Best video player windows free

Since most computers come installed with a video player, why would anyone hassle with downloading a third-party software? Simple. These built-in video players/media players only support a limited range of formats, meaning that half of the time you can’t even open the files you need. 

Relying on the installed video player could cause you to need multiple players — one to play music, one to play DVDs, one to play videos, and one for streaming — because it can’t handle the files. You can install plug-ins and codecs to improve compatibility, but some videos might remain out of reach. All of this is time-consuming and takes up space on your computer, causing everything to run slowly.

When choosing a video player for Windows, your primary consideration should be the ability to play the widest range of video and audio files, without downloading any plug-ins. 

In this article, we’ve found the best free video players/media players that make it easy to play videos  — no codes or troubleshooting required.

• Top 3 Video Players/Media Players for Windows Snapshot
• How to Choose the Best Video Player/Media Player
• 17 Best Free Video Players/Media Players for Windows 11 in 2023
• Best Video Players/Media Players for Windows 11 Comparison Chart
• How to Use a Video Player/Media Player
• Download the Best Video Player/Media Player for Windows 11 for Free
• Video Player/Media Player FAQ

Top 3 Video Players/Media Players for Windows Snapshot

How to Choose the Best Video Player/Media Player

How can you decide which video player is right for you when there are so many options? Before you get overwhelmed, read our tips below for how to choose the best way to play videos on your PC.

Features

The biggest thing that separates the media players on our list is features. They will all allow you to play videos, but some can also play DVDs and Blu-rays, stream online radio, and play videos from YouTube. Are you planning to play videos on your laptop, or do you want to casting and upscaling features to watch on the big screen? Do you need a virtual remote? Do you need subtitle options or media organization? Write a list of your feature must-haves so you can easily compare products as you go through the list below. 

Format Support 

You should also make a list of the types of formats you tend to play on your media player. Some options below can play outdated or even broken files, while others just play video and audio formats that are the most popular. Do you need support for audiobooks or podcasts? If you plan to play DVD and Blu-ray discs, make sure your video player can play menus, including chapter support and BD-Live. 

Ease of Use

Are you the type of user who likes control over every aspect of video playback, or do you want to simply hit play and let your video player optimize playback for you? Do you need a beginner-friendly tool, or are you looking for advanced features? We’ve made it easy for you to narrow down your choice by stating how user-friendly each product is in the “Bottom Line” part of our reviews.

17 Best Free Video Players/Media Players for Windows 11 in 2023

1. PowerDVD — Best Overall

Price: Free
*Premium versions are available for $59.99 for Standard or $99.99 for Ultra. A subscription is also available for $54.99/year.

Compatibility: Windows

TopTenReviews Rating: 4.5/5

Format Support: 5/5

Key Features

• All major formats supported up to 8K
• 360-degree video support
• Watch YouTube videos offline and ad-free
• Share your media with a link

Who It’s For

PowerDVD for Windows 11 is the best way to play any media on this list, ideal for both first-time and tech-savvy users. It offers a wide range of format support for practically any video or audio file. It allows you to play, screencast, or easily share your entire library of photos, videos, and music. This media player can also play DVDs, Blu-rays, and VOB files. You can do all this and more with stellar sound and video quality. 

Why We Picked It

All media files are easily searchable and there are media organization tools such as poster walls and metadata to help manage your growing collection. With CyberLink’s Cloud, you can store 100s of videos and watch them on your desktop, tablet, or mobile device with the PowerPlayer app. 

This movie player has media casting capabilities with Chromecast, Amazon FireTV, Roku, and Apple TV, so you can play videos on the big screen. 

Enjoy a cinema-like experience with improved HDR, color, lighting, and audio with True Theater video and Dolby. PowerDVD video player gives you a choice of layouts to optimize your viewing experience whether on PC or TV. 

There is a manual option to change brightness, hue, and saturation, but PowerDVD automatically upscales the quality of any DVD or Blu-ray. You can even change regions in case you bought a DVD from another country.

Bottom Line

PowerDVD for Windows 11 is a fully-featured multimedia software. The interface is clean and user-friendly. We think it is the best choice to play videos because it is filled with features, offers high-quality playback, is beginner-friendly, and even has advanced media organizational tools. You would be hard-pressed to find another video player that checks all those boxes. 

Click the button below to download PowerDVD and start optimizing your viewing experience.

2. KMPlayer — Best for Advanced Users

Image from codecs.

Compatibility: Windows

Google Play Rating: 4.3/5

Format Support: 5/5

Price: Free

Key Features

• Slideshow creator
• 3D and 360-degree VR playback
• Video to GIF creation
• 3D movie compatibility

Who It’s For

KMPlayer is another free and feature-rich video player for Windows 11. We think its sheer number of features makes it best for advanced users. With this media player, you can play videos,  control video and audio playback with buttons and hotkeys, and adjust the video screen and sound with noise reduction and super high-speed mode. KMPlayer uses Chromecast to cast videos from your PC to your TV with no lag. 

Why We Picked It

Watch up to 8K videos or play DVDs and Blu-ray content with this media player. KMPlayer also supports a variety of subtitle formats and built-in codecs. Play videos streamed from YouTube and other online platforms via URL, and then bookmark URL playback. It comes with excellent sorting functions and the ability to create video and audio playlists. 

Bottom Line

The downside to being so feature-rich is that KMPlayer is not for beginners, and it uses a lot of computer resources to function. PowerDVD is equally feature-rich, but is lighter on computer resources and is easy enough for first-time users. 

3. Zoom Player — Best Customizable UI

Image from apkmonk.

