VLC is widely considered the best video player for Linux because it includes its own internal codecs. If the default video player is still struggling, VLC will almost certainly work.
Run the following command: sudo apt update && sudo apt install mint-meta-codecs 3. Troubleshooting Specific Players install hevc codec for mkv video on linux mint link
sudo apt update sudo apt upgrade -y
| User Type | Recommended Method | | :--- | :--- | | who just wants MKV files to play | Install VLC (Method 3) | | Power user with a modern Intel/AMD laptop | Method 2 (Hardware-accelerated MPV) | | Older PC without HEVC hardware decoding | Method 1 (Software decoding via ffmpeg ) | | NVIDIA GPU owner | Method 3 (VLC with NVDEC) | VLC is widely considered the best video player
Linux Mint provides a meta-package that includes the most common multimedia codecs, including those needed for HEVC and MKV playback. Troubleshooting Specific Players sudo apt update sudo apt
because it comes with built-in support for nearly all codecs, including HEVC, without requiring extra system-wide configuration. To install VLC: sudo apt install vlc