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Ubuntu does not maintain one universal, system-wide codec list. Use the check that matches your question: Files → Properties identifies the codecs inside one media file, ffmpeg -codecs reports what your installed FFmpeg build can handle, and dpkg searches package names and installation states. These methods inspect different layers, so a result from one is not proof about the others.
Choose the check that answers your question
“Which codecs are installed?” can mean three different things on an Ubuntu computer. You might need to identify the codec used by a particular video, see the capabilities compiled into FFmpeg, or find multimedia-related packages recorded by Ubuntu’s package database. Start by choosing the layer you actually need to inspect.
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| Method | What it shows | What it does not prove |
|---|---|---|
| Files → Properties | Codec metadata for one audio or video file | It is not an inventory of every decoder installed on the computer. |
ffmpeg -codecs |
Codecs supported by the FFmpeg executable and build you run | It does not describe every application’s multimedia stack or every codec available elsewhere on Ubuntu. |
ffmpeg -formats |
Container formats supported by that FFmpeg build | A container format is not the same thing as a video or audio codec. |
dpkg -l '*<search_term>*' |
Packages whose names match your search term, including installation status | Package-name matching is not a complete capability report; support may come from libraries, plugins or differently named packages. |
The distinction matters when troubleshooting. A file can contain a codec that your player cannot use even though another application supports it. Conversely, a playback error can occur even when the required decoder is present.
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A codec is the software logic used to encode or decode an audio or video stream. Ubuntu’s documentation describes it as a small piece of software that knows how to take video and display it on the screen. A container is the file structure that holds one or more streams, such as video, audio, subtitles and metadata. A package is an installable unit tracked by Ubuntu’s package database. These concepts overlap in everyday conversation, but they are not interchangeable.
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For example, an .mp4 or .mkv filename tells you about a container. It does not, by itself, identify the video or audio codec inside. The same container can carry different stream combinations, and a player may support the container while still lacking support for one stream. That is why file-specific metadata, FFmpeg capability output and package status must be read separately.
Identify the codec used by one media file
Use the desktop file manager when your immediate question is “What codec does this video or audio file use?” Ubuntu exposes the metadata associated with that particular file.
- Open Files.
- Locate the audio or video file.
- Right-click the file and choose Properties.
- Open the Audio/Video tab. On some files or Ubuntu versions the tab is labelled Video.
- Read the codec information shown for the video stream and, when present, the audio stream.
This procedure tells you what is encoded in that file. It does not scan Ubuntu for installed decoders, encoders or plugins. If a file has separate video and audio streams, inspect both entries: being able to decode one stream does not automatically mean the other is supported.
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The file-properties method is useful before asking why playback fails. Record the exact codec names shown, along with whether the file has an audio stream, so you can compare that information with the capabilities of the application you intend to use.
It is also the quickest answer to “How can I check what codec a video uses?” You do not need to search package names when the question concerns one file. If the Properties tab does not show the information you need, continue with an application-specific check rather than treating the missing display field as evidence that the codec is absent.
List codecs supported by your installed FFmpeg build
FFmpeg provides an application-specific capability list. If FFmpeg is installed, open a terminal and run:
ffmpeg -codecsThe command prints the codecs that this particular FFmpeg executable knows about. The result depends on the build installed on your computer, including how that build was configured. Treat it as an FFmpeg answer—not as a universal Ubuntu answer for every player, browser or editing program.
Read the output in the right context
- Run the command on the same Ubuntu installation where you plan to decode or encode media.
- Use the output to investigate an FFmpeg-based workflow, such as a conversion command or an application that relies directly on FFmpeg.
- Do not infer that a codec absent from this list is unavailable to every other application. Different programs can use different libraries, plugins or multimedia frameworks.
- Do not infer that a codec listed here will automatically play inside every desktop player. The player may use another backend or have its own restrictions.
Ubuntu’s FFmpeg guidance documents the command and notes that the lists can vary with what is installed. The page also contains examples tied to older Ubuntu releases, so use it for the command’s purpose and scope rather than copying historical package lists into a current installation procedure.
When documenting the result, include that it came from FFmpeg and identify the computer on which you ran it. A codec name in this output is evidence about that executable, not a promise that another copy of FFmpeg, a sandboxed application or a desktop player has the same support.
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Check container formats separately with ffmpeg -formats
When a file has an extension such as .mp4, .mkv or .webm, that extension usually identifies a container, not the codec inside it. A container can hold different combinations of video, audio, subtitles and metadata. Therefore, checking container support and checking codec support are separate tasks.
To see the container formats supported by your FFmpeg build, run:
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Use both commands only when both questions matter. If you only need the codec inside one recording, the Properties tab is more direct. If you are preparing an FFmpeg conversion, checking the codec list and the format list separately prevents a container name from being mistaken for an encoder or decoder.
Search Ubuntu’s package database for codec-related software
The package database can tell you whether packages with a particular name are installed. It cannot produce a definitive list of all decoding capabilities, because codec support may be delivered by shared libraries, plugins or packages whose names do not contain the word “codec.”