Compatibility: Windows

G2 Rating: 3.9/5

Format Support: 5/5

Price: Free
*Premium version available for $39.95/year or $109.95 for a lifetime license

Key Features

• 10-Band audio equalizer
• Playlist editor including YouTube playlists
• Password protection
• Bookmarks and Play History feature

Who It’s For

Advanced users who like total control over their software will love Zoom Player. This video player has hundreds of customization options for both the look of the user interface and the functionality. There’s a programmable keyboard editor and advanced mouse controls. You can even turn your Android device into a remote (for an extra charge) or use your Xbox 360 remote to control playback. 

Why We Picked It 

With Zoom Player you can stream audio and video and play DVDs and Blu-rays. There are also plenty of customizations for video and audio playback. One thing we loved about this media player was the built-in Media Scanner, which scans your PC for any media and adds it to your library automatically. Zoom Player’s Media Library stores an impressive amount of video metadata including cast, rating, run time, release date, and more. 

Bottom Line

Zoom Player is a great choice for type-A personalities who like total control over every aspect of their media libraries. It is not recommended for those on the opposite spectrum who just want to play videos without making a ton of decisions. Zoom Player is one of the most feature-rich options on our list, making it great for more advanced users, but overwhelming for beginners. The reason it is behind KMPlayer is that user reviews across the board mentioned the clunky download process and issues with glitches and lagging. It feels like Zoom Player bit off more than it could chew, offering a large number of features without the bandwidth to back it up. 

4. PotPlayer — Best for Customizing Video

Compatibility: Windows

AlternativeTo Rating: 4/5

Format Support: 4.8/5

Price: Free

Key Features

• Side by Side, Top and Bottom, and Page Flipping supported
• 3D and 360-degree video support
• Supports various subtitle formats
• Converts HDR to SDR

Who It’s For

PotPlayer is a free and lightweight way to play videos on Windows 11. We like this media player for advanced users because of its many customization options. The video player itself is fully customizable, and you can also adjust your viewing experience with manual controls for brightness, contrast, and hue. 

Why We Picked It

With this video player, you can play a DVD, bookmark your favorite scene or chapter in a video, split audio tracks, and output to different devices. It supports OpenCodec, which means users can add whatever codecs they want without installing new ones all the time. From large files to broken files, PotPlayer can play them all with fast, seamless video playback and a rich sound you can fine-tune with the built-in graphic equalizer. 

Bottom Line

PotPlayer’s many customizations make it a good movie player for more advanced users, but not for beginners. It falls below our top 3 options because it lacks some key features, such as online video streaming and casting. We also found its user interface unappealing. But if you are just looking for a video player that will play videos with excellent quality, then PotPlayer is for you. 

5. Kodi — Best for Organization

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

G2 Rating: 4.2/5

Format Support: 4.5/5

Price: Free

Key Features

• Parental Controls
• Stream internet radio
• Video game and game controller support
• Record and watch Live TV

Who It’s For

Kodi is a free and open-source movie player and entertainment hub. It’s a great tool for users with a large media library to store all their digital content in one place, including TV, movies, podcasts, music, photos, games, and more. Your movie collection is stored with artwork, cast, and genre, and the TV library shows episode and season views, posters or banners, watched tags, show descriptions, and actors. 

Why We Picked It

This video player has a catalog of over 900 add-ons to personalize your viewing experience. Since Kodi is open-source, some add-ons are added to the library that don’t exist, don’t work, or have copyright-infringement issues, so users should only use official Kodi add-ons. 

Some add-ons worth noting are: 

• PlayOn: add all your streaming accounts like Netflix and Hulu 
• Black and White Movies: free access to classic films with expired copyrights
• National Geographic: a large selection of free documentaries
• Sports Devil: live stream sports

Bottom Line

Kodi is a great place for movie and tv lovers to organize and store their digital files in one place. However, adding all that content as well as add-ons means it can run slow and glitchy at times. Also, adding add-ons can be complicated, making this video player difficult for first-time users. And while it can play DVDs, it has patchy support for Blu-ray. For a more beginner-friendly video player with organizational features, try PowerDVD.    

6. Leawo Blu-ray Player — Best for CPU

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

TopTenReviews Rating: 4/5

Format Support: 4.5/5

Price: Free
*Premium version available for $44.95/year

Key Features

• Support for Dolby, AAC, TrueHD, DTS-HD
• Virtual remote control
• Customizable skins and backgrounds
• Multi-Angle feature for multicamera movies

Who It’s For

Leawo Blu-ray Player is a lightweight video player with a Power Manager feature that conserves your PC’s battery life without sacrificing playback quality. We think this is an excellent video player for anyone who likes to play videos and work on their computer at the same time.  

Why We Picked It

There are many options to tweak playback when you play videos on Leawo Blu-ray Player. Watch full-screen, adjust subtitles, change video and audio settings, and more. Leawo will play DVDs, HD video, ISO files player, audio files, and Blu-ray including 4K UHD. You can also take screenshots during video playback and save the images in a variety of formats. 

Bottom Line

If you are looking for a media player to simply play videos on your computer without lag and with prolonged battery life (for a long road trip or flight for example), then Leawo Blu-ray Player is an excellent choice. Although it is light on system resources, it is also light on features. This video player lacks a lot of tools found in other options on our list, such as screencasting and organizational features. Although Leawo and PotPlayer are both lightweight with a similar feature set, we put PotPlayer above it on our list because it has slightly better format support.  

7. SMPlayer — Best for Playing YouTube Videos

Compatibility: Windows, Linux

SourceForge Rating: 4.4/5

Format Support: 4/5

Price: Free

Key Features

• Video and audio filters
• Adjust playback speed
• Video equalizer
• Support for over 30 languages

Who It’s For

If you are looking for a media player to play videos from YouTube, check out SMPlayer. It is free and open-source with wide format support for most video and audio files, including YouTube and MPV. Best of all, you can do this without the added hassle of searching and downloading codec packs. There’s also an available plug-in that allows you to search for YouTube videos in the software.   

