This allows users, subscribed to this signature program, to try first-hand all the functions that will soon reach the rest. In addition to this way, they can also see before anyone else the changes that Microsoft is making in this Windows Preview. Now we tell you all this due to an important change detected that does not have much explanation and that will negatively affect the playback of multimedia content.
Basically, what we want to tell you with this is that Insiders have been able to see that Microsoft has removed support for the AC-3 codec, also known as Dolby Digitalin the 24H2 version of Windows 11. In short, this means that the latest version of Microsoft’s operating system will not support the AC-3 codec by default from now on.
The truth is that this is a somewhat surprising movement that almost no one expected. With everything and with this, the software giant has announced the end of the compatibility that we mentioned on its own support page. In it, Microsoft announces that starting with Windows 11, version 24H2, the AC-3 codec will no longer be included as part of the operating system. You can imagine that this strange movement can negatively affect the sound when watching videos or playing music in certain programs.
Microsoft removes the AC3 or Dolby Digital codec from Windows
Basically, this change that we are mentioning means that from now on users will not be able to play multimedia content that depends on the codec on their computers. Obviously, this extends to the media players integrated into Windows itself, or those that we install additionally.
In parallel, Microsoft points out that developers often pre-install the AC-3 codec in their own products. If that is the case, AC-3 compatibility will be available on them. Despite the importance of this removal, the support page does not offer any explanation for it. Saying that third-party multimedia players, such as VLC Media Player, are AC-3 compatible by default.
This means that they do not depend on the built-in codecs in Windows for the reproduction of our content. In contrast, built-in media players, such as Windows Media Player or Media Player Legacy, only play these media formats if the codecs are installed in the operating system.
There is no doubt that this can be a significant setback for some users with intensive use of multimedia content in Windows 11. And after updating to the 24H2 versionif we use a multimedia player that depends on the codecs installed on the system, it would result in certain files not being heard.
The solution, if necessary, is to use any other multimedia player or install the codecs ourselves by hand, for example, through this open source project.
