AIX Player FAQ
Short answers to 59 questions people ask before and after installing AIX Player. Each one links to the page that explains more. Search them, or pick a topic.
Before you install
What happens when my HDR trial ends?
The video pauses and offers AIX Pro. The free app includes 180 HDR playing minutes once per install; after the trial, each HDR video plays for 150 seconds before pausing. Paused time and seeking do not use trial minutes. SDR video, including 4K and 10-bit, stays free without a time limit, and your library and saved connections stay in place. AIX Pro removes the limit.
Is AIX Player free, and are there ads?
Playback of standard-range (SDR) video from local files and network shares is free without a time limit, including supported 4K and 10-bit video. The free app includes 180 HDR playing minutes once per install; 60 casting minutes in total, once; 180 media-server minutes in total, once; and 10 offline downloads. HDR from a media server counts only against the media-server minutes. AIX Pro removes these limits. No ads in either tier.
Is AIX Player safe to install?
Yes. AIX Player is published by Ace Thought Technologies through its official Microsoft Store listing, so there is no download-site installer, no bundled extras and nothing to untick during setup. You need no account to play your own files, there are no ads, your watch history is not kept on our servers, and diagnostics are optional. The privacy policy has the details.
Do I need to create an account or sign in?
Not to play local files. To browse and play from Jellyfin, Emby or Plex, sign in to your server.
Why install another video player at all?
For files that will not open elsewhere, and for getting them onto the TV. MKV, HEVC, AV1 and disc rips open with their audio and subtitle tracks, and casting keeps the subtitles on supported routes.
What are the system requirements?
Windows 11, or Windows 10 version 2004 (build 19041) or later, 64-bit. Native builds are available for Intel/AMD x64 and Snapdragon Arm64. Hardware acceleration varies by format, graphics support and driver; unsupported paths use the processor.
Will it slow down my PC?
Hardware acceleration can reduce processor load. AIX Player uses it where the format and graphics hardware support it, then falls back to the processor when required. The impact varies by file and system.
Playing your files
Does it play MKV files on Windows 11?
Yes, straight away. Open an MKV with AIX Player and it plays, with every audio and subtitle track inside it ready to switch between. That includes 4K and 10-bit MKV files, with HEVC, AV1 and H.264 video decoded inside the app, so there is no codec pack to install. HDR MKV files play too; HDR has a separate free allowance, then AIX Pro. MP4, AVI, MOV, TS, M2TS, WebM, FLV, WMV and the rest of the 81 file types AIX Player registers work the same way.
Do I need anything extra to play HEVC / H.265?
No. AIX Player includes HEVC and AV1 decoders, so no separate Windows codec pack is required. Supported graphics acceleration can reduce processor load for 4K playback, with a processor fallback where required.
More details: Do I need anything extra to play HEVC / H.265?
Why is my video playing with sound but no picture, or showing a black screen?
Usually your PC cannot decode the picture half of the file. The video is often HEVC (H.265) or AV1, and many Windows PCs have no decoder for those, so you hear the sound over a black screen or get an error. AIX Player decodes HEVC, AV1 and the other common codecs inside the app, so the picture and the sound arrive together. If a file is still black in AIX Player, turn off Settings → Video → Hardware decode and update your graphics driver.
More details: Why is my video playing with sound but no picture, or showing a black screen?
Why is there no sound on my MKV file in Windows 11?
Often the soundtrack is a surround format the player you tried cannot decode. Films copied from discs usually carry Dolby Digital (AC-3), DTS or TrueHD sound. AIX Player decodes all of these inside the app, so here the soundtrack format is not the cause. If an MKV is silent in AIX Player, check the volume and mute, switch the audio track from the audio menu (some files start on a commentary or another language), and check the output under Settings → Audio → Audio device.
More details: Why is there no sound on my MKV file in Windows 11?
A file won't play. What now?
Check the file first. A file that plays nowhere, or stops at the same point every time, is usually incomplete or damaged. The details view in AIX Player shows what the file contains.
Why won’t my AV1 video play?
It will play here. AV1 is decoded inside AIX Player, and the graphics chip takes over where your PC supports AV1 decoding.
Will Blu-ray rips play? My files are .TS and .M2TS
Yes. TS, M2TS and MTS open directly, with their chapters and surround soundtracks.
More details: Will Blu-ray rips play? My files are .TS and .M2TS
Why won’t my AVI file play on Windows 11?
The video inside often needs a decoder Windows no longer has. AVI files usually hold DivX or Xvid (MPEG-4 Part 2) video. AIX Player decodes those inside the app, and nothing is changed on your PC.
My MOV file won’t open on Windows. What now?
It will open here, with nothing from Apple installed. MOV is what iPhones and many cameras record in, and AIX Player reads it directly.
Casting videos to your TV
Can I cast a Plex, Jellyfin or Emby video to my TV?
