This post will explain free media player. For Windows users, Microsoft has never provided a truly excellent media player. If the file has DRM or is in an odd file format, the pre-installed Movies & TV app will not play it. Don’t even consider using the out-of-date Windows Media Player.
With that in mind, you’ll need to download a high-quality media player that can handle any file format you throw at it. You won’t have to pay for it, though, because we’ve compiled a list of the top free media players for Windows that you can download right now.
The 7 Best Free Windows Media Players
In this article, you can know about free media player here are the details below;
VLC Media Player is a free media player.
When the Movies & TV app fails to play your material, most Windows users will download VLC Media Player, a free media player. Until now, it has been one of the greatest and most well-known media players available for any platform, including Windows.
VLC rarely fails to play a media file, with the exception of files that are encrypted or have been corrupted. It can play local media files and handle internet live streaming as well as broadcast content from other local sources such as a digital TV receiver.
VLC may also be used to transcode video files between different formats, download YouTube videos for offline viewing, and record your own films using your camera. If you enjoy music, you can use VLC to listen to it and create your own VLC music playlists.
Kodi
Because of an active third-party add-on scene, Kodi has a negative reputation in some circles, yet it’s one of the most functional and best free media players for Windows 10 users.
Kodi has evolved from its humble beginnings on the original Xbox into a big-screen entertainment platform that can play music, films, TV live streams, and more all from a single interface. The user interface is intended for televisions, but it may also be used on computers.
Kodi, like VLC, is capable of playing almost any media file you can throw at it. It can easily manage network-attached storage devices, allowing you to stream your whole TV and movie library across your home network.
As previously said, third-party add-ons help to expand Kodi’s capabilities by allowing you to watch content from other websites. There are add-ons for Netflix and YouTube playback that aren’t all piracy-related.
MPC-HC
With a name similar to Media Player Classic, you know this media player has been around for quite some time. MPC-HC (HC stands for Home Cinema) is, in fact, a fork of the original, with more functionality and bug patches.
MPC-HC is a lightweight alternative to other free media players that is simple, quick, and easy to use, especially on low-resource Windows PCs.
MPC-HC is one of the most competent media players available, so don’t be put off by the antiquated UI. It, like VLC, can playback both common and unique media files, as well as DVDs and live streams.
It’s also adaptable, with interface skins and plugins that can enhance capabilities.
The one drawback to MPC-HC is that development has stagnated, which means no new features or fixes have been released since 2017. However, it still works well on Windows 10 and is one of the greatest media players available, especially for older computers.
MPV
We’re delighted to report that, due to MPV, VLC isn’t the only active open-source media player in development. MPV is yet another fork project that combines the greatest aspects of the older MPlayer and mplayer2 projects while also adding new capabilities and an improved user interface.
In truth, there isn’t much of an interface in MPV. During playback, the media controls are hidden, but they will surface if you linger over it. You are also unable to access any settings. You simply drag files into the open window to play them.
This method may not appeal to all users, but it is certainly unique. Other notable features of MPV include a variety of third-party scripts that extend the software’s functionality and allow you to personalise how MPV plays your video.
MPV just works when it comes to playing your favourite media files—it can play almost any video format, including online and local streaming.
PotPlayer
PotPlayer is an excellent free alternative to several well-known media players for Windows, albeit it is not open-source. This entrant from Kakao, a South Korean business, is a fully customisable player with a few unique features thrown in for good measure.
PotPlayer is a lightweight video player that uses hardware acceleration to increase playback performance and can play practically all popular video formats. It also works with DVB-T and DVB-S local TV receivers.
PotPlayer, unlike the standard MPV interface, is highly customisable, with a variety of interface skins and a large number of parameters to help you customise how PotPlayer plays your files. PotPlayer has also been used to play various corrupted media files, albeit your results may vary based on the file.
PotPlayer may be a little complicated for the general user due to its numerous settings, but it could be an excellent solution for Windows power users.
Plex
Plex isn’t just a simple and free media player, so don’t expect it to be a VLC substitute. It’s a media player and server rolled into one, allowing you to host and broadcast your media files to other Plex playback devices.
It’s one of the most well-thought-out media systems for Windows 10. Plex offers inexpensive Tidal music, ad-supported movies, and a variety of add-on apps for playing media from the internet, such as YouTube.
Plex can play most popular media files, but if you’re streaming high-resolution entertainment, you’ll need a powerful PC to host your Plex media server.
Plex allows you to organise all of your movies and TV series in one location, with useful thumbnails and descriptions to help you find what you’re looking for.
AllPlayer
Although AllPlayer is not as well-known as some of the other top media players, it should not be overlooked. It claims to be the greatest media player for subtitles, which isn’t far off the mark.
Subtitles are not just well supported in AllPlayer, but the software will also look for and download subtitles for media content it detects. It also accepts a variety of standard media formats, including 4K high-resolution files.
If you’re deaf or hard of hearing, AllPlayer makes watching videos a breeze. AllPlayer’s speech synthesiser can also read aloud subtitles for visually impaired users, allowing you to watch movies in a foreign language.
AllPlayer is still in development, and includes remote control apps for mobile devices.
