# Can not detect MKV files

**URL:** <https://forums.plex.tv/t/can-not-detect-mkv-files/577919>\
**Category:** General Discussions\
**Created:** [April 20, 2020, 6:46pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/can-not-detect-mkv-files/577919 "2020-04-20T18:46:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 13\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![KevinQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@KevinQ](https://forums.plex.tv/u/KevinQ)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2020, 6:46pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/can-not-detect-mkv-files/577919/1 "2020-04-20T18:46:39Z")

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I have searched a lot but find no solution why MKV files can not be detected in my Plex server?

I am sure that the MKV files are good as I can play them using VLC Player.

Any suggestion?

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**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2020, 7:06pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/can-not-detect-mkv-files/577919/2 "2020-04-20T19:06:46Z")

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MKV Files are recognized just fine by Plex.  
What kind of library is it and how is the file named?

[https://support.plex.tv/articles/categories/your-media/](https://support.plex.tv/articles/categories/your-media/)

Is your server running on Linux or a NAS device?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![KevinQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@KevinQ](https://forums.plex.tv/u/KevinQ)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2020, 7:22pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/can-not-detect-mkv-files/577919/3 "2020-04-20T19:22:29Z")

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Thank you for asking. My plex server is running on Windows 7 Professional. I have tested Movies/TV Shows/Other Videos but none can work. Any thought?

Below are the names:  
C:\Plex\BBC Wonders of Life\>dir /b  
Wonders.of.Life.2013.S01E01.720p.BluRay.X264-SCENE.eng.srt  
Wonders.of.Life.2013.S01E01.720p.BluRay.X264-SCENE.mkv  
Wonders.of.Life.2013.S01E02.720p.BluRay.X264-SCENE.eng.srt  
Wonders.of.Life.2013.S01E02.720p.BluRay.X264-SCENE.mkv  
Wonders.of.Life.2013.S01E03.720p.BluRay.X264-SCENE.eng.srt  
Wonders.of.Life.2013.S01E03.720p.BluRay.X264-SCENE.mkv  
Wonders.of.Life.2013.S01E04.720p.BluRay.X264-SCENE.eng.srt  
Wonders.of.Life.2013.S01E04.720p.BluRay.X264-SCENE.mkv  
Wonders.of.Life.2013.S01E05.720p.BluRay.X264-SCENE.eng.srt  
Wonders.of.Life.2013.S01E05.720p.BluRay.X264-SCENE.mkv

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dane22](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/dane22/32/4389_2.png) [@dane22](https://forums.plex.tv/u/dane22)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2020, 7:52pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/can-not-detect-mkv-files/577919/4 "2020-04-20T19:52:04Z")

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Bad naming/file structure

Should be:

```auto
TV Library Root Dir
  Wonders of Life (2013) ( <==== A directory named according to thetvdb.com )
        Season 01 ( <==== Season directory )
          Wonders.of.Life.2013.S01E01.720p.BluRay.X264-SCENE.eng.srt
          Wonders.of.Life.2013.S01E01.720p.BluRay.X264-SCENE.mkv
          Wonders.of.Life.2013.S01E02.720p.BluRay.X264-SCENE.eng.srt
          Wonders.of.Life.2013.S01E02.720p.BluRay.X264-SCENE.mkv

```

Ref: [https://support.plex.tv/articles/naming-and-organizing-your-tv-show-files/](https://support.plex.tv/articles/naming-and-organizing-your-tv-show-files/)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![KevinQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@KevinQ](https://forums.plex.tv/u/KevinQ)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2020, 8:13pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/can-not-detect-mkv-files/577919/5 "2020-04-20T20:13:39Z")

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Thank you for the suggestion. I have created TV folder and move all files to “C:\Plex\TV\Wonders of Life (2013)\Season 01”. In new TV shows library, I have added path “C:\Plex\TV”. However, it does not work.

Do you need anything else (e.g. log) for troubleshooting?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![KevinQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@KevinQ](https://forums.plex.tv/u/KevinQ)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2020, 9:35pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/can-not-detect-mkv-files/577919/6 "2020-04-20T21:35:41Z")

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I have put more .MKV files in the TV folder and some files can be detected while the others do not.

Does it mean that the undetected .MKV files are wrong? Any thought?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dane22](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/dane22/32/4389_2.png) [@dane22](https://forums.plex.tv/u/dane22)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2020, 11:29pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/can-not-detect-mkv-files/577919/7 "2020-04-20T23:29:22Z")

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> [@KevinQ](#):
>
> I have added path “C:\Plex\TV”. However, it does not work.

What other path are defined for your show library?  
And you are using a library of the `TV Show` type, ?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![KevinQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@KevinQ](https://forums.plex.tv/u/KevinQ)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 12:42am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/can-not-detect-mkv-files/577919/8 "2020-04-21T00:42:49Z")

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I would guess it does not matter. I have 3 fubfolders under TV. Plex server can detect only .MKV files under “The Code”. Is it possible file issue?

