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Top 10 Best Video Players for PC (2025 Expert Picks)

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Jul 01, 2025• Proven solutions

We often need video players for our Windows PC, but it is good to get some information about it before installing new software. It is good to pre-rate its performance based on supported video file formats and ease of use.

The article below will help you get detailed information about the top 10 video players that you can use on your PC. They can be easily installed on Windows. By the end, you will be able to choose a video player that best suits your needs.

Content:

01 What to Look for in the Best PC Video Player

02 Top 10 Video Players/Media Players for PC

03 Summary. Best Video Players/Media Players for Windows

04 Bonus: No Video to Play? Create One From Just an Idea with Filmora's AI

05 Conclusion

06 FAQs About Windows Video Player/Media Player

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What to Look for in the Best PC Video Player

Not all video players are created equal. To avoid frustration with unsupported files or laggy playback, it's essential to know what features matter most. Here are the five key criteria to consider when choosing the best video player for your Windows PC:

  1. Ease of Use: It should have a simple, intuitive interface. Customizable themes and controls are a plus.
  2. Format Support: Make sure it supports all popular formats like MP4, MOV, AVI, MKV, and more.
  3. Playback Controls: Look for features like playback speed adjustment, resume playback, frame-by-frame viewing, and media library management.
  4. Performance: Choose a player that runs smoothly, uses minimal CPU and RAM, and supports HD playback with hardware acceleration.
  5. Advanced Features: If needed, pick a player that offers extra tools, like video editing or format conversion.

Top 10 Video Players/Media Players for PC

After discussing essential factors, it is time to explore available options to choose the best option. Whether you need a feature-rich tool or a lightweight video player offering simplicity, this section covers them all. Discover the best video player for PC to unlock the full potential of your PC’s entertainment library:

1 - VLC Player 2 - GOM Player 3 - Pot Player 4 - Media Player Classic
5 - MPV Player 6 - KM player 7 - AllPlayer 8 - Real Player
9 - Miro 10 - Plex

1 VLC Player

One of the key players in the media player software industry is the VLC video player for Windows. It’s an open-source, cross-platform media player developed by the VideoLAN project. This video player supports all file formats and can play discs, webcam content, and streams. VLC supports playback controls, multi-track audio, and SSA compatibility.

vlc player pc video player

Best For: Linux and GNU users

Supported Video Formats: Indeo Video v3 (IV32), Sorenson 1/3, MPEG-1/2, Cinepak, Real Video, MPEG-4 AVC, MPEG-4 ASP, WMV 3/ WMV-9/ VC-1.

G2 Rating: 4.7/5

Price: Free

Pros
  • VLC can play DVDs and videos up to 8K resolution without lagging and playback errors.
  • It can even play videos in compressed and ZIP file formats without unpacking.
Cons
  • A significant learning curve is required to access and apply its advanced features.

2 GOM Player

This video player for Windows allows users to watch videos from 360 degrees by rotating. It boasts a user-friendly interface with customizable skins that show the functions you need. Moreover, it comes with various codecs and a searchable codec library. Users can control the playback speed, loop a movie section, and automatically sync subtitles.

gom player pc video player

Best For: Playing videos with subtitles and customizable interface.

Supported Video Formats: MPG, MKV, FLV, TS, and AVI.

G2 Rating: 4.6/5

Price: $22/year license (GOM Player Plus Business)

Pros
  • It supports screen casting, so you can connect your computer to a Smart TV for a bigger preview.
  • Using the MiniWeb Feature, it can play videos from YouTube in 8K video quality.
Cons
  • Users cannot play Blu-ray and DVD until they have installed the proper code.

3 PotPlayer

Another name for the best video player for PC is PotPlayer, which is known for enhanced H/W acceleration. It holds compatibility with Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, and 7 and uses minimum resources for maximum performance. Furthermore, it supports different types of 3D glasses to provide a 3D viewing experience on a PC. It can fine-tune sounds with the help of a built-in graphic equalizer.

potplayer pc video player

Best For: Video customizations with innovative playback controls

Supported Video Formats: MP4, AVI, MPEG, MKV, FLV, etc.

G2 Rating: 4.7/5

Price: Free

Pros
  • It supports various text subtitle formats such as SMI & SRT and DVD and Blu-ray subtitles.
  • Users don’t need to install different codecs as it supports OpenCodec, which downloads the needed codec automatically.
Cons
  • PotPlayer doesn’t support screen casting and online streaming of videos like some other players can do.