Why We Picked It

You can change the look of SMPlayer with the included skins and icon themes. And don’t worry if you need to quit playback for an extended period of time. This media player will remember where you left off and save your playback settings. And not only can you search and download subtitles, but you can also play videos with 2 subtitles on the screen at once, in different languages. 

Bottom Line

SMPlayer can play videos and audio of almost any file type without needing additional codecs to do so. However, it can’t play DVDs or Blu-rays, which is why it falls behind Leawo Blu-ray Player on our list of video/media players. 

8. GOM Player — Best for Subtitles

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

CNET Rating: 4.1/5

Format Support: 4/5

Price: Free
*GOM Player Plus is available for $25.

Key Features

• VOB file player
• Support for VR and 360-degree video
• Mini web feature to play videos from YouTube
• Pre-installed skins and logos for customization

Who It’s For

We found that GOM Player is a good movie player to use if you frequently play videos with the subtitles turned on. This video player for Windows 11 has a dedicated subtitle button in its control menu on the screen, and you can turn subtitles on/off with the click of a button. You can also adjust text size and placement. If you find a video without a subtitle option, GOM Player will automatically search the web and find and sync the subtitles for you. 

Why We Picked It

Play videos and tweak brightness, contrast, saturation, time jumps, playback speed, and audio. This video player comes loaded with built-in codecs, so if it doesn’t already support a file format, you can easily find and download the codec that does. It even works with corrupt media files and downloads any missing codecs to help them run properly.

Bottom Line

Although GOM Player doesn’t offer support for all file formats, the large codec library is available to fill in the gaps. However, downloading the appropriate codec every time you use an unsupported file can be time-consuming. Our number 1 video player, PowerDVD, has native support for any file type. 

9. Vidmore Player — Best for Large Files

Image from Vidmore.

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

Softpedia Rating: 4/5

Format Support: 4/5

Price: Free trial, then $29.95/month or $59.95 for a lifetime license.

Key Features

• Play DVDs, Blu-ray discs, folders and ISO files
• Adjust screen size
• Snapshot icon for screenshots
• Quick chapter navigation

Who It’s For

If you have large files that your current media player can’t handle, give Vidmore Player a try. Vidmore Player is a quality-loss video player that allows you to play large files with no lag. This is due to Vidmore’s built-in converter, which reduces the file size of your media without sacrificing quality. This video player will playback any video format in 4K with high-quality audio. 

Why We Picked It

This movie player offers control over playback with the typical title, chapter, volume, and subtitle adjustments. It also provides some more advanced controls such as changing or disabling an audio track, changing the audio channel to Stereo, Reverse Stereo, Left, or Right, and adjusting the hue, brightness, contrast, saturation, and Gamma of your video.  

Bottom Line

In our test, Vidmore Player did exactly what it claimed to do — it could play DVDs, Blu-rays, and video files at high quality. However, it lacked many key features found in other video players, such as streaming, screencasting, media organization, and a virtual remote. And the free trial version has even fewer features. Some other video players on our list, such as Kodi, offer more features and are entirely free.

10. 5KPlayer — Best for Screencast

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

Trustpilot Rating: 3/5

Format Support: 5/5

Price: Free

Key Features

• Supports 360-degree and VR video
• Embedded video converter
• Screen recording capabilities
• Deinterlace option for progressive scanning videos

Who It’s For

5KPlayer is a free video player, MP3 downloader, converter, and radio player that streams online stations. This media player for Windows 11 will give you a night-at-the-movies experience with TrueTheater technology, DLNA Streaming, and Airplay mirroring for Apple users. This ensures there is never any quality loss or lagging when sharing or streaming content over wifi.

Why We Picked It

It supports all major video formats and will play DVDs from any region. 5KPlayer has built-in hardware acceleration for rendering 1080p, 4K, and 8K. You can set your preferred aspect ratio and rotate videos recorded in the wrong orientation. You can also download content from YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, Yahoo, Vine, and more than 300 other sites, then save and watch it later. 

Bottom Line

5KPlayer provides flawless video and audio streaming and supports a large number of formats. However, we found that many users have complained of frequent computer crashes and other problems. It is also very difficult to uninstall and makes it impossible to use any other video player while the software is installed. That’s why 5KPlayer sits at number 10 on our list, even though it has better format support and more features than some of the options above it. Check recent reviews before downloading this video player to make sure issues are resolved.  

11. AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player — Best for Playlists

Image from AnyMP4.

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

G2 Rating: 4.3/5

Format Support: 3.5/5

Price: Free trial, then $31.20/month or $57.45 for a lifetime license

Key Features

• Switch to full-screen mode
• Take snapshots of playback
• Video control hotkeys
• Customize language

Who It’s For

If you love making playlists, then AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player is for you. With this media player, you can create playlists for and play DVDs, Blu-rays, digital video files, and music. It automatically creates a playlist of your recent playback history, making it easy to find your current favorites. You can manage playlists by adding or deleting files and even play a DVD or Blu-ray playlist of specific chapters. 

Why We Picked It

Choose a particular audio track, device, or channel and adjust the volume accordingly. You can also adjust the video settings by tweaking hue, saturation, brightness, contrast, and gamma. AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player provides GPU acceleration, so files run quickly and smoothly on your desktop. 

Bottom Line

We liked AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player’s playlist options, but wish it offered more media management tools and included all digital media, like photos, podcasts, and audiobooks. The lack of a truly free version and limited feature set put this movie player near the bottom of our list.   

