EnglishEN
Open player

Alternatives

Windows Media Player alternatives

Windows Media Player is the media player that comes with Windows. If it no longer fits what you need, here are the alternatives worth a look — and an honest note on when Windows Media Player is still the better choice.

Open the playerFree Windows app · v0.1.13

Information as of November 2026

Why people look for a Windows Media Player alternative

  • They don’t want to buy the HEVC extension just to play phone videos.
  • They need a player on Windows or Android as well.
  • They want to play a file in the browser without installing anything.

1. PlayAnyVideo — free, no ads

  • No ads, no paid unlocks and no codec purchase — core playback is free.
  • Works in the browser with nothing to install; local files play on your device and are never uploaded.
  • The free Windows app plays HEVC (H.265), MKV with AC-3/DTS, AVI, WMV and more through an open-source LGPL FFmpeg engine.
  • Subtitles: SMI, SRT, VTT and ASS/SSA with automatic encoding detection, sync and style controls.
  • The Windows app can cast to a TV on your home Wi-Fi (DLNA) or open Windows screen mirroring.
  • Timestamped notes, A-B repeat, playlists and resume — in 12 languages.

No native macOS or iPhone app yet: on a Mac or iPhone you use the web player, and format support then depends on the browser.

PlayAnyVideo vs Windows Media Player

Other Windows Media Player alternatives

2. Windows 11 Media Player

Windows · Included with the operating system · No ads

  • Already on your computer — nothing to download.
  • A clean, modern interface that matches the system.

PlayAnyVideo vs Windows 11 Media Player · Windows 11 Media Player alternatives

3. VLC

Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iPhone / iPad · Free · No ads

  • Plays a very wide range of formats out of the box.
  • Open source and free of charge.

PlayAnyVideo vs VLC · VLC alternatives

4. MPC-HC

Windows · Free · No ads

  • Lightweight and quick to start.
  • Open source and free of charge.

PlayAnyVideo vs MPC-HC · MPC-HC alternatives

5. MPC-BE

Windows · Free · No ads

  • Lightweight and quick to start.
  • Open source and free of charge.

PlayAnyVideo vs MPC-BE · MPC-BE alternatives

6. 5KPlayer

Windows, macOS · Free

  • Can send video to other devices such as AirPlay receivers.

PlayAnyVideo vs 5KPlayer · 5KPlayer alternatives

When to stay with Windows Media Player

Windows Media Player may still be the better choice if:

  • you only play common formats and don’t want to install anything
  • you manage a large local media library

FAQ

What is a good free alternative to Windows Media Player?

It depends on your device. PlayAnyVideo is a free, ad-free option for the browser, Windows and Android; Windows 11 Media Player, VLC, MPC-HC are other popular choices.

Can I try an alternative without installing anything?

Yes. Open the PlayAnyVideo web player in your browser and drop a file in — nothing is installed and the file stays on your device.

Will my subtitle files still work?

PlayAnyVideo reads SMI, SRT, VTT and ASS/SSA subtitles and detects their text encoding automatically.

Related roundups

All alternatives

Information as of November 2026. Product names and trademarks belong to their respective owners; PlayAnyVideo is not affiliated with or endorsed by them. Features, editions and prices change — please check each official website.