It’s been a few months since Windows 11 was released and users have been switching to the new operating system ever since. As more and more users try out Windows 11, new issues, bugs, and drawbacks are being discovered that make it less of an upgrade compared to Windows 10.

Surprisingly, several new users are being asked to pay for an extension that allows you to play .mp3 files on your system, something that has always been free on Windows. Is this true? Are you in the same boat? Then this is all you need to know about it!

If you are encountering this error, then chances are that you are experiencing this issue when you are trying to use the default Windows app, be it Groove Music or Movies and TV, to play your media file. These apps use the HEVC codec to play MP3 files on your system, which is unfortunately a paid and licensed codec.

HEVC is a notorious codec that is notorious for its paid and locked nature. Companies have to jump through a lot of licensing hoops to get this extension working for end users.