Microsoft backported the new Media Player app to Windows 10
With Windows 11, Microsoft has also introduced a new Media Player app. It replaces the classic Groove Music app, and also will supersede even more classic Windows Media Player software. Microsoft is slowly sunsetting the latter, so it didn’t get any new major change for several Windows releases. To keep Windows 10 up to date, Microsoft will make the new Media Player app available in that OS as well. Without a fanfare, the Redmond firm has pushed it to the Release Preview channel.
Microsoft is yet to announce its availability for Insiders and when it comes to Stable versions. But it is already possible to try it if you run Windows 10 Release Preview or a suitable stable release. The app requires Build 19042 or newer to run.
Recall that Media Player replaces the outdated Groove Music app. The new app includes video playback support, a modern “Fluent Design”-powered user interface, a video overlay window, and the ability to read CDs and rip the tracks. Currently supported formats are AAC, WMA, FLAC and ALAC.
It is also getting more and more new features in Insider releases, such as extra hotkeys and folder navigation support.
After installing it, the app will automatically import the music collection from your Groove Music.
It is worth noting that Microsoft has never exposed the desire to remove the classic Windows Media Player, as it still has lots of users. You will find Yet it doesn’t receive significant updates.
Here’s how to install Media Player app to Windows 10
Install the new Media Player app in Windows 10
- Open the store.rg-adguard.net website in your browser.
- Enter the URL in the text box: https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/Windows-media-player/9WZDNCRFJ3PT.
- Select the RP channel from the drop-down list next to the text field.
- Finally, click the check mark and wait for the links to appear. Pick the following app package: Microsoft.ZuneMusic_11.2209.30.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe.msixbundle.
- Double-click the downloaded file and agree to install the update.
Voila, you now have the most recent Media Player app from the Store running on your Windows 10.
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Author: Sergey Tkachenko
Sergey Tkachenko is a software developer who started Winaero back in 2011. On this blog, Sergey is writing about everything connected to Microsoft, Windows and popular software. Follow him on Telegram. and YouTube. View all posts by Sergey Tkachenko
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Recently updated. How to Install the New Media Player on Windows 11 Stable Build
After Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) and the new Paint app, Microsoft has released another update replacing Groove Music with a brand new Media Player in Windows 11. It looks beautiful, has a UI consistent with the rest of the Windows 11 aesthetics, and brings a ton of features that were largely missing earlier. That said, the new Media Player is currently rolling out only to users in the Dev channel. But if you want to try out the new Media Player, we have found a nifty way to get it running on stable and beta builds of Windows 11. So without any delay, let’s go ahead and learn how to install the new Media Player on Windows 11 stable and beta builds.
Install the New Media Player on Windows 11 Stable Build (2021)
In this article, we have discussed the steps to install the new Media Player on Windows 11. Even if you are a beginner, you can get it running in no time, granted you know a bit of how Windows works.
Download the Required Windows 11 Media Player Files
First, open this website to download the MSIXBUNDLE of the new Media Player in Windows 11. After opening the website, set the drop-down menu to the left of the textbox to “PackageFamilyName“. After that, paste the below content into the text field. Next, choose “Fast” from the drop-down menu to the right of the textbox, and hit the “OK” (checkmark) button.
Microsoft.ZuneMusic_8wekyb3d8bbwe
Now, you will find a long list of results. You only need to download the MSIXBUNDLE file. Search for the file name written below and download it. On Chrome, you need to right-click on the link and choose “Save link as…”. The file size is roughly around 34MB.
Microsoft.ZuneMusic_11.2110.34.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe.msixbundle
Modify the Windows 11 Media Player File
Once you have downloaded the MSIX package of the Windows 11 Media Player, go ahead and download 7-Zip (Free). It will enable you to access and extract the MSIXBUNDLE file.
After installation, open 7-Zip and locate the MSIXBUNDLE you downloaded in the section above. Select the file and click on “Extract” at the top. The files will be instantly extracted in the same folder/ drive. Click “OK” on the pop-up window that appears.
Next, open the extracted folder.
After that, scroll to the bottom and look for the x64 MSIX package, as highlighted in the screenshot below. Select it and click “Extract” on the top once again. These files will be extracted in the same folder.
Scroll to the top and open the extracted x64 folder.
Here, right-click on the “AppxManifest.xml” file and choose “Edit”.
Open the file in Notepad and move to the 11th line. Here, under MinVersion, change the OS build to 10.0.22000.0. That’s it. Now, save the Notepad file and close it.
In the same x64 folder, delete the following files and folder (create a backup before deleting if you want). You can click “Delete” on top. Now, you can close 7-Zip.
