$ sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras We will use the apt-get command to install the restricted extra multimedia codec packages on Ubuntu distro. Now you can install the restricted multimedia extra codec packages. Then reload and update the Ubuntu repository. To update the multiverse repository, you can use the following terminal command line. In order to install the multimedia codecs, you need to make sure that the restricted proprietary drivers and the multiverse copyright are checked and updated. In Ubuntu Linux, the multimedia codecs packages can be stored and installed inside the proprietary drivers. Method 1: Installing Multimedia Codecs on Ubuntu via Command LineĪt the very beginning, I must mention that the multimedia codecs that are not pre-installed inside the Ubuntu Linux are commonly known as ubuntu-restricted-extras. In that case, you get an error saying, ‘ Unable to play the file.’ In this post, we will see how to install multimedia codecs on Ubuntu Linux. But somehow, if you cannot find any suitable media player to open your media file, that could be the reason that your Ubuntu Linux doesn’t fulfill the required multimedia codecs to respond with that specific format of the file. VLC player has almost every multimedia codecs pre-installed inside the software.

Most Ubuntu Linux users love the VLC media player to play video or watch a movie. Without installing those media codecs, you would not be able to open or edit some particular formatted multimedia files. Sometimes, due to software policy, a few multimedia codecs could be missing or not installed inside your Ubuntu Linux machine.

There are various types of multimedia formats available to make a file playable, such as MP3, AAC, MP4, AVI, FLV, etc.

Sudo apt get install ffmpeg