The Best Windows Media Player AlternativesTop Audio & Media Players like Windows Media Player

Windows Media Player is described as 'Video and audio player developed by Microsoft for Windows 11 and Windows 10. It the successor to Groove Music (previously Xbox Music), Microsoft Movies & TV and the original Windows Media' and is a very popular Audio Player in the cd/dvd tools category. There are more than 100 alternatives to Windows Media Player for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Linux, Mac, Android and BSD apps. The best Windows Media Player alternative is VLC Media Player, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Windows Media Player are MPC-HC, foobar2000, MPV and AIMP.

Windows Media Player iconWindows Media Player
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Windows Media Player is a video and audio player developed by Microsoft for Windows 11 and Windows 10. It is the successor...

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Windows Media Player alternatives page was last updated Oct 27, 2024
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  1. VLC Media Player icon

    VLC Media Player

     7600 likes
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    Enjoy seamless media experiences with this cross-platform, ad-free player supporting multimedia files, DVDs, streaming, Chromecast, 4K, and no tracking. Customize with themes, play offline, and get privacy-focused service without registration. Fully extensible by plugins.

    285 VLC Media Player alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • FR flagFrance
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • BSD
    • iPad
    • AppImageHub
    • Apple Watch
    • Snapcraft
    • Google Chrome
    • Apple TV
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • F-Droid
    • Kindle Fire
    • Haiku
    • Android TV
    • Homebrew
    • Chocolatey
    VLC Media Player screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Customizable
    2.  Support for Themes
    3.  Optimal performance

    Features

    1.  Ad-free
    2.  Video Converter
    3.  Video playback
    4.  Built-in Media converter
    5.  Support for subtitles
    6.  Integrated Codecs
    7.  Audio Recording
    8.  Cross-Platform
    9.  Internet Radio
    10.  Compatibility Layer
    11.  Media Streaming
    12.  Replay Gain

    VLC Media Player VS Windows Media Player

     
    Comments about VLC Media Player as an Alternative to Windows Media Player
    Top Positive Comment
    Rasheed AZ
    Jul 30, 2018
    5

    Can actually play most media files and actually fulfil its purpose unlike wmp

    Top Negative Comment
    Guest
    Jun 21, 2015
    21

    VLC, while an awesome media player, lacks WMP's library features. Thus, it is not an all-in-one system like WMP is.

    Most Recent Comment
    tpc1095
    Positive •May 6, 2023
    1

    Not an alternative to Windows Media Player at all because the main function of WMP is to organize song tracks into albums by artist. Just playing a file isn't a big deal.

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    3 of 9 comments
    Windows Media Player Icon
    VLC Media Player icon

    • Most users think VLC Media Player is a great Windows Media Player alternative.

    • VLC Media Player is the most popular Windows, Android, Mac & iPhone alternative to Windows Media Player.

    • VLC Media Player is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Windows Media Player.

    • VLC Media Player is Free and Open SourceWindows Media Player is Free and Proprietary
    • VLC Media Player is CustomizableWindows Media Player is not according to our users
  2. MPC-HC icon

    MPC-HC

     1292 likes
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    A lightweight open-source media player for Windows, giving support for all video/audio formats. It boasts no ads, dark themes, codec support, and seamless YouTube playback. Developed by longtime contributors, it's mature software with community improvements and crash fixes.

    132 MPC-HC alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • PL flagPoland
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • PortableApps.com
    MPC-HC screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Support for Themes
    3.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Ad-free
    2.  Dark Mode
    3.  Works Offline
    4.  Stream audio
    5.  No registration required
    6.  Support for 4K
    7.  Portable
    8.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    9.  Webcam recording

    MPC-HC VS Windows Media Player

     
  4. foobar2000 icon

    foobar2000

     1523 likes
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    Audio player offering MP3, FLAC support, gapless playback, customizable interfaces, CD ripping, advanced tagging, ReplayGain, plugins, and is known for its freeware model, running on various Windows versions with high audio fidelity.

    185 foobar2000 alternatives

    License model

    • Free Personal • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • PL flagPoland
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    Foobar custom.

