Standard video players pre-installed on smartphones and tablets often fail to cope with modern playback tasks. They may not support popular subtitles, have difficulties with codecs, or simply have an awkward gesture control interface. In such situations, users massively pay attention to third-party solutions, among which MX Player occupies a leading position due to its versatility and support for hardware acceleration.
However, simply installing an application from the store Google Play does not guarantee that the system will automatically open all video files in it. Android is designed in such a way that when choosing new software, the system can continue to use the old standard or ask the user every time how to open a file. To enjoy viewing without unnecessary clicks, you need to manually reassign priorities in the operating system settings.
The setup process may vary slightly depending on the version Android and shell of your device manufacturer, be it MIUI, OneUI or pure Pixel Experience. However, the logic of action remains the same for everyone: we need to find the current default application for video and reset its settings so that the system “forgets” the old choice and offers a new one.
Why the system does not see the new player automatically
Many users are faced with a situation where, after installation MX Player videos still open in the gallery or the old one player. This occurs due to the caching mechanism of user selections in the OS Android. When you first opened a video file and clicked "Always", the system recorded this decision in its file association database.
Even if you install a more powerful tool, the system will ignore it until it is commanded to reset the previous settings. This is done for convenience so as not to ask the user every time they click on a file, but if preferences change, this becomes an obstacle. It is important to understand that we are not deleting the old player, but only changing the priority of its launch.
In addition, some smartphone manufacturers strictly tie the opening of media files to their proprietary applications. In such cases, the standard settings menu may be hidden or modified. Sometimes you need to force stop a system app to break the connection between the file and the app.
⚠️ Warning: Resetting system apps (such as Galleries) to default will not delete your photos or video files. This action only affects the logic of launching apps; your personal data will remain completely safe.
There are several types of file associations: for video, audio and images. Changing the setting for video files will not affect how music tracks open. Therefore, if you want to use MX Player for audio, the procedure will have to be repeated separately for audio formats.
Step-by-step guide through application settings
The most reliable and universal way to change settings is to use the deep application management menu in the system. This method works on the vast majority of devices running Android versions from 8.0 to the latest releases. You will need to find the application that is currently the main one for watching videos.
Most often, such an application is the system “Gallery”, “Video Player” from the manufacturer, or an old third-party player that you used before. Go to your phone settings, find the "Applications" or "Application Manager" section. Find the current default player in the list.
After you have opened the application card, you need to find the "Open by default" or "Launch by default" item. In older versions of the interface, this item may simply be called “Default”. Inside this menu, you will see a "Remove Defaults" or "Reset" button. Clicking on it will clear the binding.
☑️ Reset algorithm
Now that the connection is broken, try opening any video file through the file manager. The system will detect that there is no specific application specified for this file type and will display a pop-up window asking “What to open?”. In the list, select MX Player and be sure to click the "Always" button.
If the "Always" button is grayed out or missing, this may mean that you have a special mode enabled or too many applications are selected. Make sure that only one player is checked in the selection list. Sometimes clearing the file manager's cache before trying again helps.
Configuring file associations inside MX Player
The application itself MX Player also has built-in tools for managing the types of files it is willing to handle. This is especially useful if the system does not allow you to select a player through the standard menu or if you want to disable support for certain formats so that they open in other apps.
Go to the settings of the player itself. Usually this is an icon with three dots in the corner of the screen or a gear. Go to the "Decoder" or "General" section. Here you can find options related to hardware acceleration and a list of supported codecs. Correct decoder settings are critical for smooth playback.
Some versions of the interface have a “File Types” or “Associations” section. Here you can check the formats that MX Player should be intercepted. This includes popular containers like .mkv, .mp4, .avi, as well as less common .mov or .wmv.
| File format | Description | Support in MX |
|---|---|---|
.mp4 |
The most popular format, compatible with almost all devices. | Full |
.mkv |
High quality container, often containing several audio tracks. | Full (codec required) |
.avi |
Old standard, may require an additional decoder. | Depends on codec |
.mov |
Apple format, often used in iPhone. | Full |
Do not forget that to play some exotic formats you may need to install an additional codec package. Without them, the player may open, but the video will be black or without sound. You can download them directly from the application menu or from the official website of the developer.
Where can I download additional codecs?
If the error “Unable to play” appears when starting the video, go to the MX Player settings -> Decoder -> Enable "HW+" decoder. If this does not help, download the MX Player Codec package (ARM/x86) of the corresponding bit size of your processor and install it as a regular application.
