Best Video Players for Windows

A good video player is essential for watching videos and movies with optimal quality. It should be powerful and support features that allow you to get the most out of your viewing experience. There are many options available for Windows, which could be confusing when you are trying to select the right video player for your needs. While Windows Media Player is the default solution, it is likely that movie fans would prefer something more advanced. If you need a better video player, but don’t know where to start looking, our list of high quality video players is just what you need. The list includes options that stand out for their functionality, practical features and powerful performance.

KMPlayer

KMPlayer is one of the most versatile options available as it offers excellent support for an extensive selection of formats, including many that don’t work well with other players. It plays media files seamlessly and offers a great set of features such as internal codec files that improve playback. It also provides support for 3D, 2K, 4K and UHD so you will enjoy a remarkable viewing experience. Apart from being able to play files, you can set up libraries with music and video files. KMPlayer can also play DVDs and you can adjust playback screen to fit your screen. It is quite easy to use, free and includes a subtitle editor as well.

GOM Media Player

GOM Lab developed this practical player that is available for free and that offers support for several video formats including FLV and MKV. One of the best things about the GOM Media Player is that it offers advanced customization options a there are many skins supported. The official website offers many different skins to personalize the player and the GOM also delivers good performance. The codec finder will allow you to find a good selection of codecs on internet, in case the codec is missing in the GOM player. Other features available are video effects, audio capture and playback speed control.

VLC Media Player

This is a popular solution for users who want to watch their video and movie collection with convenience, while getting access to advanced features. VLC Media Player is free and open-source, which makes it a flexible and very appealing solution. Its streaming features are fantastic and the interface is easy to use and uncluttered. This player supports practically every video and audio format available, as well as a wide range of subtitle options and it doesn’t include annoying ads or malware. The default skin is very basic, which may be preferred by those who like simplicity. However, if you want to make it more stylish, you can get additional skins from the VLC Player site.

DivX Player

If you want to enjoy your movies and videos with superb quality, DivX is a fantastic choice. It supports ultra HD videos and HEVC Playback and it is specially designed for HG Video playback and streaming of media files across multiple devices. DivX Player works with MKV, MP4, AVI and many other popular video formats. You can stream media to multiple devices (as long as they have DLNA support) thanks to the Media Server feature included.

Practical playback features like FF/RW, optimized organization for playlists and advanced audio playback are also available. The Recently Watched playlist will give you the possibility of resuming viewing from where you stopped. Overall, it is a fantastic solution and it is also available for free.

RealPlayer

RealPlayer is a well-established tool that offers many options not only to watch movies, but to share content via the cloud. This will allow you to access the files from any device, no matter where you are. There is a free version that offers basic features, but if you want to enjoy the full functionality that RealPlayer offers, you should consider getting the paid option for $4.99 per month.

It comes with storage space of 365 GB and it is a good option if your have multiple devices and need to access your library on the go. Other great features are the possibility of watching movies on the big screen and you can also create bookmarks so that you keep easy access to your favorite content.

MPC-HC

MPC-HC stands for Media Player Classic – Home Cinema and it is an ideal option for those who are looking for a lightweight desktop solution with support for different video formats. Although it is free, it doesn’t feature ads and allows you to play media files smoothly. Its integrated codec support lets you to play video files, no matter how rare the video formats might be. You can install different skins and toolbars to suit your own preferences and style. Although it is lightweight, it offers enough power to deal with even the heaviest files. Additionally, it offers a portable version for even more functionality.

UMPlayer

Universal Media Player is also a great alternative for video fans. This free, open source player includes codec support and gives you the possibility of playing files like XVID, VOB, Matroska. MP4 and more. You can select media source from a large list of options such as YouTube and other popular streaming platforms. It is efficient and you can customize its looks with additional skins.

SMPlayer

Simple, easy to use and effective, SMPlayer is a free option that provides built-in codecs, a selection of skins to personalize the looks of the tool and subtitle support. In addition, you can play video from YouTube directly, with great quality and efficiency. SMPlayer is also open source and it uses MPlayer as the media playback engine, which guarantees that you get a good playback experience.

Plex

Plex offers online space so you can store video files easily and access them whenever needed. It supports all the features of a standard video player for Windows, but in addition, it can be used as a media server for an additional price. The free version works well as a basic solution, but you can opt for paid plans to get more out of it.

Potplayer

This is another great choice for Windows users who want a better playback experience. It uses Hardware Acceleration to improve the performance while you are playing media files. It stands apart from other players by offering support for different types of 3D glasses and 3D-focused features. You can also get 3D output that suit your requirements and pretty much every codec needed is available. As well as supporting a variety of subtitle files, Potplayer offers options like scene bookmaking and screen snapshot.