Best Windows Media Player Alternatives
Summary: As the demands for video grow dramatically, miscellaneous media players appear in the market. Among these products, Windows Media Player is one of the most popular media players for Windows 10. Except this, are there some excellent Windows Media Player alternatives worth trying? If you want to know the solutions, please read this article and explore your destiny players
- • Capable of playing local videos, DVD/Blu-ray/UHD disc and streaming videos
- • All-In-One platform of streaming playback
- • Online playback video in FHD 1080p video quality and EAC3 audio quality
Table of Contents
As technology advances by leaps and bounds, the quality of music and video improves accordingly. You are likely to get only clear surround sounds and sharper images at large. Besides, to gain the best viewing and listening experience, a perfect media player is definitely indispensable. Windows Media Player will work greatly on Windows system, while it also has disadvantages and gradually becomes outdated compared with other powerful media players. What are the best alternatives to Windows Media Player? This passage will offer comprehensive answers.
Windows Media Player
Windows Media Player, developed by Microsoft, aims to play video, audio, and viewing images on a personal computer. Apart from the regular functions of a media player, Windows Media Player is capable of ripping music from and copying music to compact discs burning recordable discs in Audio CD format or as data discs with playlists such as an MP3 CD, synchronizing content with a digital audio player (MP3 player) or other mobile devices.
However, the latest comprehensive update tracked back into 2009 compatible with Windows 7 system. On Windows 10 version, a program called Groove Music was used to replace Windows Media Player. And the advanced version of Windows Media Player, Media Player containing more powerful functions will be published together with Windows11.
Best Windows Media Player Alternatives
PlayerFab Ultra HD Player
As one of the best media players for windows 10, PlayerFab Ultra HD Player aims to provide comprehensive functions to satisfy the demands of users as much as possible. It supports playback up to 4k Blu-ray and HDR10.
- No limits of countries and regions
Region codes in commercial movie discs including DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K Blu-ray discs, will restrain DVD copy in case of illegal situations. However, with the help of PlayerFab Ultra HD Player, you don’t need to be concerned about this issue, for it is able to play all DVDs, Blu-rays, and 4K Blu-rays, free from the restraint of the countries and regions they are made in.
- Playback of Discs, ISO files, and folders
For DVD collection lovers who consider DVD as an efficient method to keep outdated memories alive. However, physical discs are vulnerable to getting scratched, therefore coping discs as ISO files or movie folders on your computer HDDs is a choice. This best media player for windows 10 enables users to play ISO files and folders without any problem.
- Playback at a high speed
Armed with a higher-level GPU from AMD, Intel, or NVIDIA, PlayerFab Ultra HD Player can use hardware decoding instead to improve the playback smoothness to the next level.
- Play all formats with ease
Apart from playback of DVDs, Blu-rays, and 4K Blu-rays, this universal media player can also playback all the popular and peculiar video and audio formats you know of.
In terms of video, H.264, H.265/HEVC, MP4, MKV, MOV, FLV, VOB, M2TS, etc. In terms of audio, MP3, AAC, FLAC, AC3 5.1, and those previously mentioned HD audios. Moreover, playback of those video and audio files is totally free.
VLC Media Player
VLC Media Player, as an excellent media player Windows 10, is a free and open-source cross-platform multimedia player which supports multimedia files including MPEG-2, MPEG-4, H.264, MKV, WebM, WMV, MP3, and various streaming protocols.
- Simple interface with powerful functions
As a professional player, VLC Media Player doesn’t contain a wide range of complicated parameters. If you are not familiar with this product or its play mode, you could easily master it within a short time.
- Available on all platforms
Are you still perplexed by the compatibility of different devices? All these kinds of problems can be solved armed with VLC Media Player. It is able to run on all platforms, no matter you are a Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, Unix, iOS user, or Android, you could enjoy a fast and no ads viewing experience with VLC Media Player.
- Build your own player through customized settings.