12. VLC Media Player — Best for Compatibility

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

TrustPilot Rating: 3.1/5

Format Support: 4.5/5

Price: Free

Key Features

• Synchronous Subtitles
• 360-degree video support
• Play videos up to 8K resolution
• Video and audio filters

Who It’s For

VLC Media Player is a free and open-source way for advanced users to play videos on any device.  This video player is compatible with any type of operating system. Windows users can use it on their PC, Windows phone, or Android, while Apple users can get it on Mac, iPhone, and AppleTV. It’s also compatible with ChromeOS, Solaris, and every type of Linux or GNU such as Ubuntu and Mint. 

Why We Picked It

This video player can play videos from any media file or device, including VCDs, webcams, and streaming protocols. It can also play DVDs and CDs, but not Blu-ray. We liked that you can play videos while they are still downloading and play Zip files without individually unpacking them. You can also expand VLC’s offerings with downloadable plug-ins to optimize video and audio playback for each device. It plays almost all codecs with no codec packs needed.  

Bottom Line

VLC Media Player is completely free with no ads, spyware, or user tracking. It plays a wide range of file formats, making it a great movie player for people playing very old or unusual formats. It is filled with features, but there is a steep learning curve. Also, you cannot use tags on VLC Media Player, making organization difficult. Its learning curve and lack of Blu-ray support put this behind AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player. 

13. Aiseesoft Blu-ray Player — Best for Beginners

Image from Aiseesoft.

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

TopTenReviews Rating: 3.5/5

Format Support: 4/5

Price: 30-day free trial, then $31.20/month or $62.45 for a lifetime license

Key Features

• Create playlists
• Take screenshots during playback
• Support for Dolby TrueHD
• Customizable skins

Who It’s For

Aiseesoft is an AI-powered video player that can play DVDs, Blu-rays, popular video and audio formats, and ISO files. The automation makes it a good movie player for beginners who can play back a variety of formats with minimal effort. It even offers auto-updates whenever an update is available, without making the user sign into their account. This video player has a pared-down feature set, making it easy for non-tech-savvy individuals to navigate. 

Why We Picked It

You can play 1080p/720p HD Blu-ray losslessly from any region with this movie player. We were quite impressed with its Blu-ray playback capabilities and almost labeled Aiseesoft Blu-ray Player “Best for Blu-ray,” until we realized it doesn’t support BD-Live. 

Bottom Line

The best thing going for Aiseesoft Blu-ray Player is its ability to play DVDs, Blu-rays, and any digital file at high-quality. But aside from wide format support, we found it severely lacking in features, especially compared to the other video players on our list. It also eats up a ton of hard drive space — 10 times more than Leawo Blu-ray Player, which has a similar set of features. 

14. ALLPlayer — Best for Parental Controls

Image from ALLPlayer.

Compatibility: Windows

CNET Rating: 3.9/5

Format Support: 3.5/5

Price: Free

Key Features

• Dual monitor support
• Sound visualizations
• Change playback aspect ratio
• Dolby surround

Who It’s For

One of the only video players to offer parental controls, ALLPlayer is the best choice for kids. Parents can password-protect any videos they deem inappropriate. We also like it for anyone trying to play broken or obscure media formats, because ALLPlayer uses its AVI Doctor feature to repair broken files. 

Why We Picked It 

ALLPlayer has a plethora of playback controls. With this media player, you can take a snapshot of the screen, flip or rotate video, adjust color settings, and much more. You can also stream live radio and play DVDs and CDs. ALLPlayer is best known, however, for its automatic and customizable subtitles. 

Bottom Line

ALLPlayer can play broken media files, offers the unique feature of parental controls, and has excellent subtitle and playback options. However, it does not support Blu-ray or screencasting, and has a sketchy installation process.

15. BS.Player — Best Language Support

Image from DefKey.

Compatibility: Windows

CNET Rating: 3.3/5

Format Support: 4/5

Price: Free
*BS.Player Pro is available for $29.90

Key Features

• Playback for AVCHD movies
• Pan and scan feature for widescreen
• Programmable hotkeys
• Customizable skins

Who It’s For

If your native language is not often represented in media player software, then we recommend BS.Player. It labels itself as “a product for the world,” as it is available in 90 languages and includes excellent subtitle options. When you play a video, it will automatically download any missing subtitles and supports all the popular subtitle formats. You can customize subtitles and have dual subtitles on the screen during playback. 

Why We Picked It

BS.Player will play DVDs and HD DVDs with chapter ability as long as you have the proper codec installed. It also supports YouTube playback and the ability to save YouTube videos to a local disk. 

Bottom Line

BS.Player takes up very little CPU and is a good way to play DVDs and videos for non-English speakers. It’s so lightweight because it lacks features, such as Blu-ray support, screencasting, and media organization. We recommend Leawo as a better option for anyone with an older computer or little hard drive space.  

16. DivX Player — Best for Converting Files

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

CNET Rating: 3.6/5

Format Support: 3/5

Price: Free
*Pro version available for $19.99.

Key Features

• 4K support
• Chapter points
• Create, play, and loop playlists
• Transcode and stream without conversion

Who It’s For

When you download free software from DivX, you get a Player, Converter, and Media Server.  

The converter allows you to drag and drop popular video formats into DivX, MKV, HEVC, and MP4 files. There are also custom encoding settings to tweak resolution, bitrate, file size, video orientation, and more. These newly converted videos will play on more than 1 billion DivX video devices.

Why We Picked It

This video player allows you to add up to 8 audio tracks and subtitles, and you can change the order with a single click. You can also switch seamlessly between audio tracks without interrupting playback — in case you want to change languages or decide to turn on director commentary. Cast media files including videos, music, and photos to any DLNA-compatible device with this movie player.