Not in this version. Jellyfin, Emby and Plex videos play on your PC; casting them to a TV is not supported. You can still cast supported local files.
More details: Can I cast a Plex, Jellyfin or Emby video to my TV?
Can I cast an MKV file to my TV without converting it first?
Yes. Pick the file, pick your TV and cast; there is nothing to convert first. If the TV cannot play part of the file, AIX Player converts that part while it plays.
More details: Can I cast an MKV file to my TV without converting it first?
Why do my subtitles disappear when I cast to the TV?
Because a separate subtitle file never leaves your PC. On supported casting routes AIX Player draws the subtitles into the picture before it travels, so they reach the TV with it, external .srt files included.
More details: Why do my subtitles disappear when I cast to the TV?
AIX Player can't find my TV.
Nearly always the network. Put the PC and TV on the same network (a 5 GHz and a 2.4 GHz band, or a guest network, can keep them apart), wake the TV fully, then use Rescan network in the cast panel.
Casting stutters or drops out.
Your network may be the bottleneck. Test with a wired PC or move closer to the router, or lower Settings → Casting → Streaming quality. Very large 4K files ask more of a weak network.
My Roku is not showing up when casting from my PC
It is almost always the network. Check that the PC and the Roku are on the same Wi-Fi and that the Roku is awake. Roku also needs the free AIX Casting Receiver channel, added once with the code PG26GTJ.
More details: My Roku is not showing up when casting from my PC
There’s no sound when I cast to the TV
The TV usually cannot play that soundtrack, often a disc-style surround mix. AIX Player converts it while it streams when the TV needs that; if the film also has a stereo track, switching to it is another fix.
Can I cast supported video formats to my TV?
Yes, including supported files your TV cannot read directly. AIX Player checks what your TV can take and converts an unsupported part on the fly while the video plays. Your original file is never touched and nothing is saved to disk.
Does converting on the fly make the picture worse?
Only the parts the TV cannot play are converted. Often that is just the soundtrack, leaving the picture untouched. Video conversion can use supported Intel, AMD and NVIDIA graphics hardware; on Qualcomm, only H.264 encoding is hardware-assisted. Other stages use the processor, and output quality depends on the source and TV.
More details: Does converting on the fly make the picture worse?
Why can casting start without converting the whole file first?
Because conversion happens as the video plays. AIX Player processes it while streaming instead of preparing a converted copy first. Start time depends on the file, TV and network.
More details: Why can casting start without converting the whole file first?
Can I cast from my laptop to my TV without a Chromecast?
Usually, yes. AIX Player casts to seven TV families: Google Cast (including Google TV and Android TV), Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, LG webOS, Samsung Tizen and DLNA, so a smart TV or streaming box you already own is often enough.
More details: Can I cast from my laptop to my TV without a Chromecast?
Picture & sound
Why does 4K video stutter or lag on my PC?
The file may be using processor decoding, slow storage or an unsupported hardware path. AIX Player uses supported graphics acceleration where available and falls back to the processor when required. Performance depends on the file, graphics driver, storage and display.
HDR looks washed out or too dark.
The film holds more brightness than your screen can show. On an ordinary screen AIX Player tone-maps HDR to fit, so bright areas and shadows keep their detail, and brightness and contrast are free to adjust. HDR has a separate free allowance, then AIX Pro.
There's no sound.
Switch the audio track first. Films often carry several, and the first is not always the right one: open the audio menu and pick another. Then check the player’s and Windows’ volume and mute, the output under Settings → Audio → Audio device, and, if the sound goes to a TV over HDMI, the TV’s volume and input.
Dialogue is too quiet against the music. Anything I can do?
Yes, three controls help. The 10-band equaliser is free for everyone. Dialogue boost, which lifts speech over music and effects, and loudness levelling, which evens out loud scenes, are part of AIX Pro.
More details: Dialogue is too quiet against the music. Anything I can do?
The audio is out of sync with the video
Nudge the audio delay. Shift the sound earlier or later while the video plays, until lips and words agree. Subtitles have their own timing control.
Why is my video stretched, squashed or cropped?
It is being shown at the wrong shape. Change the aspect ratio to fit the frame, or zoom to fill the screen; both are free.
More details: Why is my video stretched, squashed or cropped?
Will it play studio surround soundtracks?
Yes. Dolby Digital, E-AC-3, DTS (including DTS-HD MA) and TrueHD soundtracks decode in the app. Surround speakers get every channel; stereo speakers and headphones get a downmix. When casting, AIX Player converts a soundtrack the TV cannot play.
Why is the video full screen but tiny in the middle?
The black bars are part of the picture. Some copies have them built in, so going full screen makes the bars bigger too. Zoom in to fill the screen.
More details: Why is the video full screen but tiny in the middle?
The picture is fine but the video keeps freezing
Usually the drive it is stored on. A slow external drive or a failing disk cannot feed the film fast enough. Copy the file onto your PC to test; if it plays smoothly there, the drive was the problem.