Users are allowed to change the skin and even create your own special skin with VLK Skin Editor. With VLC Media Player, build your personalized MKV player.
Pros
- VLC Player supports streaming play of MPEG and DivX, enabling users to watch the beginning of the video and decide if it is worth downloading.
- Users are allowed to play ZIP files but don’t have to unpack them in advance, for the powerful VLC Player will process the files.
- VLC Media Player is designed to be extended with downloadable plugins and some additional programs for a better user experience.
- The whole process contains no advisements, no spyware, and no user tracking.
- Users could download VLC Media Player for Mac and VLC Media Player for windows 10 easily.
Cons
- Lack of stylish interface as other media players.
- Some of its designs may be a little bit unfriendly to novices.
- No Blu-ray playback function.
Leawo Blu-ray Player
Leawo Blu-ray Player is an all-in-one media player to watch HD movies on Windows 10. This media player for Windows 10 can playback ordinary videos and almost all audio formats with no loss in quality. Besides, the Leawo Blu-ray player provides clear navigation and customized background settings. It also owns a virtual controller panel, Leawo blu ray player give you a selection of what to play or make your own settings, including languages, scene, and so on.
- Multifunctional media player for windows 10
leawo Blu-ray Player promises life-long free services to play DVD discs, DVD folders, DVD ISO files and IFO files. What’s more, media player for Windows 10 is able to play back common videos in AVI, MPEG, WMV, MP4, FLV, RMVB, MOV, Xvid, 3GP, etc. and up to 1080P HD videos in HD MP4, HD AVI, HD MOV, HD TS, HD TRP, HD VOB, HD MPG, HD WMV, HD ASF, etc.
- Customized settings bring convenience
This user-oriented Blu-ray player offers a wide range of options for you: full-screen playback, volume control, fast-forward button, fast-backward button, Next button, Last button, Subtitle selecting button, Video setting, Audio setting, Main menu button and Clock Display, all these are just at your touch of button.
- Multi-angle features provide special watching experience
This function allows you to appreciate videos from different angles, and you are able to switch viewing angles to get an all-around view of the scenes and characters.
FAQs
Is Windows Media Player still available?
Windows Media Player 12 is the most recent version of Windows Media Player. Windows 8 and later instead use Groove Music (for audio) and Microsoft Movies & TV (for video) as the default playback applications for most media. Until now, Windows Media Player is still included as a Windows component.
Why does my DVD not play on Windows 10 media player?
Microsoft has removed the built-in support for video DVD playing in Windows 10. So we recommend you to use VLC player, a free third-party player with DVD support integrated. Open VLC media player, click Media, and select Open Disc. Now you can play the video on your DVD.
Where do I find Windows Media Player?
Windows Media Player in Windows 10. To find WMP, click Start and type: media player and select it from the results at the top. Alternately, you can right-click the Start button to bring up the hidden quick access menu and choose Run or use the keyboard shortcut Windows Key+R. Then type: wmplayer.exe and hit Enter.
How to conduct windows media player update?
- Click the Start button, type features, and then select Turn Windows features on or off.
- Expand Media Features and see whether the Windows Media Player check box is selected. If it is, clear the check box.
- Click OK and then restart your PC. This will remove your current version of Windows Media Player.
- After your PC has restarted, repeat step 1.
- Expand Media Features and select the Windows Media Player check box.
- Click OK and then restart your PC. This will reinstall the latest version of Windows Media Player for your system (Windows Media Player 12, with a few exceptions).
Conclusion
As time pass by, the once prevailing Windows Media Player has been replaced with more powerful media player for Windows 10 gradually. After a thorough comparison, PlayerFab Ultra HD Player is regarded as the best media player for Windows 10, for it offers plenty of options for users so as to create the best viewing experience. Except for this, PlayerFab also has other outstanding player such as PlayerFab DVD player, PlayerFab Free Video Player, PlayerFab Netflix Player, and so on to meet all kinds of your demands.