C:\Plex\TV\>dir /b “Wonders of Life (2013)\Season 01”  
Wonders.of.Life.2013.S01E01.720p.BluRay.X264-SCENE.eng.srt  
Wonders.of.Life.2013.S01E01.720p.BluRay.X264-SCENE.mkv  
Wonders.of.Life.2013.S01E02.720p.BluRay.X264-SCENE.eng.srt  
Wonders.of.Life.2013.S01E02.720p.BluRay.X264-SCENE.mkv  
Wonders.of.Life.2013.S01E03.720p.BluRay.X264-SCENE.eng.srt  
Wonders.of.Life.2013.S01E03.720p.BluRay.X264-SCENE.mkv  
Wonders.of.Life.2013.S01E04.720p.BluRay.X264-SCENE.eng.srt  
Wonders.of.Life.2013.S01E04.720p.BluRay.X264-SCENE.mkv  
Wonders.of.Life.2013.S01E05.720p.BluRay.X264-SCENE.eng.srt  
Wonders.of.Life.2013.S01E05.720p.BluRay.X264-SCENE.mkv

C:\Plex\TV\>dir /b “The Code”  
The.Code.S01E01.720p.HDTV.x264-ANGELiC.eng.srt  
The.Code.S01E01.720p.HDTV.x264-ANGELiC.mkv  
The.Code.S01E02.720p.HDTV.x264-ANGELiC.eng.srt  
The.Code.S01E02.720p.HDTV.x264-ANGELiC.mkv  
The.Code.S01E03.720p.HDTV.x264-ANGELiC.eng.srt  
The.Code.S01E03.720p.HDTV.x264-ANGELiC.mkv

C:\Plex\TV\>dir /b “Do You Know What Time Is It”  
BBC.Horizon.Do.You.Know.What.Time.Is.It.2008.720p.AC3.MVGroup.eng.srt  
BBC.Horizon.Do.You.Know.What.Time.Is.It.2008.720p.AC3.MVGroup.mkv

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![FordGuy61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/22d042/32.png) [@FordGuy61](https://forums.plex.tv/u/FordGuy61)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 2:27am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/can-not-detect-mkv-files/577919/9 "2020-04-21T02:27:16Z")

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> [@KevinQ](#):
>
> I would guess it does not matter.

Your file naming and structure does not align with Plex requirements. See [TV Show Files (Naming & Organizing)](https://support.plex.tv/articles/categories/your-media/naming-and-organizing-tv-shows/).

Plex is incredibly picky with TV shows. They must be in a TV Show library. You must follow the recommended file structure and naming.

Rename `Wonders.of.Life.2013.S01E01.720p.BluRay.X264-SCENE.mkv` to `Wonders of Life (2013) - s01e01.mkv`.

For The Code, add a Season 01 subfolder and rename like Wonders of Life.

For BBC Horizon, you’ll have to use a Season 2008 subfolder and the appropriate season & episode number in the name. See [Horizon - Unknown - Season 2008 - TheTVDB.com](https://thetvdb.com/series/horizon/seasons/official/2008)

After you rename things, you should perform the [Plex Dance](https://forums.plex.tv/t/the-plex-dance/197064) for each show (the entire show, not just an episode). It clears bad metadata out of Plex’s database.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![FordGuy61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/22d042/32.png) [@FordGuy61](https://forums.plex.tv/u/FordGuy61)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 2:33am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/can-not-detect-mkv-files/577919/10 "2020-04-21T02:33:38Z")

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```auto
/TV Shows/Wonders of Life/Season 01/Wonders of Life - s01e01.mkv
/TV Shows/Wonders of Life/Season 01/Wonders of Life - s01e02.mkv
/TV Shows/Wonders of Life/Season 01/Wonders of Life - s01e03.mkv

```

 ![Screenshot (331)](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/1/2/12b1d45fb568f8f11182a83da6bb8c67b2faed7c.jpeg)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![FordGuy61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/22d042/32.png) [@FordGuy61](https://forums.plex.tv/u/FordGuy61)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 2:40am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/can-not-detect-mkv-files/577919/11 "2020-04-21T02:40:17Z")

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`/TV Shows/Horizon/Season 2008/Horizon - s2008e15.mkv`

![Screenshot (332)](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/b/7/b7fc3c229b5e80f2abb3628eacdbf0dfaf681cd1.png)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![KevinQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@KevinQ](https://forums.plex.tv/u/KevinQ)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 3:21am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/can-not-detect-mkv-files/577919/12 "2020-04-21T03:21:53Z")

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I am so grateful for all kind replies. I have changed the names and it works!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2020, 3:21am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/can-not-detect-mkv-files/577919/13 "2020-07-20T03:21:54Z")

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