Bottom Line

DivX Player came onto the scene years ago, back when DivX files were new, and there weren’t many ways to watch them. Nowadays, almost every video player has DivX support, plus support for many other formats. While DivX Player can play a wide range of formats, it has to convert them first into DivX. The movie player also lacks native support for Blu-ray playback and the installation process sneaks unwanted software on your computer. For an entirely worry-free installation process, try PowerDVD or Aiseesoft.

17. MediaMonkey — Best for Music

Image from MediaMonkey.

Compatibility: Windows

CNET Rating: 4/5

Format Support: 2.5/5

Price: Free
*Media Monkey Gold is available for $49.95.

Key Features

• Download and store metadata for digital files
• Remove duplicates
• Auto-Convert formats to play on any device
• Classify using multiple attributes

Who It’s For

MediaMonkey is a media management tool for serious collectors in need of organization. It offers media management and playback for videos, podcasts, and audiobooks, but is mostly geared toward music. With this media player, you can listen to online radio and sync Spotify playlists with your own. Manage your music by album, song, genre, or artist. There’s even an auto DJ that will keep playing similar tracks if your playlist runs dry. 

Why We Picked It

We like MediaMonkey’s unique feature that will create reports or generate statistics for your music collection. Perfect for users who often wonder what song gets played the most at any given time of life. It can also cast video and audio to any DLNA device. 

Bottom Line

Although MediaMonkey has excellent tools for audio playback, it does little to enhance video. We like this media player for its vast media organizational tools. Since it is free, it could work nicely alongside one of the free movie players above that can play DVDs and Blu-rays but may lack media management features. For an all-in-one solution, try PowerDVD. It has similar organizational tools, plus upscaled audio and video for a home-theater experience.  

Best Video Players/Media Players for Windows 11 Comparison Chart

How to Use a Video Player/Media Player

Here is a step-by-step guide for setting up a home theater using the PowerDVD video player. Click the button below to download it for free and follow along:

1. Launch PowerDVD from the Windows start menu.
2. Enter PC Mode.
3. Click the + icon, next to Media Library to import all of the movie files into your collection.



4. In the window that displays, select Add Movie Folder. Select the folder on your computer where your video files are stored and start the import.



5. After the importing is complete, connect your computer via HDMI or cast your content.

Plug an HDMI cable into the HDMI port of your computer and connect the other end to an available HDMI port on your TV. If your computer doesn’t have an HDMI port, you’ll need an adapter.

If you don’t want to connect your computer to your TV, you can cast your media from your PowerDVD to any Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, or Chromecast device.

For a more in-depth look at setting up your Home Theater with PowerDVD video player, click here.

Download the Best Video Player/Media Player for Windows 11 for Free

The right video player will allow you to easily play videos and organize your multimedia collection in a searchable library. Ideally, you want software offering support for all media files and resolutions without the need for additional codecs or plug-ins. PowerDVD does all of the above and more, including cloud-streaming, casting to a TV or projector, offline viewing, and media sharing.

PowerDVD gives you the most cinema-like experience of all the video players in this article. True Theater technology and Dolby work together to upscale the quality of video and audio. 

This video player can play DVDs and can handle 8K resolution and Ultra HD Blu-ray. Use an HDMI cable to watch on the big screen, or simply cast from your PC using Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, or Chromecast devices.

PowerDVD is the best all-around media player for Windows 11 on the market.

Click the button below to download PowerDVD for free and turn your living room into a home theater. 

Выбор видеоплеера чаще всего базируется на сугубо личном мнении. Для некоторых пользователей важен внешний вид, другие ищут возможность
проигрывать субтитры, кто-то хочет вручную регулировать параметры отображения видеокадра. В этой статье мы рассмотрим лучшие
условно-бесплатные и полностью бесплатные видеоплееры для Windows. Главными факторами при отборе стали удобное управление и
поддержка всех версий Windows на 32 и 64 бита.

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• Конвертация видео для YouTube, Vimeo, ВКонтакте

VLC Media Player

VLC Media Player очень популярен среди пользователей Windows, и не зря — он совершенно бесплатный и поддерживает почти все форматы без необходимости загрузки дополнительных кодеков. Плеер может оптимизировать воспроизведение видео и аудио для выбранного устройства, позволяет изменить параметры отображения во время просмотра фильмов и может быть расширен с помощью загружаемые плагинов.

Функция списка воспроизведения позволяет показывать несколько клипов один за другим. Это удобно, если вы загрузили фильм в нескольких частях или хотите посмотреть несколько видеороликов подряд. VLC поддерживает потоковую передачу и может воспроизводить медиафайлы по мере загрузки. Вы также можете воспроизводить ZIP-файлы, не распаковывая их.

Преимущества:

• Воспроизводит видеофайлы с любых носителей;
• Распознает практически все форматы без становления кодеков;
• Быстро работает с разрешением HD, 4К и 8К, 360.

Недостатки:

• Иногда выдает ошибку при проигрывании DVD.

PotPlayer

Этот бесплатный плеер для компьютера на русском языке воспроизводит любые форматы медиафайлов и позволяет проигрывать видеопоток с любых подключаемых устройств, в том числе аналоговое ТВ. На первый взгляд он может показаться простым, но PotPlayer — невероятно мощный медиаплеер со встроенными инструментами редактирования, функцией записи экрана и поддержкой новейших видеотехнологий.

PotPlayer совместим практически со всеми форматами и включает в себя фильтры и эффекты, которые можно применять к проигрываемым фильмам. Любимые видеоролики можно добавлять в закладки и составить плейлист. Внешний вид можно изменить, выбрав понравившийся вариант из библиотеки скинов.

Преимущества:

• Поддержка Ultra HD, 3D и 360;
• Присутствуют инструменты редактирования;
• Адаптирован под сенсорные экраны.

Недостатки:

• Бывают проблемы с отображением русскоязычных субтитров;
• Не поддерживает Blu-ray.