More details: The picture is fine but the video keeps freezing
Is there a video player for Windows with a built-in equaliser?
Yes, with ten bands and presets such as Headphones, Spoken word and Vocal booster, or set it by hand. It is free.
More details: Is there a video player for Windows with a built-in equaliser?
Can I take a screenshot of a video frame?
Yes. Press S during playback to save the current frame as an image.
Subtitles
How do I turn subtitles on or off while watching?
From the subtitle menu, or with one key. Open the subtitle menu to choose a track or switch subtitles off; J or V steps through the subtitle tracks.
More details: How do I turn subtitles on or off while watching?
Can I change the subtitle font size on a PC?
Yes: size, colour, outline and a background box. Set them for how far you sit from the screen.
Why are my subtitles in the wrong language?
A film often includes several, and the first is not always yours. Open the subtitle list and pick the right one. A track with only a few lines is usually meant for foreign dialogue only.
Can I move subtitles higher up the screen?
Yes. Subtitle position is one of the styling controls, useful when lines sit over on-screen text.
Where can I get subtitles for a movie?
Download a subtitle file, then load it from the subtitle menu. A file with the same name as the video loads by itself. SRT, ASS, VTT and picture-based subtitles such as PGS and VobSub all work.
Can I burn subtitles into the video permanently?
Not into the file; your original is never changed. When you cast on a supported route, subtitles are drawn into the picture before it leaves the PC.
More details: Can I burn subtitles into the video permanently?
My subtitles aren't showing.
Load the file from the subtitle menu, or give it the same name as the video so it loads by itself. If the video carries subtitle tracks, pick one from the menu.
My subtitles are out of sync. Can I fix the timing?
Yes. Shift them earlier or later while the film keeps playing, until the words land with the lips. Audio can be nudged the same way if the sound is what drifts.
More details: My subtitles are out of sync. Can I fix the timing?
Everyday use
Does it remember where I stopped watching?
Yes. AIX Player resumes supported files where you stopped, and you can add bookmarks to moments worth returning to.
Can I watch a video while I work in other apps?
Yes. Picture-in-picture floats the video over your other apps; Ctrl+Shift+P switches it on.
More details: Can I watch a video while I work in other apps?
How do I make AIX Player the default video player?
Right-click a video, choose Open with, then Choose another app. Select AIX Player and choose Always (on Windows 10, tick Always use this app). From then on every file of that type opens in it. Repeat once for each file type you use, or set them all in Windows Settings → Apps → Default apps. There is no button for this inside the app: Windows asks you to make the choice yourself.
More details: How do I make AIX Player the default video player?
Can I play a folder of videos one after another?
Yes: open the folder and play through it. For a fixed running order you want to keep, build a playlist instead and it stays saved.
More details: Can I play a folder of videos one after another?
Can I loop a video or a section of it?
Both. Repeat plays a file or a playlist again, and A-B repeat loops just the section between two points; press L to set it.
Library & files
Does it play from my Plex, Jellyfin or Emby server?
Yes. Sign in, browse posters, shows and episodes, and play on your PC. Original quality is the default, and you can choose a server-converted quality when the source or connection needs it.
More details: Does it play from my Plex, Jellyfin or Emby server?
Can it play from my NAS?
Yes. Browse shared folders on your Windows network or a NAS (SMB) and play from them on your PC. AIX Player finds file servers on your network, and you can also connect by address.
Is media-server playback free?
The free app includes 180 minutes of media-server playback in total — once, not per session. Pro removes this limit for Jellyfin, Emby and Plex. Network shares are separate: playing from an SMB share or NAS does not use these minutes.
Are network shares free to browse and play?
Yes. Browse shared folders on your Windows network or a NAS (SMB) and play on your PC. Playback is free with no time limit. HDR has a separate free allowance, and the media-server allowance does not apply to network-share playback.
How do I organise my video files in a video player?
Point AIX Player at the folders they live in. It builds a library with thumbnails, durations and resolutions. Nothing is moved or renamed on disk.
More details: How do I organise my video files in a video player?
The app & platforms
Does it run natively on Snapdragon and Copilot+ PCs?
Yes, with a version built for those machines. AIX Player has a native Arm64 build, so the app itself does not need a translation layer. Playback performance and battery use still depend on the file, hardware, driver, storage and display.
More details: Does it run natively on Snapdragon and Copilot+ PCs?
I changed PC — how do I get my purchase back?
Open Upgrade to Pro and select Restore. Your Pro unlock is tied to your Microsoft Store account, so it comes back on a new PC or after reinstalling. Sign in to the Microsoft Store with the account you bought it with. If it still does not appear, contact us; we reply by email.
When are Mac, iPhone and Android coming?
They are in development. Windows is the only released version today. Mac, iPhone, iPad and Android versions are in development, and no release date has been set.
Something else on your mind? Contact support. We reply by email.
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