There are many online media streaming apps gain traction these days. But there are many people who want to know which is the best media player for Windows 10 PC. If you also want an answer to this question, you’re at the right place.
Many users are looking for local music apps that can easily play their curation collection of movies and home-made videos. Hence, let’s talk about some great media players for Windows OS that you can try.
Also Read:
11 Best Media Players for Windows 10 (2021)
1. VLC Media Player
Given the plethora of features, custom skins, and helpful customization options it comes with VLC certainly deserves a mention among the best media players of 2021. And it has maintained its name in the popularity charts for years now.
VLC Media Player is a free and open-source media player that’s available for all popular platforms. Created by the VideoLAN project, VLC Media Player supports many audio and video compression methods and file formats. Over the years, VLC has earned the reputation of being the “play everything” video player, including 3D videos. Not to mention, you can take screenshots of your desktop as well.
VLC is one of the best PC media players due to its fast and simple nature that doesn’t involve any painstaking steps. Besides playing local content, you can also use VLC to stream content from online sites like YouTube. Read our detailed articles on amazing VLC tips and tricks.
This amazing Windows Media Player alternative also receives frequent updates and has a large user community. It runs on all Windows versions, from Windows 10 to Windows XP SP3. From time-to-time, this free movie player keeps receiving new features and updates.
What sets VLC apart?
- Free and open source
- Plays almost anything
- Available on almost all platforms
Supported Platforms: Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP
2. PotPlayer
Developed by the South Korean company Kakao, the feature-packed video player for PC could give VLC a run for its money.
PotPlayer offers a wide range of customization options that allow you to personalize the software. Using techniques like CUDA, QuickSync, and DXVA, PotPlayer can deliver maximum performance and a lightweight experience. That’s why PotPlayer is the second-best media player on the list.
Compared to VLC, PotPlayer might be less popular, but it might support even more file types. It goes without saying that it’s a great player for MP4/FLV/AVI/MKV files, which are very common. You have the option to choose between sound cards, bookmark your favorite scenes and preview them, and a lot more.
The video player for PC can also play 3D videos and supports various types of 3D glasses. It also comes with lots of built-in keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys. But, what makes VLC more popular than PotPlayer?
For most users, the long list of features and settings might be just too much. Also, PotPlayer is limited to Windows. Overall, PotPlayer is one of the best media players around if you want to ditch VLC Media Player.
Why use PotPlayer?
- Attractive interface
- Better audio performance
- Tons of customization options
Supported Platforms: Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP
3. KMPlayer
KMPlayer is another great and free Windows 10 media player that can play almost all mainstream video and audio files. You can add external codecs to boost compatibility. It comes with 3D, 4K, UHD support, has a 64-bit version, and can play videos in up to 8K 60fps on PCs with capable hardware.
KMPlayer is also known for its wide range of support for formats. Users have lots of choices of audio and video effects, which makes sure that they don’t have the dearth of any feature or support.
You can choose the parts of videos as favorites, make them repeat, remap the keys for remote interface, etc. You also edit video subtitles inside the KMPlayer. First released in 2002, KMPlayer free media player was acquired by Korean streaming company Pandora TV in 2007.
Why use KMPlayer?
- Robust media organization
- Highly customizable
- KMP Connect feature
Supported Platforms: Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP
4. Media Player Classic – Black Edition
Media Player Classic – Black Edition is an MPC fork that’s still continuing the legacy of the defunct Windows 10 media player. MPC-BE is also based on the discontinued MPC – Home Cinema edition that was previously on our list.
Anyway, MPC-BE is a lightweight yet powerful video player for Windows 10 and older versions. It carries a dark-themed UI with a slight resemblance to the look and feel of Windows Media Player.
The open source media player first arrived in 2012; it has got support for hardware decoding, deinterlacing, timely software updates, and supports a wide variety of audio and video formats.
Among other features, MPC-BE has inbuilt subtitle search, seekbar previews, and you can customize everything from its logo, window, and video color correction, etc. It can be used via Windows Command Prompt and includes inbuilt support for the youtube-dl to fetch content from the video-sharing site.
What’s special about MPC-BE?
- Extensive customization options
- Works via command line
- Lightweight software
5. GOM Media Player
GOM Player, or Gretech Online Movie Player, is a completely free Windows media player alternative with inbuilt support for the most popular video and audio formats. That means it can play all the most popular video formats like AVI, MKV, MP4, FLV, MOV, etc.
It has all the basic functionalities that come loaded with other popular PC media players. But GOM Player comes with lots of advanced features like A-B repeat, Media Player Capture, speed control, audio/video effects, screen capture, etc. It also gives you a choice to change skins and make the whole look of GOM Player highly customized.
Using GOM’s own library, you can download lots of subtitles to enjoy movies and TV shows in your preferred language. You can also link this awesome media player for Windows 10 with the vast database of OpenSubtitles.org.
It could be possible that this media player software might not support some uncommon types right away. For those scenarios, GOM Player’s Codec Finder service will let you search for the missing codec. GOM Player for Windows supports a wide range of operating systems, ranging from Windows 10 to Windows XP SP3.
Why use GOME Player?
- Codec and subtitle finder
- Clean, colorful interface
Supported Platforms: Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7
6. DivX Player
The #7 entry on our list of best media players in 2021 for Windows 10 is DivX Player. It calls itself the first of its kind media player that offers free HEVC playback. It goes without saying that the DivX player is optimized for playing video files in the most popular formats like MP4, MKV, DivX, and AVI.