How To Install Windows Media Player On Windows 11
AppxBlockMap.xml AppxSignature.p7x [Content_Types].xml AppxMetadata folder
Install the New Media Player on Windows 11 Stable Build
Now that you have modified the MSIXBUNDLE, let’s install the new Media Player on Windows 11 stable build. First, press the Windows key once and search for “developer” without quotes. Then, select “Developer settings” from the search results.
Here, turn on Developer Mode using the “Install apps from any source, including loose files” toggle. On the next prompt, choose “Yes”.
After that, press the Windows key again and search for PowerShell. On the search results screen, click “Run as administrator” on the right pane.
In the PowerShell window, paste the below command to remove the existing Groove Music package.
Get-AppxPackage zune | Remove-AppxPackage.AllUsers
After that, navigate to the extracted MSIXBUNDLE folder and open the x64 folder. Here, look for the “AppxManifest.xml” file that we modified in the section above. Right-click on it and choose “Copy as Path“.
Move back to the PowerShell window and enter the below command. Make sure to replace filepath with the path you copied in the step above. Right-click on the PowerShell window and the path will be included at the end. Finally, hit Enter.
Add-AppxPackage.Register filepath
Now, open the Start Menu, and you will find the new Windows 11 Media Player installed on your PC. Click to open it, and you can use it without any issue. You can also search for “Media Player” in the Start Menu, and it will show up. Here are a few screenshots to showcase the UI of the new Media Player:
Don’t Wait! Install the New Media Player on Windows 11 Right Now
So that is how you can install the new Media Player on Windows 11 without having to wait for the release on the stable build. The steps may seem lengthy, but once you understand the basics, it gets pretty easy. Not to mention, this method may also come in handy for sideloading other Windows apps on Windows 10 and 11. Anyway, that is all from us. If you want to learn how to install Google Play Store on Windows 11, go through our linked guide. And yeah, you can also install the new Microsoft Store on Windows 10 with ease. Finally, if you have any questions, let us know in the Комментарии и мнения владельцев section below.
How to Fix the Media Player App When It Stops Working on Windows 11
If Windows 11’s Media Player has left you in silence, here’s how to get it back.
Readers like you help support MUO. When you make a purchase using links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read
With Windows 11, Microsoft replaced Groove Music with its modern and sleek-looking Media Player app, which is a significant improvement over its predecessor. However, like with any app, the new Media Player can also trouble you at times when it fails to open or work as expected.
Before you give up and look for an alternative, consider applying the following fixes to resolve issues with the Media Player app in Windows 11.
Check Your Media’s File Format
Although Microsoft’s latest Media Player is designed to work with nearly all the popular audio and video formats, it is not compatible with all of them. It’s possible that the media file you are trying to play is in an unsupported format, giving you the impression that the Media Player app is not working.
How to Install the New Media Player on Windows 11 Any Version
Hence, before troubleshooting the app, you should ensure that the file you are using is in a format that Media Player supports. You can verify the format of the file by checking its properties in Windows, then checking the supported Windows Media Player file types on Microsoft Support.
If you find that your file is unsupported, use a free online converter to change its format to a compatible one.
Enable Video Library Access for the App
The Media Player app may fail to show videos stored on your PC if you have inadvertently disabled video library access for the app. Here’s how you can enable it.
- Right-click on the Start icon and select Settings from the list.
- Use the left pane to navigate to the Privacy security tab.
- Scroll down to click on Videos.
- Enable the toggles next to Video library access and Let apps access your video library.
- Turn on the toggle next to the Media Player app.
Refresh Your Libraries
If the Media Player app fails to detect your files even after enabling video library access, you can try refreshing the libraries. This will allow the app to scan your system for media files again.
To refresh libraries in the Media Player app, follow these steps:
- Open the Media Player app on your PC.
- Click the gear icon in the bottom left corner.
- Under Libraries, click the Refresh button.
Switch to the Library tab and check if your media files appear now.
Disable Video Enhancements
Your Windows 11 PC ships with a video enhancement feature that can help improve your video playback experience. However, if your hardware isn’t compatible with these enhancements, you might have trouble playing videos. Hence, it’s best not to use them.
To disable video enhancements in Windows, use these steps:
- Open the Start menu and click the gear-shaped icon to launch the Settings app.
- Select the Apps tab on your left.
- Click on Video playback.
- Turn off the switch next to the Process video automatically to enhance it option.
Run the Relevant Windows Troubleshooters
If you’re facing playback issues in other media players as well, you can consider running Windows’ troubleshooters. Specifically, you can run the Playing Audio and Video Playback troubleshooters. This will allow Windows to diagnose your system for any video playback issues and suggest fixes accordingly. Here’s how you can run these troubleshooters on Windows.
- Open the Windows Settings.
- In the System tab, click on Troubleshoot.
- Select Other troubleshooters.