Ubuntu’s package guidance uses this pattern:
dpkg -l '*<search_term>*'Replace <search_term> with a term you want to investigate. For example, you can search separately for a multimedia framework or application name that you already know is relevant to your setup:
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dpkg -l '*gstreamer*'
dpkg -l '*codec*'These searches are name filters, not codec detectors. A narrow term can miss a library with an unexpected name, while a broad term can return packages that have no decoder capability. Use the result as evidence about installed packages, then check the application that will actually play or process the media.
Interpret the package status
In the listing, packages marked ii are installed. Other status combinations indicate a different state, so do not count every matching row as an installed codec package. Read the package name and status together, and remember that a package can be installed without being used by your preferred player.
The Ubuntu AptGet guidance explains the search pattern and the meaning of the installed marker. It does not turn package-name searches into a complete inventory of decoders, encoders or application plugins.
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Search deliberately and keep the terms you used with your notes. A result for *ffmpeg* answers a different package question from a result for *gstreamer* or *codec*. If a search returns nothing, first try a broader term connected with the application or multimedia framework; an empty result alone does not establish that support cannot be installed.
Why the three checks can disagree
It is normal for the results to differ because they answer different questions:
- File metadata: describes the streams actually present in one file.
- FFmpeg output: describes what one FFmpeg build supports.
- Package output: describes matching package records and their installation state.
For example, a package search may find a multimedia library while ffmpeg -codecs does not list a particular codec, because the installed FFmpeg build may not use that library or may have been compiled without the relevant support. The reverse can also happen: FFmpeg can list a codec while your desktop player still fails because that player uses a different backend.
Use the narrowest test that matches the problem instead of trying to combine the outputs into one universal list. If you are documenting a computer for someone else, record the file’s codec metadata, the exact FFmpeg command output relevant to the workflow, and the package searches separately.
What to do when playback still fails
A playback failure is not proof that a codec is missing. Ubuntu identifies several other possibilities, including a damaged file, a problem in the playback application, or an error that occurred when the file was created. Check those possibilities before changing repositories or installing packages.
Use a second player as a diagnostic
Ubuntu’s troubleshooting guidance suggests trying VLC because it supports many formats. If the same file plays there, the original application may be the limiting factor rather than Ubuntu lacking the codec globally. This is a diagnostic comparison, not proof that every application can use the same decoder.
Check whether the file itself is damaged
Repeat the test with another copy of the file or with a different file that uses the same codec. If only one file fails, corruption or an incomplete transfer is a plausible explanation. The file-properties view can still reveal stream metadata even when playback cannot complete.
Consider how the file was created
An encoding error, interrupted recording or faulty export can produce a file that no player handles correctly. If the creator can export or record it again, compare the new file’s codec and container information with the failing copy.
Convert the file when compatibility is the goal
Ubuntu lists conversion as another option when a format is not usable in the target application. Conversion changes the media into a format that the destination workflow accepts; it does not establish that a decoder is absent from the entire system. Preserve the original file before converting so that a compatibility copy does not replace your source.
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Installing software: avoid release-specific assumptions
There is no single package name that represents every codec on every Ubuntu release. Package availability and naming depend on the Ubuntu release, enabled repositories and the application stack involved. The available guidance does not establish one current package command that is correct for every codec and release, so do not copy historic community examples into a current installation blindly.
First identify what failed: the file’s codec, the application’s capability, or a package that is genuinely absent. Then inspect package details and enabled repositories for your release before installing anything. A package search that returns no match may mean the search term is too narrow, not that the codec cannot be installed.
Take repository provenance seriously. Ubuntu warns in its software-repository guidance that third-party repositories are not checked by Ubuntu members for security or reliability. Add only sources you trust, and prefer the repositories appropriate to your Ubuntu release and administration policy.
A practical decision workflow
Follow this sequence to avoid treating one layer’s result as another layer’s answer.
- Define the question. Decide whether you need the codec in one file, FFmpeg’s supported codecs, container support, or package installation state.
- Inspect the file. In Files, open Properties and read the Audio/Video or Video tab. Record the video and audio codec names.
- Check FFmpeg when it is part of the workflow. Run
ffmpeg -codecs; runffmpeg -formatsseparately if the container is also in question. - Search packages only for package evidence. Use
dpkg -l '*<search_term>*'with a deliberate term and look for theiistatus marker. - Test the application. If playback fails, try another player such as VLC, test another copy or file, and consider file creation errors.
- Choose a remedy. Repair or reacquire a damaged file, use a player that supports the streams, or convert the media when the destination requires a different format.
- Install cautiously. If installation is still necessary, verify release-specific package information and repository trust before changing the system.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Calling a container a codec: an MP4 or Matroska file can contain different video and audio codecs.
- Using package names as a capability list: a matching package may contain a plugin, library or unrelated tool, while a needed component may have a different name.