4 Media Player Classic

For a hassle-free media playback experience, it is the first choice of skilled professionals. Although this tool discontinued its service, it remains the biggest threat to the VLC video player for Windows. The reason is its open-source design, incredible features, and lightweight application. It provides support for all video and audio formats, which can be accessed through third-party sources.

media player classic pc video player

Best For: Watching and listening to any file, no matter what format it is.

Supported Video Formats: VCD, DVD, SVCD, Blu-ray, and DVB TV signals.

G2 Rating: N/A

Price: Free

Pros
  • If a tuner card is installed in your system, you can record television programs.
  • This classic player can customize toolbars and offers color management for video previews.
Cons
  • As it is a classic software that stopped development in 2017, it lacks advanced features.

5 MPV Player

MPV is open-source media player software that runs on almost all operating systems. This cross-platform video player strives for minimalism and provides a small controller on top of videos. It has OpenGL, D3D11, and Vulkan-based video output that is capable of many features. With popular high-quality algorithms, it can display frame timings, interpolate, and perform color management. 

mpv player pc video player

Best For: Advanced video rendering techniques

Supported Video Formats: MP4, MP3, and MKV

G2 Rating: N/A

Price: Free

Pros
  • It supports various video Codec, media file formats, and subtitle types.
  • MPV player offers straightforward APIs to integrate MPV into other applications.
Cons
  • Compared with other players, it is reported to drop or mistime video frames.

6 KM Player

Due to a user-friendly interface, KM player is considered an excellent video player for PC. It is known for playing all video formats, including ultra-HD with 4K resolution. Apart from that, it contains high-quality codecs to provide better video quality. KM player provides full control over playback such as post-processing effects, resizing, and codec configuration.

km player pc video player

Best For: Professionals who look for advanced features.

Supported Video Formats: MPG, MPV2, OGV, WMV, MOV, EVO, FLV, 3GPP, AMV, SKM, etc.

G2 Rating: N/A

Price: Free

Pros
  • It supports over 42 languages and can download videos from online content by adding URLs.
  • This video player comes with a hardware acceleration function to minimize CPU usage.
Cons
  • Some users report a steeper learning curve, while others say limited or customization options.

7 AllPlayer

With countless features, this video player for laptops is popular worldwide. The reason is its operational resemblance with mobile devices rather than the traditional Windows environment. Besides, it can download perfectly matched subtitles with the collaboration of subtitles services like Opensubtitles.org. For easy sharing with friends, it generates URL links to media.

allplayer pc video player

Best For: Parental controls and Subtitles

Supported Video Formats: AC3, MPG, 3GP, MP4, AVI, FLV, MOV, FLV, WAV, OGG, etc.

G2 Rating: N/A

Price: Free

Pros
  • Using this video player, you can adjust video colors, contrasts, brightness, and saturation.
  • From advanced sound settings, it lets you adjust the audio track and audio output.
Cons
  • Unlike its name, it doesn’t support Blu-rays and several other video formats to play.

8 Real Player

Do you want a full-screen theater and uninterrupted cinematic experience on your PC? If yes, this tool will prove worthwhile, as it supports ultra-HD quality videos. Moreover, it can automatically organize your videos with artists' faces on them. Users can browse duplicate videos, remove them, and create video playlists.

real player pc video player

Best For: Video library organization and playlist creation

Supported Video Formats: MP4, AVI, FLV, WMV, WAV, MKV, etc.

G2 Rating: N/A

Price: $4.99/month (Premium)

Pros
  • Real Player can cast and stream video content on the big picture to sit and watch on the couch.
  • You can build your video collection by downloading online videos on your computer.
Cons
  • This movie player for Windows offers limited features when using its free version.

9 Miro

Individuals consider Miro, an open-source video player that streams movies and shows on TV. It doesn’t require you to install separate players; it can play videos and audio of any format. Additionally, it allows you to download media from Amazon, YouTube, and podcasts. When two Miro devices are under the same Wi-Fi network, they can transfer music and video files.

miro pc video player

Best For: Fast torrent downloading.

Supported Video Formats: MPEG, Flash video, AVI, QuickTime, DIVX, etc.

G2 Rating: N/A

Price: Free

Pros
  • This video player can also be a media converter that can change video file formats.
  • A simple interface lets you organize your media content to navigate quickly afterward.
Cons
  • Miro offers varied services in different regions and provides varied video quality previews.

10 Plex

Technically, Plex is a streaming service with an extensive media collection of movies, TV shows, and videos. It lets you organize your personal collection of TV shows, movies, and new music. With this media player, you can watch media offline and screencast videos on a bigger display. This QuickTime movie player for Windows supports almost all video formats to play. 

plex pc video player

Best For: Movies, series, and music streaming

Supported Video Formats: AVI, MP4, MOV, MKV, DIVX, etc.

