[Fixed] Windows Video App Can’t Play, Error Code 0xc1010103 [MiniTool Tips]

Windows Media Player is the default video/audio player and the image viewer in earlier Windows systems. Though it is dropped in the latest versions of Windows 10, users can still choose to install a custom version of Windows Media Player on their computers.

Error 0xc1010103: Can’t Play Video

Windows Media Player is easy to use and gives support to a lot of file formats, including WMV, WMA, MKV, etc. That’s why many people like to use it for playing movies, videos, and even audios. However, some users reported an error – 0xc1010103 – when they try to play an MKV video using this default video player in Windows.

Can’t play

Choose something else to play. This item is in a format we don’t support.

Of course you can click the Send feedback link to report this situation to Microsoft. But what happened? Why is this video format not supported suddenly?

Reasons for Windows 10 Won't Play Video Files

The error message says that the item you try to play is in a format it can’t support, but the .mkv files are officially supported by Windows Media Player. Why? 3 reasons responsible for error 0xc1010103 are:

• Junk files: junk files are the cause of a series of Windows errors; they may also cause 0xc1010103. These files will disrupt the system process so as to cause errors. That’s why you’re advised to scan your computer and clear unnecessary files regularly.
• Outdated/corrupted GPU driver: if the driver of GPU is too old or has been damaged due to certain reasons. You can boot your PC in Safe Mode and then try to uninstall & reinstall the active display adapters.
• Temporary glitch caused by temp folder: you should suspect this reason if you have installed some Windows updates recently. Some files in the temp file generated during the update will cause the glitch. You can solve this problem easily by deleting the folder.

How To Recover Lost Files After Windows Update

You must be eager to know the way to recover lost files after Windows update if you find needed files disappeared after the update.

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How to Fix 0xc1010103 on Windows 10

How to play movies on Windows 10 as usual? You should follow the methods below to solve the problem first.

Method 1: clear all the junk files.

You can go to delete the temp folder manually by selecting it in Windows Explorer and pressing Shift + Delete.

How to recover deleted files on PC quickly?

Method 2: use Video Playback troubleshooter.

1. Open Settings by pressing Windows + I or other means.
2. Scroll down to choose Update & Security.
3. Shift to Troubleshoot in the left sidebar.
4. Scroll down in the right-hand pane to look for the Find and fix other problems section.
5. Choose Video Playback from the list.
6. Click on the Run the troubleshooter button appeared just now.
7. Wait for the process to finish.
8. Click Apply this fix if any fix is recommended.
9. Restart your computer.

Method 3: update the GPU driver.

Stage one: boot in Safe Mode.

1. Open Run dialog box by pressing Windows + R.
2. Type ms-settings:recovery into the textbox. Then, click on the OK button or press Enter.
3. Look for the Advanced startup section in the right-hand pane.
4. Click on the Restart now button here.
5. Wait until you see the Advanced Startup menu.
6. Choose Troubleshoot, Advanced options and Startup Settings one after another.
7. Press F4 or 4 to Enable Safe Mode.

Stage two: uninstall, download, and install the latest driver.

1. Wait for the startup sequence to complete.
2. Press Windows + R to open Run.
3. Type devmgmt.msc into the textbox and click OK.
4. Look for the Display adapters option in the Device Manager window.
5. Expand it to see the list of all graphics drivers.
6. Right click on the first option to choose Uninstall device.
7. Click Uninstall in the pop-up window to confirm.
8. Repeat step 6 & 7 to uninstall other drivers.
9. Close Device Manager and open Run dialog box again.
10. Type appwiz.cpl and hit Enter.
11. Scroll down through the list under Programs and Features.
12. Select any items signed by the GPU manufacturer (Intel, AMD, or NVidia Graphics).
13. Click on the Uninstall button and follow the instructions to finish the uninstallation process.
14. Restart your computer.
15. Visit corresponding website to find the latest driver version available for your GPU model.
16. Download the drivers and install them properly.
17. Restart computer again when all above actions are finished.

Now, you can try to play the MKV files again by using Windows default video player to see whether the 0xc1010103 error will appear again or not.