- Assuming FFmpeg speaks for every application: its list applies to the installed FFmpeg build only.
- Assuming a failed file proves a missing decoder: corruption, application faults and creation errors can produce the same symptom.
- Copying old installation commands: historical Ubuntu examples may not match your release or enabled repositories.
- Adding an untrusted repository to solve an uncertain problem: establish the failing layer first and use only sources you trust.
- Checking only the video stream: a player can decode video but fail because the separate audio stream is unsupported or damaged.
- Treating an empty package search as final: package naming varies, so broaden or change the search term before concluding that no related software exists.
Keep a useful troubleshooting record
When asking for help, provide evidence from each relevant layer instead of saying only that “Ubuntu has the codec.” Note the Ubuntu release, the filename and its Properties-tab video and audio codec names, the application that fails, and whether VLC can play the file. If FFmpeg is part of the workflow, include the fact that you ran ffmpeg -codecs and, when relevant, ffmpeg -formats. For package checks, record the search term and which rows begin with ii.
This record keeps observations separate from conclusions. Someone helping you can then decide whether the issue is a damaged file, an application limitation, an FFmpeg build difference, a package-state problem or a repository decision. It also avoids recommending a package merely because its name happens to contain a familiar codec term.
What each result lets you conclude
| Observation | Safe conclusion | Conclusion you should not draw |
|---|---|---|
| A codec appears in the file’s Properties tab. | That codec is used by that file’s corresponding stream. | The codec is installed system-wide or supported by every player. |
A codec appears in ffmpeg -codecs. |
The FFmpeg build you ran reports support for it. | Ubuntu’s other applications can necessarily decode it. |
A format appears in ffmpeg -formats. |
The FFmpeg build reports support for that container format. | The format’s internal audio and video codecs are all supported. |
A package row starts with ii. |
The matching package is installed according to the package database. | The package supplies the exact decoder your player needs. |
| A file fails in one player. | That player or the file needs further diagnosis. | A codec is definitely absent from Ubuntu. |
Frequently asked questions
How do I see which codecs Ubuntu has?
There is no single universal inventory. Use Files → Properties for the codec in one file, ffmpeg -codecs for one FFmpeg build, and dpkg -l '*<search_term>*' for matching package records. Keep the scopes separate.
How do I check what codec a video uses without opening it?
In Files, right-click the video, choose Properties, and open the Audio/Video or Video tab. Read the listed video codec and, if present, the audio codec. This identifies the streams in that file, not every codec installed on Ubuntu.
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No. It reports container formats supported by the FFmpeg build. Use ffmpeg -codecs for FFmpeg’s codec list, and remember that container and codec support are separate.
What does ii mean in a dpkg -l result?
Ubuntu’s package guidance uses ii as the installed status marker. Read it together with the package name; a matching installed package still does not prove that your preferred player uses its decoder.
Why does a video fail when FFmpeg lists its codec?
The desktop player may use a different multimedia backend, or the file may be damaged or incorrectly created. Test the file in VLC or another player, compare another copy, and inspect both the video and audio streams.
Should I add a third-party repository to get a codec?
Do not add one merely because playback failed. Verify the failing layer and the package information for your Ubuntu release first. Ubuntu warns that third-party repositories are not checked by Ubuntu members for security or reliability, so use only sources you trust.
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The short answer
For a video’s actual codec, use Files → right-click → Properties → Audio/Video or Video. For FFmpeg capabilities, run ffmpeg -codecs; for container formats, run ffmpeg -formats. For package installation state, search with dpkg -l '*<search_term>*' and look for ii. Keep those results separate, and treat playback failures as a broader troubleshooting problem rather than automatic proof of a missing codec.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I see which codecs Ubuntu has?
Ubuntu has no single universal codec inventory. Check a file with Files → Properties, inspect FFmpeg with ffmpeg -codecs, or search package records with dpkg -l '*<search_term>*'.
How can I check what codec a video uses?
Right-click the video in Files, choose Properties, and open the Audio/Video or Video tab. The listed entries describe that file’s video and audio streams.
Does ffmpeg -formats list codecs?
No. It lists container formats supported by that FFmpeg build. Use ffmpeg -codecs for the codec capability list.
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What does ii mean in dpkg output?
It marks a matching package as installed in Ubuntu’s package database. It does not prove that the package supplies the decoder used by your player.
Why can playback fail when FFmpeg supports the codec?
The player may use a different backend, or the file may be damaged or incorrectly created. Try VLC, another copy, or another file using the same codec.
Should I install a third-party repository for a missing codec?
First identify whether the problem is the file, player, FFmpeg build or package state. Ubuntu warns that third-party repositories are not checked for security or reliability, so add only sources you trust.
The Bottom Line
Use the layer that matches your question: Files → Properties for one file’s codec, ffmpeg -codecs for FFmpeg support, ffmpeg -formats for containers, and dpkg -l searches for package status. None is a complete system-wide codec inventory, and a failed playback test alone does not prove that Ubuntu lacks the decoder.
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