5 Best Alternatives for Windows Media Player [2025]

For watching content, Windows Media Player has been a staple multimedia playback on Windows devices for decades. It is easy to use and has served countless users as a reliable tool for playing audio and videos. However, as technology has progressed, so have the demands of users, and with limited support for newer files, it no longer stands out as the ultimate choice.

Many users are seeking alternatives for Windows Media Player due to issues like limited file support, customization, and compatibility. Bearing this in mind, this guide will highlight the limitations of using this media player and the top 5 replacements, each having unique features.

Part 1. What Are the Limitations of Using Windows Media Player?

Before discovering the substitutes for Windows media players, learn about some of the main reasons why it is no longer the best choice:

Part 2. Discovering Top 5 Alternatives for Windows Media Player

If you're looking to upgrade your media experience, there are many replacements for Windows Media Players. Some of the top ones are given below that can provide you with unique features:

1. VLC Media Player

When it comes to the free and open-source media platforms, VLC Media Player stands out the most. It has a framework that plays most multimedia files, such as DVDs, studios, CDs, and various streaming protocols. Apart from that, this replacement for Windows Media Center is compatible with all devices, especially for iOS, iPadOS, and Apple TV.

Key Features

1. It has no spyware or user tracking, which ensures a secure and reliable choice for users who value their privacy.
2. VLC offers fast hardware decoding on most platforms, which allows you to play high-resolution videos.
3. With its wide range of video and audio filters, users can fine-tune and control how they watch and listen.

2. GOM Player

GOM Player is another substitute for Windows Media Player, which is a Korean-based platform known for its valuable features. It is compatible with all formatting support types, including more than 100 different audio and videos. This platform also offers VR mode, which allows you to experience 360-degree videos and explore content from every angle.

Key Features

1. You can choose the start and end second and even specify how many times you want that section of the video to be repeated.
2. GOM player features a very simple interface that is clean, convenient, and easy to navigate, which makes it perfect for beginners.
3. Its Korean vocalization Support displays lyrics in Katakana or Alphabet, making it easy to sing along to music videos for K-POP lovers.

3. KMPlayer

If you’re looking for an application that supports video and audio formats, then KMPlayer is the best choice. This alternative for Windows Media Player allows you to transfer files between your mobile devices and PC by connecting them to the same Wi-Fi network. Moreover, for added convenience, the Timer function lets you set a time to end the video automatically.

Key Features

1. With the help of MyList, you can make your playlist of videos and audio to organize and enjoy your favorite content.
2. You can also change the color, size, and position of the subtitles in the videos to suit your preference.
3. It has a Cloud Play that lets you access and stream your media across multiple devices by syncing your files.

4. foobar2000

The list for replacement for Windows Media Center includes foobar2000, which is an advanced audio player that is free to use. Its new Mac version allows layout customization, offering more flexibility in how you use the software. The foobar2000 mobile version supports SMB network shares, which enables easy access to media files on the local network.

Key Features

1. The mobile version introduces proper TV remote navigation, which makes it easier to control playback on skinned interfaces.
2. The Windows version primarily focuses on bug fixes and maintenance to ensure optimal performance and reliability.
3. It features a converter interface that works with command-line encoders to make it easier for users to manage.

5. PotPlayer

Last but not least is PotPlayer, a platform that delivers top performance while using a few system resources. This substitute for Windows Media Player is compatible with all kinds of video formats and provides you with a seamless experience. Besides, this platform supports OpenCodec for the easy addition of custom codecs.

Key Features

1. PotPlayer supports various types of 3D glasses to give an immersive experience on 3D TV or PC.
2. You can preview the screen by capturing the snapshots, which makes it easier to review the key moments of the video.
3. It lets you bookmark your favorite scene or chapter so that you can watch it whenever you want without the need to search.

Part 3. Tabular Comparison Between Replacements for Windows Media Player

To get a better understanding of this software, the following table can help you choose the best replacement for Windows media players:

Now that you have the comparative overview, choosing the right media player has never been easier. With all the features compared side-by-side, you can quickly identify which player suits your needs.

Bonus Part. Fix Corrupted Video Files to Play in Alternatives for Windows Media Player

If your video file isn't working on any alternatives to Windows Media Player, it can be corrupted. Therefore, you can use a versatile tool, Repairit, to repair your damaged media file. With the help of this tool, you can fix videos in up to 20 formats. It has a 98.15% high success rate, which can guarantee that your videos will be recovered without any problem.

Moreover, you can use its advanced video repair features for efficient recovery and restoration. To make your videos in high resolution and sharpen them, you can use its AI Enhancer. It is compatible with clips from all types of devices, whether it's a smartphone or a DSLR. You can also effortlessly repair and stabilize gyroscope data for GoPro sports camera videos to get rid of shaky videos.

Key Features

Wondershare Repairit - Video Repair

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1,010,994 people have downloaded it.

• Repair damaged videos with all levels of corruption, such as video not playing, video no sound, out-of-sync video or audio, playback errors, header corruption, flickering video, missing video codec, etc.

• Repair full HD, 4K, and 8K videos and support 20+ popular formats, including MOV, MP4, M2TS, MDT, RSV, WMV, MPEG, DAT, etc.

• Repair damaged or corrupted videos caused by video compression, system crashes, video format changes, etc.

• Repair critically damaged or corrupted RAW/LOG/HDR videos from professional cameras such as Blackmagic Design, RED Digital, ARRI, etc.

• Repairit has a quick and advanced scanning mode. You can use either depending on the level of corruption the video file has undergone.

• No limit to the number and size of the repairable videos.

• Repaired videos are more compatible with professional editing software such as DaVinci, Composer, Final Cut Pro, and Premiere Pro.

• Support Windows 11/10/8/7/Vista, Windows Server 2003/2008/2012/2016/2019/2022, and macOS 10.12~macOS 15.

Detailed Guide on How to Recover Your Corrupted Video Before Using These Alternatives

Now that you know this tool's features, let’s learn how to repair video files before using a substitute for a Windows media player:

Step 1. Click the “+Add” button to upload the damaged video file.

Step 2. Insert the damaged video files and press the “Repair” button to start the fixing process.

Step 3. Click the “Save” button to store the fixed files on your computer.

Conclusion

To sum up, Windows Media Player has become old software without advanced features. Therefore, this article has given you a list of top alternatives for Windows Media Player, which supports various formats and on different devices. However, sometimes your video file gets corrupted before you can run them in any media player. For that, you can use Repairit, a reliable tool to fix your broken or corrupted videos.