    Properties

    1.  Customizable
    2.  Lightweight
    3.  Privacy focused
    4.  Minimalistic

    Features

    1.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    2.  Music Library
    3.  Audio Conversion
    4.  Replay Gain
    5.  Ad-free
    6.  Dark Mode
    7.  No Tracking
    8.  MP3 / ID3 Renaming
    9.  Portable
    10.  Audio processing/resampling
    11.  Works Offline
    12.  File Organizer

    foobar2000 VS Windows Media Player

     
    Comments about foobar2000 as an Alternative to Windows Media Player
    Most Recent Comment
    tvgoing1
    Negative •Jan 27, 2021
    1

    foobar is not windows media player, it does not play videos

    GGhz
    Positive •Jun 1, 2017
    0

    Light weight MUSIC player, has everything you need. about 4MB installer and 15MB on ram ,light on CPU

    Guest
    Negative •Jul 18, 2019
    0

    Difficult to use, I couldn't work out how to rip CDs with it.

    Windows Media Player Icon
    foobar2000 icon

    • Most users think foobar2000 is a great Windows Media Player alternative.

    • foobar2000 is Free Personal and ProprietaryWindows Media Player is Free and Proprietary
    • foobar2000 is Customizable and LightweightWindows Media Player is not according to our users
  5. Ad
    Screenshot
    CyberLink PowerDVD icon
    CyberLink PowerDVD

    This media player delivers 8K, 4K Ultra HD playback, supports Blu-ray, DVD viewing, and uses TrueTheater technology. It enables streaming and casting via mobile apps with remote control functionality, supports 3D photos, and prov...

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  6. MPV icon

    MPV

     515 likes
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    MPV is an audio and movie player based on MPlayer and mplayer2. It supports a wide variety of video file formats, audio and video codecs, and subtitle types.

    103 MPV alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • BSD
    • Xfce
    MPV screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Minimalistic
    3.  Configurable

    Features

    1.  Integrated Codecs
    2.  Low resource footprint
    3.  Command line interface
    4.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    5.  Video playback
    6.  Drag and Drop
    7.  Lua scripting
    8.  HDR source support
    9.  GNU/linux-libre
    10.  Ad-free
    11.  Hardware Accelerated
    12.  Portable

    MPV VS Windows Media Player

     
    Comments about MPV as an Alternative to Windows Media Player
    Guest
    Positive •Jul 14, 2017
    5

    MPV is an open source and professional project

    Windows Media Player Icon
    MPV icon

    • Most users think MPV is a great Windows Media Player alternative.

    • MPV is Free and Open SourceWindows Media Player is Free and Proprietary
    • MPV is Lightweight and MinimalisticWindows Media Player is not according to our users
  7. AIMP icon

    AIMP

     855 likes
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    Feature-rich audio player for Windows and Android supporting diverse codecs and interfaces. Includes conversion tools, skins, plugins, and custom equalizer for enhanced audio streaming and podcast playback.

    326 AIMP alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • RU flagRussia

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Android
    • PortableApps.com
    AIMP screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Customizable
    3.  Support for Themes

    Features

    1.  Music Library
    2.  Playlists management
    3.  Skins
    4.  Mp3 Tag Editor
    5.  Audio Conversion
    6.  Remembers position in file
    7.  Crossfading
    8.  Internet Radio
    9.  Full keyboard shortcuts
    10.  Hi-Fi Sound
    11. Last.fm icon  Integrated Last.fm scrobbler
    12.  Dark Mode

    AIMP VS Windows Media Player

     
    Comments about AIMP as an Alternative to Windows Media Player
    Gustavo D
    Negative •Oct 27, 2024
    0

    AIMP is awesome, no question about it, but it's not a all media player. It explicitly doesn't play video. With plug-ins it can pull video content from say, YouTube, but it won't show the video, the reason is stated as something about focusing on being a audio player. I'm paraphrasing. If you are replacing WMP as audio player though, maybe first try iTunes. AIMP may be a little much for you.

    Windows Media Player Icon
    AIMP icon

    • Most users think AIMP is a great Windows Media Player alternative.

    • AIMP is Free and ProprietaryWindows Media Player is also Free and Proprietary
    • AIMP is Lightweight and CustomizableWindows Media Player is not according to our users
  8. Clementine icon

    Clementine

     735 likes
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    Clementine is a cross-platform free and open source music player and library organizer. It is a port of Amarok 1.4 to the Qt 4 framework and the GStreamer multimedia framework, focusing on a fast and easy-to-use interface for searching and...

