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Fedora

Codecs

Add support for more audio and video formats on Fedora.

What are codecs?

Codecs let apps play different audio and video formats.

Without the right codec, a video might play without sound, show a blank screen, or not open at all. Installing the missing codecs helps your apps play those files.

Fedora leaves some out because of software licences and patents. RPM Fusion provides extra support for them.

Before you start

Follow our RPM Fusion setup guide, including the OpenH264 step, then come back here.

These commands are for Fedora editions that use DNF, such as Workstation and KDE Plasma Desktop.

Install the full FFmpeg package

Replace Fedora’s limited FFmpeg package with RPM Fusion’s version:

sh
sudo dnf swap ffmpeg-free ffmpeg --allowerasing

This allows DNF to remove conflicting packages during the swap. Read the proposed changes before confirming.

Add the extra codecs

Install the additional packages used by media apps:

sh
sudo dnf install @multimedia --setopt="install_weak_deps=False" --exclude=PackageKit-gstreamer-plugin

Once it finishes, close and reopen your media app or browser, then try playing the file again.

Use your graphics card for video

Your graphics card can help play video with less work for your processor. The extra setup depends on whether you use Intel, AMD, or NVIDIA graphics.

Open the section for your graphics card.

Intel

Recent Intel graphics

sh
sudo dnf install intel-media-driver

Older Intel graphics

sh
sudo dnf install libva-intel-driver

Not sure which one your card needs? Check RPM Fusion’s multimedia guide (opens in a new tab) before choosing.

AMD

Add the extra video support:

sh
sudo dnf install mesa-va-drivers-freeworld

Then switch to RPM Fusion’s Mesa Vulkan package:

sh
sudo dnf swap mesa-vulkan-drivers mesa-vulkan-drivers-freeworld
NVIDIA

Set up your NVIDIA driver first. This extra package lets apps using VA-API access NVIDIA’s video decoding support:

sh
sudo dnf install libva-nvidia-driver

See RPM Fusion’s multimedia guide (opens in a new tab) for the full instructions.

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