G2 Rating: N/A

Price: $4.99/month, $39.99/year, $119.99/lifetime

Pros
  • You can enjoy content offline on Android and iOS devices upon switching to its premium version.
  • Plex pass members can access multi-color themes and get an enhanced media viewing experience.
Cons
  • Accessing and using the video player software is challenging as it is primarily a streaming platform.

Summary: Best Video Players/Media Players for Windows

Analyzing and encoding all the above information abruptly in the brain is difficult. So, here is a summary of the earlier explained best video players for a clearer picture of the tools.

Player

Video File Format Support

Playback Customization Options

Video Quality Limit

Pricing

Video Downloading

VLC Player

Indeo Video v3 (IV32), Sorenson 1/3, MPEG-1/2, Cinepak, Real Video, MPEG-4 AVC, MPEG-4 ASP, WMV 3/ WMV-9/ VC-1.

Yes

8K

Free

No

GOM Player

MPG, MKV, FLV, TS, and AVI.

Yes

8K

$22/year License (GOM Player Plus Business)

No

Pot Player

MP4, AVI, MPEG, MKV, FLV, etc.

Themes, Skins, and Playback speed customizations

4K

Free

No

Media Player Classic

VCD, DVD, SVCD, Blue-rays, and DVB TV signals.

Only playback speed and keyboard hotkeys

8K

Free

No

MPV Player

MP4, MP3, and MKV

Only playback speed customization

4K and HDR

Free

No

KM Player

MPG, MPV2, OGV, WMV, MOV, EVO, FLV, 3GPP, AMV, SKM, etc.

Personalized player screen and color themes

4K

Free

No

AllPlayer

AC3, MPG, 3GP, MP4, AVI, FLV, MOV, FLV, WAV, OGG, etc.

Adjust colors, contrast, brightness, monitor details, OSD sizing

4K Ultra HD

Free

Download subtitles

Real Player

MP4, AVI, FLV, WMV, WAV, MKV, etc.

No

8K

$4.99/month (Premium)

Download videos online

Miro

MPEG, Flash video, AVI, QuickTime, DIVX, etc.

No

Not given

Free

Download videos from Amazon, YouTube, etc.

Plex

AVI, MP4, MOV, MKV, DIVX, etc.

Premium users can access multi-color themes

1080p

$4.99/month, $39.99/year, $119.99/lifetime

No

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  • AI Voiceover & Lip Sync: Choose from natural-sounding AI voices that are perfectly synced with AI-generated characters.
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Conclusion

To summarize, selecting a video player for PC is challenging because of the countless choices online. Therefore, this article tries to help by providing comprehensive details of top-tier video players for PC. You can pick one platform based on your needs and enjoy immersive video watching. If you need to create videos, you should consult Wondershare Filmora. It can help you create videos effortlessly with AI features and provide you with high-quality previews.

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FAQs About Windows Video Player/Media Player

  • What is a video player?
    A video player is fundamental software designed to facilitate the playback of digital content. It is used mostly on smartphones and computers to enhance viewing experiences. Video players include playback options like play, pause, rewind, display time, fast forward, etc.
  • Is there a better video player than VLC?
    There isn’t a single better video player, as your needs will determine which one you need. You can look for a player that supports most formats and offers high-quality playback and customization options. In this regard, one can count Pot Player and MPV players as good options. Additionally, using Wondershare Filmora for video editing and previewing would prove worthwhile.
  • Are there any benefits to purchasing a premium video player for Windows?
    Free and open-source video players offer almost all the core functionalities of media previewing. However, if you need specific features like parental control and subtitle editing, purchasing a premium player is justified.
  • How do I determine the best video player for my needs?
    If you are confused about determining which platform is better for you, create a roadmap. Consider your needs regarding playback quality, file format support, and media library management. Besides, analyze what level of simplicity you need and which operating system you have. While looking at these needs, you can determine a suitable video player instantly.
  • Why do some videos fail to play on my PC, and how can I fix it?
    Playback issues on your PC might be caused by several factors, such as damaged video files, compressed video, or a lack of a codec to support the video format. To resolve this issue, update the software, install the required codec, or switch to another video player.
  • What is the most common video format used today?
    MP4 is among the most common video file formats that balances high-quality videos with small file sizes. Moreover, it is compatible with most OS and online video platforms.
  • Does Windows 11 come pre-installed with any media player?
    Yes, Media Player is a built-in video player for Windows 11, like Windows Media Player in Windows 10. It was released in 2022 for Windows 11 and supports the preview of common media formats.
author avatar
Ollie Mattison
Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.
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