Which Media Format Is Not Supported by Android

Today people prefer using pocket screens for sharing media files, work, and entertainment. It is comfortable to watch films, listen to music, and enjoy other activities on the go. Android-based devices are one of the most popular ones among modern users. It is worth noting that there are many media file formats that are supported by Android cell phones and tablets.

Nevertheless, some PC-friendly files cannot be opened on IOS or Android-based gadgets. For example, AVI format is not supported for Androids, so these files will hardly be opened on your cell phone or tablet. That is why it is necessary to know what media codec, network protocols, and container types are available for pocket screens.

Audio File Types That Are Supported for Android

Today, users often face the error when their Android system assistant notifies them about the impossibility of replaying this or that file on the mobile phone or other pocket screens. It means that the audio format is unsupportable for your Android device. Take a closer look at the file types that are compatible with Android:

1. AAC-codec format – the 3GPP, MP4, ADTS file types are included in this category of supported media for Android. They can be easily decoded. Encoding is possible with 4.1+ specifications.
2. AMR NB/WB-codec format – files of 3GPP type are related to this group. They are decoded and encoded without any difficulties on Android devices. It is a popular audio format nowadays.
3. FLAC-codec format – FLAC files are notable for their unavailability to be encoded on Android pocket screens and limits for decoding opportunities. 3.1+ specifications are required to decode this audio file format.
4. MP3-codec format – the traditional file type for mobile phones. The MP3 format allows users to decode records without any problems. Note that encoding is not available for Android. Mono, stereo, and 8-320kbps audio files are compatible with Android-based devices.
5. MIDI-codec format – 0,1 file types are related to this category. They have support for Android ringtones. As MP3, MIDI format can be decoded but hardly decoded on Android-based devices.
6. There are other audio formats to take into consideration. They are presented in the form of the table below. Their codec, decode, encode specifications together with details on hardware limits and file and container types are available.

As can be seen, Vorbis, PCM, and Opus-codec formats can be easily decoded on Android devices. The only WAVE file type is possible to be encoded if the hardware limits are enough for this purpose. If you haven't found the required audio formats but would like to enjoy them on your Android-based mobile phone, it is better to use a suitable file convertor. Additionally, some Android-friendly audio players obtain the option of auto-converting to replay records of your interest without by-movement.

Video File Types That Are Supported for Android

It is the most annoying situation when your favorite film cannot be replayed on your mobile phone or tablet. The error that informs about the unsupportable format of the file is the key reason for this challenge. For example, HD videos are not available for Android. To skip the issue of non-replayability of video files, use only those media formats that are supported for Android. Among them are:

1. SD files – they can be of low and high quality. Use videos with H.264 Baseline codec specifications. SD video files can be of both 176×144 px resolution (low quality) and 480×360 px resolution (high quality). Note that Android mobile phones and tablets will replay video files only of 24Kbps or 128 Kbps audio bitrate and 56 Kbps or 500 Kbps video bitrate (it depends on the SD quality).
2. 3GPP and MPGEG-4 files – these videos can be streamed over HTTP or RTSP. Note that the maximum size of these files is 100 MB. It is recommended to interleave videos in smaller sizes if their specifications are more than 500 KB apart.

Note that there are many other formats of video files today. They can be not very widespread and compatible with Android at the same time. If you are interested in replaying the video of any format, video codec, audio bitrate, and other parameters, it is better to download a special-purpose software for auto-converting or use online services like this converter to customize files of your interest.

The Most Recommended Formats of Media Files for Android

There is a range of file formats that are absolutely compatible with the Android gadgets of any model. That is why it is recommended to use them if there is such an opportunity. This way you will play your favorite audio and video files without any problems. Here is a list of recommended formats for owners of Android-based devices:

• MP3 and MP4 files are more preferable because these audio formats require less storage. They are more compressed and can be downloaded and played without any problems.
• MP4 videos are recommended for Android. The reason is the same – these are well-compressed files that are notable for high-level compatibility with pocket screens (with both Android and IOS devices).

Note that among unsupported media formats for Android are not only audio and video file types. Mobile phones can poorly support Flash, Java, RTF, CSV formats. For example, RTF files could be opened but played and viewed incorrectly. At the same time, Java files are available for Androids not of all versions. Here is a table for users who are searching supported file formats (spreadsheets, graphics, showcasing, etc.):

MS Office

PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel (both new and old versions) are compatible with Android

PDF

The best-showcasing file format for pocket screens (for both Android and IOS)

EPUB

The format is recommended for ebooks and similar text files because it is well-adaptable to any size of the mobile or tablet screen.

Graphics

Use universal formats like GIFs, JPG (JPEG), or PNG to enjoy graphics without challenging situations that might happen with TIFF and SVG.

Android and IOS devices continue to modify and become more flexible to different file types. Nevertheless, use recommended formats to stay pleased with your experience. Do not forget to check the specifications of your pocket screens that contain information about the compatibility of your device with any file types that are reviewed in the article.

Which Media Format Is Not Supported by Android

Source: https://www.androidheadlines.com/2021/05/everything-you-need-to-know-supported-media-formats-android.html

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