, YouTube/Facebook/Vimeo videos, and so on.

Step 3: Press the circular "Run" button to begin converting the video that has been encoded with the Xvid codec to any format you like.