Samsung TV MKV Audio Format Not Supported Fix

If you encounter the “audio format not supported” error while trying to play an MKV video file on your Samsung TV, it is because the TV cannot decode the specific audio codec contained within the MKV file. While Samsung TVs support the MKV video container, they do not support all audio codecs that can be packaged inside it, most notably DTS and Dolby TrueHD. This article explains why this compatibility issue occurs and provides straightforward solutions to resolve it, including audio conversion and using external media players.

Why the Error Occurs

An MKV (Matroska) file is not a single video format, but a “container” that holds video tracks, audio tracks, subtitles, and metadata. While your Samsung TV might easily decode the video track (usually encoded in H.264 or HEVC), it may fail to decode the accompanying audio track.

Beginning in 2018, Samsung dropped licensing and native support for several major audio codecs, most notably DTS (Digital Theater Systems) and Dolby TrueHD. If your MKV file utilizes a DTS or DTS-HD audio track, your Samsung TV will play the video perfectly but display the “audio format not supported” message on the screen, resulting in complete silence.

How to Fix the Unsupported MKV Audio Error

There are three primary methods to resolve this compatibility issue:

1. Convert the Audio Codec to a Supported Format

The most permanent solution is to convert the unsupported audio track within the MKV file into a format that Samsung TVs natively support, such as AAC or AC3 (Dolby Digital). This process, often called “remuxing,” changes only the audio track while keeping the original video quality intact.

• Using VLC Media Player: Open VLC, go to Media > Convert / Save, add your MKV file, and select a profile with AAC audio.
• Using HandBrake: Import your MKV file, go to the Audio tab, change the audio codec to AAC or AC3, and export the file.
• Using dedicated remuxing tools: Software like XMedia Recode or PopCorn MKV AudioConverter allows you to convert only the audio track in just a few minutes without re-encoding the video.

2. Use a Media Server with Transcoding

If you do not want to manually convert your files, you can stream them to your TV using a home media server like Plex or Emby.

By installing the Plex server software on your computer or NAS drive and the Plex app on your Samsung TV, the server will automatically detect that your TV does not support the DTS audio track. The server will then “transcode” (convert on-the-fly) the audio into a compatible format as it streams, allowing you to watch the video with sound instantly.

3. Use an External Media Player

Instead of playing the MKV file directly from a USB drive connected to the TV or via the TV’s native browser, you can use an external streaming device connected to your TV via HDMI.

Devices such as the Apple TV, Nvidia Shield, Google Chromecast, or Amazon Fire TV Stick have much broader audio codec support. These devices will decode the DTS or Dolby TrueHD audio internally and send it to your Samsung TV as a standard, compatible PCM audio signal.