Setting up features on different Android shells
Smartphone manufacturers often modify the standard interface Androidby adding their own shells, such as MIUI from Xiaomi, OneUI from Samsung or ColorOS from Oppo. These changes may affect the location of the settings menu and the names of items, which sometimes confuses users.
On devices Samsung the path may look different: Settings -> Applications -> Select a default application -> Video application. Here you can immediately select MX Player from the drop-down list without manually resetting the settings of the old application. This is a faster method if it is available in your firmware version.
Smartphone owners Xiaomi and Redmi may encounter aggressive battery optimization that closes the background processes of the player. In this case, even if the file is opened in the desired app, playback may be interrupted. You need to go to the battery settings and give the application permission to run in the background and autorun.
Devices Huawei and Honor without Google services may require additional configuration of file access rights. Make sure that in the "Rights" or "Permissions" section for MX Player access to "Storage" or "Files and Media" is activated. Without this, the player simply will not see your videos in the phone’s memory.
⚠️ Attention: Shell interfaces are updated regularly. If you do not find the described items, use the search in the phone settings by entering the phrase “default” or “applications.”
Use the search in the settings. At the top of the settings screen of almost every smartphone there is a magnifying glass. Enter “open by default” there, and the system itself will lead you to the desired menu, regardless of the Android version.
Solving problems with opening files
There are situations when all the settings are made correctly, but video files stubbornly do not want to open in MX Player. One of the common reasons is a conflict between application versions. If you have an older version of the player installed, it may incorrectly register itself in the system as a handler of new file types.
Try to completely uninstall the application and download it again from a trusted source. When reinstalled, the system is more likely to correctly register new associations. It's also worth checking if the application is accidentally disabled in the settings.
Sometimes the problem lies in the file itself. If a video is damaged or has a non-standard extension that the system does not recognize as a video, it may prompt you to open it with a text editor. In this case, renaming the file or using the built-in file manager of the player itself to launch will help.
Run MX Player, go to the "Video" or "Device" tab inside the application and find the file there. Launching from within the player ensures that the file opens correctly, regardless of system association settings. This is a good temporary workaround.
Using third-party file managers
Standard file explorers on Android often have limited functionality and their own, non-removable bindings to media players. Installing an advanced file manager, such as Total Commander, Solid Explorer or FX File Explorercan solve the problem of choosing a app on the fly.
These managers allow you to flexibly configure actions for different types of files. You can go to the file manager settings, find the “File Types” or “Associations” section and explicitly specify what should be used for all video formats MX Player.
In addition, advanced explorers allow you to select a app for each file individually by long pressing on it. By selecting "Open with", you will see a complete list of installed players and can pin the desired selection. This gives greater control over multimedia content.
A third-party file manager often ignores system restrictions and allows you to force applications to open files, which makes it a powerful tool in the hands of an advanced user.
Some file managers have a built-in "Default Player" feature in their interface settings. This simplifies the process: you simply select the icon MX Player in the Explorer settings, and all clicks on video files within this app will be redirected there.
⚠️ Attention: When installing third-party file managers, carefully monitor the requested permissions. Access to all files on the device is a critical privilege that should only be trusted to trusted developers.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
What should I do if the "Remove default settings" button is greyed out (grayed)?
This means that there are currently no actions set for this application default. The system may have already reset the selection earlier, or you may have opened the settings of the wrong application. Try to find in the list of applications exactly the one that opens now when you click on a video (often it is “Gallery” or “Video”), and check its settings.
Is it possible to make MX Player a player only for movies, and leave another for clips?
Using standard Android tools, it is impossible to differentiate settings by content type (film vs clip), since the system focuses on the file extension (.mp4, .mkv), and not on the content. However, you can use different players for different folders by opening files through the file manager and selecting "Open with" each time without clicking "Always".
Why were the settings reset after an Android update?
With major operating system updates (for example, moving from Android 13 to 14), all custom file associations are often reset. This is a security and stability measure to ensure that new system components are initialized correctly. You will have to re-select the player the first time you start the video after the update.
Does installing MX Player affect the battery charge?
The fact of installation itself does not affect the charge. However MX Player with hardware acceleration enabled (HW+) it consumes less processor resources when decoding video than many standard players that use software decoding. This can even extend the operating time of the smartphone when watching long movies.
How can I get everything back if I don’t like MX Player?
The procedure is completely reversible. Go to Settings -> Applications -> MX Player -> Open as default -> Delete settings. After that, the next time you open a video, the system will again ask you which app to use, and you can choose a standard player or any other.