KMPlayer

KMPlayer – многофункциональная программа с большим количеством опций и настроек. На самом деле это одна из проблем, с которыми могут столкнуться некоторые пользователи — она не так проста и понятна, как другие популярные приложения. Из-за этого вам придется некоторое время потратить на освоение настроек, но как только вы его пройдете, то можете смело отказываться от других альтернатив.

Приложение умеет декодировать 4К, 3D, Ultra HD и проигрывает фильмы с DVD и Blue-Ray. Доступен просмотр по ссылке с YouTube, при этом ролик можно просто просмотреть или полностью скачать на компьютер. Среди многочисленных настроек присутствуют скрины, пресеты отображения, настройки субтитров и захват экрана в видео или графику.

Преимущества:

• Умеет корректно проигрывать поврежденные видеофайлы;
• Позволяет просматривать ролики с YouTube с сохранением или без;
• Установки для улучшения проигрывания: резкость, шумоподавление, деинтерлейсинг и др.

Недостатки:

• Неудобное управление настройками;
• Присутствуют рекламные вставки.

Media Player Classic

Media Player Classic — один из самых функциональных и в то же время простых в использовании медиаплееров. Благодаря поддержке широкого диапазона форматов этот быстрый и легкий плеер хорошо работает как в старых, так и в новых операционных системах виндовс. Проигрыватель имеет минималистичный интерфейс с удобной группировкой основных функций, благодаря чему его освоение отнимает мало времени. Дополнительно пользователь может самостоятельно выбрать, какие пункты нужно отображать в меню либо полностью скрыть строку с инструментами.

Media Player Classic распространяется с пакетом кодеков K-Lite, поэтому умеет воспроизводить любые форматы, даже такие редкие, как HEIV или Webm. Так как здесь есть функции автоулучшения, это позволяет сохранить плавное воспроизведение фильмов в высоком качестве даже на слабой видеокарте. Поскольку он занимает мало системных ресурсов и не отображает рекламу, это отличный проигрыватель видео для всех форматов для ПК и ноутбука любой мощности.

Преимущества:

• Максимально простое и удобное управление не в ущерб функциональности;
• Практически отсутствует нагрузка на ЦПУ даже при просмотре 4К;
• Можно проигрывать субтитры и файлы дубляжа параллельно с основным видео.

Недостатки:

• Не поддерживает потоковое видео.

Winamp

Winamp знаком всем «ветеранам» Windows, так как в одно время это был практически самый популярный плеер. Проигрыватель включал в себя такие продвинутые для начала 2000х функции, как эквалайзер, фильтры отображения, плейлисты. С появлением более продвинутых конкурентов он потерял основную популярность, но разработчики постоянно обновляют свой продукт согласно новым технологиям.

Winamp поставляется с набором скинов, в том числе есть классическая версия, позволяет проигрывать медиафайлы по ссылке, добавлять файлы в плейлисты и ставить закладки. Основной функционал можно расширить при помощи встроенных или сторонних плагинов. Однако в основном Winamp разработан для прослушивания аудио, поэтому он умеет читать только широко известные типы видеофайлов: MP4, AVI, MPEG, WMV, FLV.

Плюсы:

• Поддержка сторонних плагинов;
• Удобно создавать плейлисты и сортировать треки;
• Присутствует эквалайзер для настройки звука.

Минусы:

• Небольшой выбор видеоформатов;
• Последняя версия не поддерживает русский язык.

Windows Media Player

Windows Media Player по умолчанию встроен в каждую сборку виндовс, от XP и 7 до 10 версии. Медиаплеер обладает удобным, но довольно устаревшим интерфейсом, позволяет проигрывать видео и аудио в случайном порядке и проигрывать целые папки. Основные возможности нацелены на прослушивание музыки, но есть в ней и инструменты для видео.

Можно включить субтитры и в графическом эквалайзере настроить яркость и цветопередачу ролика. Также можно вручную настроить скорость воспроизведения и настроить авторегулировку громкости. Однако стоит отметить, что плеер базируется на установках системы. Это значит, что для его использования сначала нужно скачать и установить библиотеку кодеков.

Плюсы:

• Встроен в каждую версию Windows, поэтому не требует скачивания;
• Позволяет регулировать параметры скорости и насыщенности во время просмотра;

Минусы:

• Требует установки дополнительных кодеков.

Light Alloy

Light Alloy — небольшой компактный медиаплеер, предназначенный для загрузки и воспроизведения самых популярных форматов мультимедиа, таких как AVI, VOB, FLV, MKV и MOV. Он имеет простой, но понятный интерфейс, хотя некоторые пользователи могут найти его несколько устаревшим. В этом случае доступна библиотека скинов, которые включают в себя темный и светлый дизайн.

В приложение уже встроен пакет кодеков, так что у вас не возникнет проблем при проигрывании стандартных видеоформатов. При желании можно их отключить и переключиться на системную библиотеку. Дополнительно плеер умеет читать DVD и Blu-ray и автоматически подхватывает субтитры, если они расположены в той же папке, что и сам файл.

Плюсы:

• Присутствуют фильтры и визуализаторы;
• Можно отрегулировать тайминг субтитров при рассинхроне с видеорядом;
• Создание и сортировка плейтингов и расстановка тегов.

Минусы:

• Сразу после установки пытается изменить настройки системы;
• При открытии клип не проигрывается, а ставится в очередь.

MKV Player

MKV Player — довольно базовый плеер, предлагающий только самые основные возможности. Отличительной чертой является его дизайн — в отличие от иконок, как в большинстве случаев, в этом плеере встроены кнопки с надписями функций. Исходя из того, что программа не переведена на русский язык, эта особенность не очень хорошо сказывается на юзабилити.

