When playing voice notes on WhatsApp desktop, we noticed it says – You must have an Opus codec installed in order to do this. This indicates that the Opus Codec, which is essential for encoding and decoding, is absent from the system. In this post, we will discuss this issue in detail and see how you can resolve it.
What is Opus Codec used for?
Opus Codec is a part of the WebRTC standard for real-time communications. It is the codec that WhatsApp Desktop uses to ensure clear audio during calls and message playback. It is known for being efficient and flexible, helping provide a seamless audio experience on WhatsApp across different devices and network conditions.
Fix You must have an Opus Codec installed in order to do this WhatsApp error
If you see You must have an Opus Codec installed in order to do this in WhatsApp, try restarting WhatsApp.
You need to terminate the program from the Task Manager; rebooting the system is also a great way to completely terminate the program. However, if the issue is not resolved, follow the solutions mentioned below.
- Download and install Web Media Extensions
- Disconnect and reconnect your headphone
- Configure Audio Enhancement
- Reset Volume Mixer Settings
- Reset or repair WhatsApp
- Uninstall WhatsApp and install it from Microsoft Store
Let us discuss them in detail.
1] Download and install Web Media Extensions
The absence of Opus Codec can be resolved by installing the Web Media Extension from the Microsoft Store. Media Extensions is a package containing all the necessary codecs, including the Opus Codec, for playing voice notes in WhatsApp. These extensions support modern media audio formats like .opus and .ogg, commonly used for WhatsApp voice data.
By installing Web Media Extensions, you can make sure that your system can handle various audio formats, which should help fix any errors when playing voice notes. To do so, follow the steps mentioned below.
- Open the Microsoft Store by searching it out of the Start Menu.
- Search for “Web Media Extension”.
- Then click on Install or Get to download and install the extension.
If you don’t see an Install or Get button, instead it says“Open”, you can skip this solution as Media Extension is already installed on your computer. After installing the extension, check if the issue is resolved.
2] Disconnect and reconnect your headphones
Users who are trying to listen to the voice notes on their headphones encounter this issue more often than not. So, to resolve it, we recommend you disconnect your headphones, whether wired or wireless, reboot your computer, and then reconnect them. Finally, check if the issue is resolved.
3] Configure Audio Enhancement
Audio enhancement on Windows refers to a set of features designed to improve the sound quality of your audio output. However, they can sometimes be counterintuitive by interfering with some of the audio functionality. So, we will change the state of Audio Enhancement and see if that helps. To do so, follow the steps mentioned below.
- Open Control Panel.
- Set View by to Large icons.
- Click on Sound.
- Go to Recording, right-click on your microphone, and select Properties.
- Click on the Advanced tab, now, tick Enable audio enhancement if it’s unticked, and untick it, if it’s already checked.
Finally, check if the issue is resolved.
4] Reset Volume Mixer Settings
You may encounter this issue if the Volume Mixer, which manages audio for each application, is misconfigured. Resetting the Windows Mixer can fix incorrect audio configurations that may prevent apps like WhatsApp from accessing audio channels and codecs, allowing voice messages to play without interruptions or errors. To reset the Volume Mixer, you can follow the steps mentioned below.
- Open Settings by Win + I.
- Go to System and then click on Sound.
- From the Advanced section, click on Volume mixer.
- Scroll down, and click on Reset associated with Reset sound devices and volumes for all apps to the recommended default.
This might take a few seconds. Once it’s done, you can open WhatsApp and see if the issue is resolved.
5] Reset or Repair WhatsApp
To resolve any misconfiguration in WhatsApp, we will try to reset it. To do so, open Settings, go to Apps > Installed apps, search for “WhatsApp”, click on the three dots, and click on Advanced Options. Now, scroll down and click on Reset. Finally, check if the issue is resolved. While you are there, click on Repair as well if the issue is not resolved.
Read: How to record WhatsApp Video Calls on Windows PC
6] Uninstall WhatsApp and install it from Microsoft Store
If all else fails, we recommend you uninstall WhatsApp and install a fresh copy of the same from Microsoft Store. To do so, follow the steps mentioned below.
- Open Settings.
- Go to Apps > Installed apps.
- Search for “WhatsApp”, click on the three dots, and click on Uninstall.
- Click on Uninstall again.
- Finally, go to apps.microsoft.com to install WhatsApp.
Hopefully, a new copy of WhatsApp will do the trick for you.
Read: WhatsApp voice message not working on Android, iPhone or PC
What codec does WhatsApp use?
WhatsApp Desktop primarily uses the Opus codec for audio. Whereas, for video, they use H.264 and MPEG-4 video codecs. However, for the audio component in the video, WhatsApp supports ACC and AC3 codecs.
Also Read: WhatsApp could not find a connected audio device; Mic unavailable.
