Microsoft has been quietly moving on from Windows Media Player for years, and 2026 is when it starts to hurt. The classic Windows Media Player Legacy still ships as an optional feature, but the new “Media Player” app in Windows 11 skips DVD playback, drops some codec support, and treats the library differently. Users who ran WMP for a personal music collection or for local video playback are the ones searching for replacements.
We ran the same test — a mixed library of MP3, FLAC, MKV, and 4K HDR video — through seven candidates on Windows 11. The metrics: codec coverage without extra installs, DVD playback, library management for large collections, whether hardware acceleration works, and whether the tool handles both audio and video or picks one.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Starting price | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VLC media player | Universal codec support with zero setup | Yes | Free | Plays anything without codec packs |
| MusicBee | Music-library management on Windows | Yes | Free | Deep tag editor with MusicBrainz sync |
| Kodi | Home-theater library across formats | Yes | Free | Skins, add-ons, and TV tuner support |
| foobar2000 | Purist audio playback with a small footprint | Yes | Free | Component-based DSP chain |
| MPC-HC | Light video playback | Yes | Free | Under 10 MB installed, hardware acceleration |
| Plex | Streaming your library to any device | Free tier | $4.99/month or $119.99 lifetime | Server + client streaming across the network |
| Winamp | Retro music workflow with skins | Yes | Free | Skin ecosystem and classic library view |
Why people leave Windows Media Player
The main reason in 2026 is that Microsoft is retiring the pieces users rely on. Windows Media Player Legacy is still available but requires enabling as an optional feature on Windows 11, and DVD playback was dropped from the OS entirely in Windows 10 and never came back. Users still playing DVDs on their PCs have to install something else regardless.
The second reason is codec coverage. Modern phone and camera footage uses HEVC and 10-bit HDR, and WMP handles neither cleanly. HEVC support requires a separate Microsoft Store purchase or a device manufacturer extension, and even then playback quality lags behind what VLC or MPC-HC do out of the box.
Third is that the library management story has always been thin. WMP indexes a folder and displays it, but tag editing, playlist automation, smart playlists, and metadata clean-up are limited compared to what MusicBee or foobar2000 offer. Users with more than a few thousand tracks outgrew WMP years ago.
The alternatives
VLC media player — best universal player
VLC is the default answer to “what should I install to play any file on Windows” for good reason. Every codec ships bundled, DVD and Blu-ray discs (with an extra library) play without setup, network streaming works, and hardware acceleration on modern GPUs is on by default in the current builds.
Where it falls short: library management is essentially non-existent. VLC is a player, not a music library. Interface has not changed much in a decade.
Pricing: Free. GPL v2.
Migrating from WMP: Point VLC at files or folders. Playlists in .m3u and .wpl import.
Download: videolan.org
Bottom line: Install VLC first. If you also want library management, add MusicBee or foobar2000 for audio.
MusicBee — best Windows music library manager
MusicBee is where users who ran WMP for a large music library end up. The library view, tag editing depth, MusicBrainz auto-tagging, smart playlists, and volume levelling all sit far above what WMP ever offered.
Where it falls short: audio only. For video playback you still need a separate tool. Windows-only.
Pricing: Free.
Migrating from WMP: MusicBee can import WMP’s library, ratings, and play counts on setup. Playlists come across cleanly.
Download: getmusicbee.com
Bottom line: If your WMP habit was music library plus playlists, MusicBee is the direct upgrade.
Kodi — best home-theatre library
Kodi turns a PC into a media centre. It handles music, video, TV recordings, photos, and streaming services under a single skinnable interface. Library scraping fetches poster art and metadata for movies and TV shows automatically, and add-ons extend to almost every streaming service worth using.
Where it falls short: setup is more work than VLC. The 10-foot interface is designed for a TV, and using it as a desktop window can feel odd.
Pricing: Free. GPL v2.
Migrating from WMP: Point Kodi at your media folders and let it scrape. Ratings and playlists do not transfer, but library metadata generally looks better than WMP’s.
