2 Open Source Alternatives to Windows media player

A list of 2 carefully selected open-source alternatives to Windows media player.

Created by

Adrian

Mar 9, 2025Updated•3 min read

The open-source alternatives are ranked based on our custom ranking system and score. This system takes into account various factors to determine the best alternatives.

If you’re looking for alternative features or workflows, here is a prepared detailed list of Windows media player open-source alternatives — each with its own distinctive strengths and key features.

MPV

29,927

2,997

MPV is a free and open source media player designed for the command line. It offers extensive support for a wide range of media formats, codecs, and subtitles, delivering high quality video output and powerful scripting capabilities for customization and automation.

Key Features

Free and open source
Cross-platform media player
Supports various media formats, codecs, and subtitles
Powerful scripting capabilities with community-driven user scripts
Minimalistic on-screen controller
High quality video rendering using modern graphics APIs
GPU-accelerated video decoding
Embeddable C API for integration
Active development and continuous improvements

MPV supports numerous media file formats and codecs, providing a lightweight yet powerful tool for video playback. It features advanced video rendering using OpenGL, Vulkan, or D3D11, hardware-accelerated decoding, and an on-screen controller for basic operations. Additionally, its robust scripting capabilities and embeddable C API allow for a high degree of customization and easy integration into other applications, all maintained under active development.

Learn more about MPV

VLC

15,037

5,182

VLC is a free and open source cross-platform multimedia player that supports a wide range of media formats, including DVDs, audio CDs, and various streaming protocols. It offers a customizable interface with skins and extensions, ensuring a personalized media playback experience.

Key Features

Plays almost all multimedia formats including DVDs, CDs, and files
Cross-platform compatibility for Windows, Linux, macOS, and mobile devices
Built-in codecs eliminate the need for additional installations
Customizable skins and extensions for a personalized experience
Free and open source with no ads or user tracking

VLC media player delivers seamless playback of nearly all multimedia files without requiring additional codec packs. It is engineered to run efficiently on multiple operating systems such as Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, and Android, providing extensive compatibility and customization options for users.

Learn more about VLC

About Windows media player

Windows Media Player 3 is a renowned media player series produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers. It was initially released in 1991 as a successor to the outdated Windows 2.x. This 16-bit media player introduced several enhancements to the Windows-based platform, including improved system stability and expanded multimedia support. Windows Media Player 3 is compatible with Windows 3.0/3.1 and Windows NT 3.1/3.5/3.51. Although it is no longer available for download from the official Microsoft website, you can still find and download the complete releases of Windows Media Player 3.0 and 3.1 on this page. Windows Media Player is widely recognized as the default media player for Windows OS, allowing users to play multimedia files and various streaming media protocols effortlessly. It has become the go-to choice for millions of users worldwide due to its reliability and functionality.

This comparison data was compiled with AI assistance.

Windows media player

Windows Media Player 3 is a series of media player produced by MS for use on PC. The series began with Windows 3.0, which was first published during April 1991.

Visit Website

Browse Alternatives to Windows media player