You can also enjoy UltraHD (4K) playback with this popular and useful media player. DivX also acts as a streaming media player that lets you stream music, video, and photos to any DLNA-compatible device.
Furthermore, DivX player comes with advanced features like Trick Play, which lets you jump to your favorite scenes easily. With the support for Chapter Points, you can simply play different scenes.
Its smart media library keeps track of the private as well as purchased video content. The support for multiple audio means that you can switch among different soundtracks without hassle. With its Resume Play feature, you can jump to the point where you left off.
Why use the DivX player?
- Full of features
- DivX To Go feature
- DLNA streaming support is great
Supported Platforms: Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP
7. Kodi
Kodi, formerly called XBMC, is another free and open-source media player on our list. It’s a highly customizable media player that you can use on your laptop or desktop to get a media center-like experience. Just in case you’re missing Windows Media Center on Windows 10, Kodi is a great alternative.
Kodi is a powerful contender for the top media player for streaming and is even better if you’re using it with an external, larger display because of its 10-foot user interface. In the recent past, Kodi has been in the headlines due to pre-loaded Kodi boxes and add-ons that support piracy.
Kodi plays almost all popular video and music formats, podcasts, and other digital media stored locally or on the internet. Initially, Kodi was developed independently and called Xbox Media Center for the 1st gen Xbox gaming console. This recommended media player also has plug-ins to expand its features and include functionalities like Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, Veoh, etc. Kodi is an open-source software developed by a global community of unpaid volunteers.
Why prefer Kodi?
- Media center experience
- Content streaming
- TV interface
Supported Platforms: Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7
8. Plex
Plex lets you easily take care of your large media collection, which can include anything like videos, TV shows, movies, photos, personal videos, and music, etc. It organizes your collections and makes them look great. With its easy-share nature, you can pick and choose what to make public and give your family access.
However, Plex’s highlight is the ad-supported free streaming service that offers free movies and TV shows from major studios such as Warner Bros, Lionsgate, MGM, etc.
Apart from that, this contender for the best video player for PC supports almost all file types, including Hi-Fi music and video formats. As it’s Chromecast supported, you can cast the videos on your larger TV screen.
You can also use the Plex app on your phone or tablet to take control of your player. Use this app to streamline your video content library and get the advantage of a feature-rich video media player as well.
Why use Plex?
- Media management
- Takes care of metadata
- Most platforms are supported
Supported Platforms: Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7
9. 5KPlayer
5KPlayer is another Windows 10 media player that is worth mentioning on the list. As the name might suggest, it is a top-rated video player for Windows 10 as it’s extremely compatible with various video codecs and formats. While it may not be as powerful as VLC or PotPlayer, it can play popular audio/video files without external plugins.
The user interface of the 5KPlayer is very clean and simple. It’s also known for its more streaming options. 5KPlayer also lets you import videos and music from websites like YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, MTV, etc. It’s compatible with common formats like MP4, MOV, M4V, MP3, AAC, etc.
Why use 5KPlayer?
- Built-in AirPlay support
- Video downloader for many video sites
Supported Platforms: Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7
10. MediaMonkey
If keeping your media organized is your primary goal then, then this freemium software could be a considerable choice among various free media players for Windows 10. The player is also known as MMW which is short for MediaMonkey for Windows.
Just like other notable movie players, MediaMonkey for Windows PC comes with the ability to extend the functionality with the help of plugins. You can use them to make the look of the player more appealing, enhance device support and playback, and newer music discovery features. The player comes with party mode and can sync with Android and iOS devices.
MediaMonkey’s best features?
- Intelligent file tagging
- Heavily configurable
Supported Platforms: Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7
11. Movies and TV
Last but not least, Windows 10 in-house media player called “Movies and TV.” The video player has a minimalistic, elegant look that helps in managing personal videos on the PC.
Of course, the Windows video player certainly lacks a few features that you would find elsewhere. However, it offers some unique features, such as support for Xbox and media sync to view content on the mobile app.
Other than that, it features a mini mode where videos always stay on top while multitasking. Moreover, it supports quite a few formats, including 360 videos.
Special Mention: MPC-HC And WMP
Now, apart from these, we would like to name Media Player Classic as a special mention. The free media player for Windows 10 was earlier on this list, but its development has now been discontinued.
Also, the former default video player aka Windows Media Player will have a special place in our hearts. It may have been replaced but you can still use it on Windows 10 by installing WMP as an optional feature.
What should I expect from a great Windows 10 media player?
There are tons of software available for the Windows platform; hence, choosing the right one for your computer isn’t an easy task. With the increasing number of newer media formats, not all free media players can run all popular file formats like MKV, FLV, AVI, MP4, MOV, etc.
Apart from being a feature-rich software, a great media player also needs to be simple, intuitive, and lightweight. If we consider these factors, we can recommend a good video player for PC like VLC, GOM, Media Player Classic, etc. But, what about their features?
That’s why very often people send us emails asking the question, “Which is the best media player for Windows?” This has prompted me to prepare a list of the best free media players for Windows operating system.
So, which free media player is best in your eyes? Which one do you use to enjoy movies and other media content? Don’t forget to share your views and become a part of the discussion.
FAQ
To get WMP 12 on your PC, you can install it as an optional feature on Windows 10. Go to Settings > Apps > Optional Features > click on Add Optional Features. Then, tick Windows Media Player on the list and click on Install.
While 32-bit operating systems are going out of fashion, top media players like VLC, PotPlayer, Kodi, etc. offer 32-bit versions that can easily run on Windows 7.
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