Download: kodi.tv
Bottom line: The pick when your media PC is also your living-room player and you want one interface for everything.
foobar2000 — best light audio player
foobar2000 is the minimalist audiophile default. Small footprint, modular components, ReplayGain, gapless playback, and exclusive-mode output through WASAPI or ASIO all standard. Skinnable if you spend an evening on it.
Where it falls short: audio only. Default UI is functional and looks like it was designed in 2005.
Pricing: Free.
Migrating from WMP: Point foobar at your music folders. Import .m3u playlists. WMP library ratings do not transfer natively.
Download: foobar2000.org
Bottom line: The pick for audio-first users who care about the pipeline and want a light install.
MPC-HC — best light video player
MPC-HC (Media Player Classic Home Cinema) is a lightweight Windows video player that resembles what WMP looked like in Windows XP. Hardware acceleration is on by default, subtitle rendering is clean, and the interface is a single small window.
Where it falls short: development pace has slowed. MPC-BE (Black Edition) is a more actively maintained fork if you want ongoing updates.
Pricing: Free. GPL v3.
Migrating from WMP: Play files by association. No library concept — MPC-HC opens what you tell it to.
Download: mpc-hc.org
Bottom line: For users who want a WMP-shaped video player without the codec install ceremony.
Plex — best network-streaming library
Plex installs as a server and a set of clients. The server indexes your media on the PC and streams it to phones, tablets, TVs, and other PCs on the network. Transcoding on the fly handles device-specific format needs, and remote streaming works over the internet with a Plex Pass.
Where it falls short: setup is a project. Metadata scraping is powerful but takes an evening to get right. Some features (skip-intro, hardware transcoding) are behind Plex Pass.
Pricing: Free tier for local playback, $4.99/month or $119.99 one-time Plex Pass for the premium features.
Migrating from WMP: Install Plex Media Server, point at folders. Library reindexes with poster art and metadata. Ratings and playlists do not carry.
Download: plex.tv
Bottom line: The pick when you want your media library accessible from every device, not just the PC where the files live.
Winamp — best retro music-workflow
Winamp still runs and still has the skin community that made it famous. For a music-only workflow on Windows, it is a viable option, and the classic library-plus-playlist mental model is directly usable.
Where it falls short: ownership uncertainty since 2021, uneven support for modern audio devices, and no cross-platform version.
Pricing: Free.
Migrating from WMP: Import folders and playlists. Skinning is a whole culture on its own.
Download: winamp.com
Bottom line: The pick if the classic Winamp experience is what you want, and audio is your only concern.
How to choose
Pick VLC for universal playback — it is the safest install if you only add one thing.
Pick MusicBee if the WMP replacement is specifically for music library management.
Pick Kodi if the PC is a media centre and you want one interface for music, video, and TV.
Pick foobar2000 if audio quality and a light footprint matter more than looks.
Pick MPC-HC if you just want a simple video player that reminds you of WMP.
Pick Plex if you want the same library streamable to your phone and TV.
Pick Winamp if you miss the classic workflow and skin culture, and you are on Windows.
Stay on Windows Media Player Legacy if your existing library, ratings, and playlists work and you do not need modern codec support.
FAQ
Can I still install Windows Media Player on Windows 11? The Legacy version is available as an optional feature under Windows Features. The new “Media Player” app is different software with a different interface and library model.
Which alternative supports DVD playback? VLC and Kodi both play DVDs out of the box. MPC-HC plays them with the LAV Filters codec bundle installed.
Do these players read WMP’s library and ratings? MusicBee has a WMP library importer that reads ratings, play counts, and playlists. Others require re-scanning the media folders.
Which is best for a large music collection? MusicBee for a library-and-playlist workflow on Windows. foobar2000 for smaller footprint and more DSP control.
Are any of these alternatives cross-platform? VLC, Kodi, foobar2000, and Plex all run on Windows, macOS, and Linux. MusicBee, MPC-HC, and Winamp are Windows-only.
