A multimedia codec is a small piece of software which allows you to watch videos or listen to music of a specific format. There are many different multimedia formats and so you may need to install several codecs. Ubuntu includes many codecs by default.
Many applications in Ubuntu use the GStreamer open source multimedia framework. The codec plugins for GStreamer are organised in different packages depending on the licensing that applies to the various codecs. You can see which codecs are contained in which plugin on the GStreamer website.
Other applications, such as Mplayer and Xine, do not use the Gstreamer framework. Due to patent and copyright restrictions, codecs for these programs are not included in Ubuntu by default. For more information on these read the Restricted Formats wiki page.
To install extra codecs, press → , type “codec” in the Search box and select which codecs you want to install. Press to install the selected codecs.
![[Warning]](../../images/admon/warning.png)
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In some countries, the use of certain codecs may be prohibited by law. You should verify that you are permitted to use them before installing them. |