В приложении нет дополнительных настроек отображения, можно только изменить разрешение экрана и отрегулировать громкость. Можно просматривать фильмы покадрово и закрепить поверх других окон. Проигрыватель умеет просматривать другие форматы, кроме MKV, но не рассчитан на редкие типы и часто выдает ошибки при просмотре других расширений. В целом можно сказать, что MKV Player пригодится только для тех, кому нужно очень базовое средство просмотра.

Плюсы:

• Высокое качество картинки;
• Удобный поиск по плейлисту;
• Можно делать скриншоты.

Минусы:

• Установщик распознается некоторыми браузерами и антивирусами как подозрительный;
• Не переведен на русский язык;
• Автоматически снимает видео с паузы.

Cyberlink PowerDVD

PowerDVD от фирмы Cyberlink в целом разработан для просмотра высококачественных HD фильмов с DVD и Blu-ray дисков, но его можно использовать как стандартный проигрыватель для аудио и видеофайлов. Программа включает в себя совершенно уникальные функции, которые нельзя встретить у бесплатных конкурентов, например, встроенный агент для Twitter, через который можно поделиться в социальном аккаунте впечатлениями о просмотренном фильме.

Параметры картинки можно отрегулировать вручную, а если вам нужно остановить клип, приложение запоминает позицию и при новом запуске предлагает восстановить просмотр. Встроенный диспетчер питания позволяет регулировать нагрузку на батарею, что станет приятным дополнением для тех, кто смотрит фильмы с ноутбука. Более того, ПО позволяет подключить смартфон как пульт дистанционного управления.

Плюсы:

• Несмотря на большой функционал, почти не нагружает ЦПУ;
• Не тормозит даже при просмотре высококачественного контента;
• Большой выбор опций для оптимизации и улучшения видеороликов.

Минусы:

• Требует регистрации на сайте;
• Высокая стоимость (от 60 долларов);
• Бюджетная версия (59.99$) проигрывает только MP4 и DVD.

MP4 Player

MP4 Player не отличается большим набором опций, как другие рассмотренные варианты, но вполне подойдет для простого просмотра. Кроме MP4, он также открывает WebM, FLV, MKV, WMV, MOV, AVI и 3GP, что достаточно для большинства пользователей. К тому же, можно повлиять на то, как будет отображаться изображение: доступны поворот, отражение, небольшая подборка фильтров.

Как во многих подобных программах, здесь также поддерживается создание плейлистов. Новые пункты в список добавляются путем перетаскивания, что значительно экономит время. В целом это хороший простой вариант для быстрого просмотра, но можно найти бесплатный аналог с намного большим функционалом.

Плюсы:

• Удобное управление и приятный дизайн;
• Подгружает также конвертер и загрузчик;
• Можно подключать субтитры и аудиотреки.

Минусы:

• Базовый функционал не оправдывает цену;
• Нет русскоязычной локализации.

Заключение

Как видите, вполне возможно подобрать бесплатный видеопроигрыватель для Windows 10 со всеми нужными функциями.
Из рассмотренных примеров только два варианта требуют оплаты: CyberLink и MP4 Player. Первый — полноценный медиакомбайн для ПК и ТВ,
так что стоит ли он своих денег, решать вам. Второй — базовый вариант, который можно без ущерба заменить практически любым бесплатным аналогом.

Подводя итог, можно сказать, что лучшие варианты — VLC и Media Player Classic. Оба поставляются с встроенными кодеками, читают практически все форматы
и включают в себя примерно одинаковый пакет опций. Выбирайте VLC, если вы любите смотреть стримы, и MPC, если вам нужен не слишком перегруженный,
но при этом функциональный медиаплеер.

Если вам нужно сменить формат ролика, воспользуйтесь конвертером ВидеоМАСТЕР — он прост в управлении, обладает функционалом
для редактирования видео и поддерживает более 500 форматов и устройств.

Вам также может понравиться:

Выводы

Если вы решили скачать удобный проигрыватель видео для всех форматов, то можете смело выбрать любой из ТОПа. Среди самых функциональных и современных выделяются VLC, KMPlayer и 5KPlayer. Они универсальные, часто обновляются и стильно выглядят.

А сохранить ролик на жесткий диск или внешнее устройство поможет программа Экранная Студия. Достаточно запустить видеоряд в любимом проигрывателе и включить режим записи через рекордер. В Экранной Студии также можно просмотреть полученные видеоролики, а также улучшить качество или смонтировать свой клип.

Читайте также:

Поделиться с друзьями:

Windows 11 ships with a built-in video player known as Films & TV. While the Films & TV app is excellent, it still lacks many useful multimedia features. The first problem you’ll likely face while using the Films & TV app is file format incompatibility and playback issues.

While you can install video codecs on Windows 11 to fix playback issues caused by incompatible file formats, switching to a third-party media player app is better. Just like Windows 10, you have multiple choices when it comes to video players for Windows 11.

Also read: How to Install the New Media Player in Windows 11

Many free video players for Windows 11 online offer better features and deliver an excellent video playback experience.

You can start using those media players for Windows 11 to play locally stored videos on your device. But first, check out the best free video players for Windows 11.

1. VLC Media Player

Every list of best media players for PC is incomplete with the mention of VLC Media Player. VLC Media Player is a free and open-source media player app for almost every platform.

The media player can play almost all video and audio files and is cross-platform supported.

Compared to other media player apps for Windows 11, VLC Media Player is more lightweight and consumes fewer system resources. Apart from these, VLC Media Player can do other things like converting video files, streaming videos online, and more.

2. Media Player Classic

Both VLC Media Player and Media Player Classic share many similarities. The user interface is almost similar. Media Player Classic could be the best choice if you want an extremely lightweight, open-source media player for Windows 11.

Regarding file compatibility, Media Player Classic can run all video and audio files you can think of.

