Many users remember the bizarre skins that you could use, such as a green head or an orange heart. If you used Windows XP back in 2001, there’s a good chance that you will have used Windows Media Player in some way. With the app still in testing, we may see the new media player arrive in a future update of Windows 11 early next year to help take back the mantle of being the go-to media player once more.Īnalysis: A glaring omission is finally being fixed With the different forms that computers take, from tablets to modular laptops, Microsoft’s media player could have been the center of playing all the media available on your device. While Windows Media Player has been left by the wayside, other apps such as VLC have taken the mantle as the default video players that users flock to instead. While the original Windows Media Player app has been available to download since 2012 (opens in new tab), this new version looks to fill the gap in something that Microsoft has been missing the mark at. If you don’t have a portable player, and don’t need more advanced features, then this will be a great media library for you.The layout of the app is very reminiscent of early Windows Media Player versions, especially when browsing files in the library section. Pros: No download necessary, easy integration into Windows, much better than previous versions.Ĭons: No simple integration with iPods, preferred usage of WMA over MP3, no natural podcast support.Ĭonclusion: The improvement seen in WMP11 over previous versions is obvious, and while aesthetic and technical progressions have been made, its lack of support for the world’s most popular audio format (mp3) and device (iPod), will always hold it back. The instant search now features smart search capabilities, which means it only searches within the artist, album, playlist or genre you’ve currently got open. Yet, it isn’t just cosmetic changes that make this much better than prior versions.

These cosmetic changes make using WMP 11 a far more enjoyable experience than before, and one fitting for an era dominated by other competitors. The new and massively improved media library gives more prominence to album artwork and looks a lot better throughout. WMP11 offers a much simpler interface than its previous versions, whilst still offering the well-known navigation buttons from the previous versions.

Windows Media Player 11 (WMP11) provides capabilities for audio, video, network sharing and photo integration, all rolled into one giant multimedia library.

Windows Media Player is the de factor multimedia library and player for Windows computers, but just how good is it? Windows Media Player 11, the final version available for Windows XP and Vista computers, is one of Microsoft’s best offerings yet.

Media player 11 free download