Microsoft gives Video app in Windows 8.1 mkv support

Microsoft is rolling out an update to the Video app in Windows 8.1 – officially called Xbox Video – that adds support for mkv containers. As a result, users no longer have to download software to play MKVs.

Only the Video app with Windows 8’s new touchscreen interface – alternately called Video and Xbox Video by Microsoft – has gained support for the Matroska container; Windows Media Player should not be supported for the time being.

It is unknown if Windows Media Player under Windows 8.1 will receive support for mkv containers in the future; Microsoft previously indicated that Windows 10 will receive support for the open source file format. It may still be the case that certain mkv files do not work with the Video app; only mkv files that use codecs that are already supported can be played.