The installation file of Media Player Classic is entirely spyware free, and it displays no ads in the toolbar or any other elements of the media player.

3. GOM Player

Well, GOM Player is not as popular as a VLC media player or Media Player Classic; still, it offers many advanced features for playing videos.

The media player is fully compatible with the latest Windows 11 and offers many customization options. Apart from supporting regular video & audio file formats, GOM Player can also handle 360-degree and 8K videos.

GOM Player is free, but it shows ads in a few visual elements of the media player. If you can adjust to the ads, GOM Player could be your best choice.

4. 5KPlayer

5KPlayer is slightly more advanced than other video player apps in the article. It can play videos and manage your entire video collection saved on your local storage.

Once installed, 5KPlayer automatically scans your drives to find videos. After fetching the videos, it provides an entire video library in a single place.

Regarding file compatibility, 5KPlayer can play almost all major video formats, including 360-degree and 8K videos.

5. PotPlayer

PotPlayer is one of the best and most advanced video players for Windows 11 available on the web. Unlike other media players requiring a separate codec installation to support files, PotPlayer has a massive array of codecs built-in.

The free video player for Windows 11 supports almost all major video and audio file formats. Other than that, PotPlayer can even run 360-degree and 8K videos on a capable device.

Besides regular video playback, PotPlayer can do a wide range of other things like recording the screen, editing videos, and more.

6. KMPlayer

KMPlayer may not be a very popular option on the list; it still supports most of the popular video & audio file formats. In addition, the video player for Windows 11 PC is completely free to download & install and shows no advertisements.

Regarding file compatibility, KMPlayer supports various codecs and high-definition services such as 4K, UHD, and 3D videos. You can also use it to record your screen.

Even though KMPlayer is a very capable media player, it has a few bugs which often interrupt the video-watching experience.

7. MPV Player

The user interface of MPV Player looks old school; still, it’s one of the best free media players that you can have on Windows 11. MPV Player is a free, open-source, cross-platform media player known for its powerful scripting capabilities.

You can add scripts to make the media player do almost anything. If you are not interested in the technical thing, you can use it to play videos and audio.

The media player has no real GUI; it just has a small controller on the top of the video for basic control. Besides that, MPV Player can also use your GPU to decode your videos.

8. DivX Player

DivX Player is one of the rare video players for Windows 11 that supports the HECV format. This full-fledged video software lets you play, create, and cast your favorite videos.

The media player is available for Windows & MAC and has free and premium versions. The free version of DivX Player supports all major video & audio files, including the 4K videos.

9. PowerDVD

If you want a premium video viewing experience on your Windows 11 PC, look no other than PowerDVD. It’s a full-fledged media management app for Windows 11 that can help you manage all videos stored on your HDD/SSD.

Apart from playing videos stored on your local storage, PowerDVD can stream videos from online streaming sites. Not only that, but PowerDVD also allows downloading videos from streaming sites for offline playback.

Regarding file compatibility, PowerDVD supports all major video file formats, including the HEVC and XAVC-S.

10. AllPlayer

AllPlayer is a very underrated video player but is capable enough to compete with premium video players for Windows 11. You can use this free video player to play videos stored on your local storage.

AllPlayer supports all major file formats, including the latest video and audio standards, such as 4K Ultra HD and WebM. The most noticeable thing about AllPlayer is its ability to fetch the subtitles automatically.

Besides, AllPlayer supports Donly Surround, DTS, 3D Audio, SPDIF, and other sound systems. So, AllPlayer is an underrated free video player for Windows 11 that you shouldn’t miss.

11. Movies And TV

Movies And TV is the default Windows 11 Video player that’s good for those looking for ways to play basic video file formats.

While the video player is offered for free, it lacks any important features. Movies And TV also got support for SRT files; hence you can watch the videos and read subtitles.

The user interface is kept clean to ensure ease of use. The only drawback of Movies And TV is that it requires an additional codec pack for playing formats like MKV, MOV, and a few others.

12. MediaMonkey

MediaMonkey is a full-fledged media management tool for the Windows operating system. The primary purpose of MediaMonkey is to provide you with options to manage your local and cloud-based media files.

If you are not into file management, you can use MediaMonkey to play videos on your Windows 11 computer. It even allows you to convert the videos.

Regarding file compatibility, MediaMonkey supports almost all popular video and audio file formats you could think of.

13. KODI Player

KODI Player is an open-source media player app for Windows. The media player is highly customizable and can provide a media center type experience.

The most unique thing about KODI Player is that it supports adding add-ons. Kodi Add-ons can drastically increase the functionality of the media player.

Also, a few plugins/add-ons let you watch movies & TV Shows for free. So, if you are looking for an ultimate video player for Windows 11, Kodi Player should be on your list.

Video Player for Windows 11 – FAQs

Which is the best Video Player for Windows 11?

The answer to this question depends on your video needs. If you want to play regular file formats, even the default Video player of Windows 11 is good.

However, to play modern video file format, use an open-source media player like VLC.

Is VLC Compatible with Windows 11?

Yes, the latest version of the VLC media player is fully compatible with the Windows 11 operating system. Download the VLC Media player from its official site or trusted third-party sources.

Does Windows 11 have a video player?

Yes, like every other versions of Windows, Windows 11 also has a new video player. The new video player can handle modern video and audio formats and also supports the srt files for subtitles.

Can I download videos with Video Players?

Not every video player can download videos. However, VLC has a feature that can record the video which is playing. Therefore, you can utilize that feature to download videos. Also, VLC supports video streaming from URLs.

Also read: 10 Best Free MKV Players For Windows

So, these are the best free video players for Windows 11 that you can use today. These media players for Windows 11 will help you resolve file incompatibility problems. If you know any other best video players for Windows 11, let us know in the comments.