    244 Clementine alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    Clementine with lyrics pane

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Smart playlists
    2.  Podcast Player
    3.  Dynamic/Intelligent Playlists
    4. Last.fm icon  Integrated Last.fm scrobbler
    5.  Playlists management
    6.  Audio Visualization
    7.  No Tracking
    8.  Ad-free
    9.  Lossless Audio
    10.  File Tagging
    11.  No registration required
    12.  Moodbar

    Clementine VS Windows Media Player

     
    Comments about Clementine as an Alternative to Windows Media Player
    154pinkchairs
    Positive •Jul 29, 2021
    0

    one of the greatest FOSS players, but tbh I prefer quodLibet since it's more lightweight

    Windows Media Player Icon
    Clementine icon

    • Most users think Clementine is a great Windows Media Player alternative.

    • Clementine is Free and Open SourceWindows Media Player is Free and Proprietary
    • Clementine is Lightweight and Privacy focusedWindows Media Player is not according to our users
  10. PotPlayer icon

    PotPlayer

     681 likes
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    Windows multimedia software player offering extensive customization, format versatility, and optimized low-end hardware playback. Developed by Kakao, it avoids adware and features powerful customization, praised for its small footprint and high-quality video output, competing with leading players.

    123 PotPlayer alternatives

    License model

    • Free Personal • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • KR flagSouth Korea

    Platforms

    • Windows
    PotPlayer screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Customizable
    2.  Lightweight
    3.  Minimalistic

    Features

    1.  Support for Keyboard Shortcuts
    2.  Support for subtitles
    3.  Graphical User Interface
    4.  Playback speed control
    5.  Skinnable
    6.  Ad-free
    7.  Integrated Codecs
    8.  Thumbnail preview
    9.  Dark Mode
    10.  Video playback
    11.  Capture image from video
    12.  No registration required

    PotPlayer VS Windows Media Player

     
    Comments about PotPlayer as an Alternative to Windows Media Player
    Most Recent Comment
    Guest
    Positive •Nov 5, 2022
    0

    Video, audio and image capture from any devices in various format.

    Guest
    Positive •Jul 14, 2022
    0

    Built in image, video and audio capture any sources.

    Guest
    Positive •Jul 31, 2017
    0

    very customisable, allows the user to search and download subtitles through the program itself, without having to go to the browser to search. It also allows the user to synchronize the subtitles/audio via shortcuts and change the filters over the video.

    Windows Media Player Icon
    PotPlayer icon

    • Most users think PotPlayer is a great Windows Media Player alternative.

    • PotPlayer is Free Personal and ProprietaryWindows Media Player is Free and Proprietary
    • PotPlayer is Customizable, Lightweight and MinimalisticWindows Media Player is not according to our users
  11. Strawberry icon

    Strawberry

     243 likes
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    Strawberry is a music player and music collection organizer. It is a fork of Clementine released in 2018 aimed at music collectors and audiophiles. The name is inspired by the band Strawbs. It's written in C++ using the Qt framework.

    232 Strawberry alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Haiku
    Strawberry screenshot 1
    Warning

    It is still open source but now the Windows and macOS builds are tied to having a Patreon subscription.

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Customizable

    Features

    1.  Music Library
    2.  Music collection
    3.  Automatic Lyrics Finder
    4.  Auto fetch album covers
    5.  Playlists management
    6.  Ad-free
    7.  Lossless Audio
    8. Last.fm icon  Integrated Last.fm scrobbler
    9.  Cross-Platform
    10.  Gapless Playback
    11.  Automatic album art download
    12.  ListenBrainz scrobbling

    Strawberry VS Windows Media Player

     
    Comments about Strawberry as an Alternative to Windows Media Player
    zokris
    Positive •Dec 2, 2021
    1

    Unlike VLC, Strawberry is not a "file player" but a complete management software for your music collection. Very convenient UI, can rip CDs, gives you the choice of encoders/decoders, ...

    Guest
    Positive •Sep 11, 2024
    0

    Strawberry is very good option to play CDs extract them, organize and many more

    Windows Media Player Icon
    Strawberry icon

    • Most users think Strawberry is a great Windows Media Player alternative.

    • Strawberry is Free and Open SourceWindows Media Player is Free and Proprietary
    • Strawberry is Lightweight and CustomizableWindows Media Player is not according to our users
8 of 209 Windows Media Player alternatives