- Click the Run button next to Playing Audio and follow the on-screen prompts to complete the troubleshooting process.
- Click the Run button next to Video Playback and allow it to do its thing.
After running these troubleshooters, restart the Media Player app and see if it works.
Repair or Reset the Media Player App
Windows 11 includes a useful app repair tool for fixing common issues with apps. You can use this feature to fix issues with most of your apps, including Media Player. Windows will scan the app’s files and settings during this process and attempt to fix any issues it discovers. For more instructions on this, check our guide on how to repair apps and programs in Windows and follow the steps outlined there.
Windows Media Player for Windows 10/11 Free Download
Windows Media Player is still available in Windows 10 and Windows 11, but Microsoft removes Windows Media Center from PCs running Windows 8 Pro. It means that Windows 10/11 does not support playing back DVDs and so on. So, if needed, mostly you need to find out a better alternative to Windows Media Player for Windows 10/11 that is more functional and up-to-date, to address Windows Media Player DVD playback issue and much more.
Part 1. How to Download and Install Windows Media Player on Windows 10/11?
On Windows 10: Users don’t need to download Windows Media Player 12 which is an optional feature on Windows 10. To enable Windows Media Player on Windows 10, click the Start Menu, and select Settings Apps Apps Features Manage optional features Add a feature Windows Media Player Install.
Note: DVD playback feature isn’t included in Windows Media Player 12 on Windows 10, you can manually add DVD playback to Windows 10 or use third-party DVD player like 5KPlayer to play DVDs freely including region-coded DVDs.
If you can’t find Windows Media Player on Windows 10, you can use the following steps to enable Windows Media Player on Windows 10:
- Press WinR, click RUN, type optional features in the command box.
- On the Windows Features screen, press the icon next to the Media Features, then select the checkbox next to Windows Media Player. If you haven’t installed Windows Media Player on your Windows 10 PC, the player will be installed now. After the installation is finished, restart your PC.
- Click the Start menu, you should see the Windows Media Player under the Windows Accessories folder.
For Windows 11: As for Windows Media Player for Windows 11, it is not pre-installed by default. That’s why you can’t easily find it on Windows 11 for the first time. To install it on Windows 11, you can follow the below steps.
- Right-click on the Windows Start icon and select Settings click Apps in the left side and select Optional features in the right side choose View features in the Add an optional feature option type Windows Media Player in it select Windows Media Player and click Next Install to install Windows Media Player on Windows 11.
You can also set Windows Media Player as the default on Windows 11 or 10 PC to play media files more conveniently. To do that, click the Start menu, select Windows Settings Apps Default apps, and choose Windows Media Player.
Part 2. What Formats Are Supported by Windows Media Player for Windows 10/11?
On Windows 10 and 11, Widows Media Player natively supports the compression types, file types and video resolutions as follows:
File types supported by Windows Media Player:
- .bdmv evo hevc mkv avi flv webm mp4 ts m4v m4a ogm ac3 dts alac flac ape aac ogg ofr mpc 3gp and many more.
Compression types supported by Windows Media Player:
- x265 | h.265 | HEVC | 10bit x264 | x264| h.264 | AVCHD | AVC | DivX | XviD | MP4 | MPEG4 | MPEG2 and many more.
Resolutions supported by Windows Media Player:
- All resolutions up to and including SD 480i, 480p, 576i, 576p, HD 720i, 720p, 1080i, 1080p, 4K and beyond.
Part 3. Features of Windows Media Player on Windows 10/11
Windows Media Player here refers to the built-in or proprietary media player for use on Windows 10 PC, Windows 10 Phone, and Windows 11 PC.
The main functions of Windows Media Player are to:
- Rip music from and copy music to CD, burn recordable discs such as an MP3 CD, synchronize content with a digital audio player (MP3 player) or other mobile devices, and enable users to purchase or rent music from a number of online music stores.(Note: If you need to convert and rip DVD on Windows 10, please get help from WinX DVD Ripper Platinum.)
- Play back audios, videos and pictures; play back CDs and DVDs from specific versions on; support local playback and streaming playback.
- Help fast forward, reverse, file markers, and realize full media management.
Previously, Windows Media Player 12 is available for Windows 8/8.1 and Windows 7, while Windows Media Player 11 is for Vista, XP, Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2003. Besides, Windows Phone uses Windows Media Player Mobile, and Windows Media Components for QuickTime is especially designed for Mac OS X. However, Windows Media Player isn’t available for Windows RT 8.1 and Windows RT. What about the fire new Microsoft Windows 10/11? Will Windows Media Player 12 continue?
Some birds hold the view that Windows should also consider setting up a music store selling music in lossless format as iTunes music is only available as 256 kbps AAC.
As a matter of fact, all of them do not matter at all since there are already many alternatives to Windows Media Player 12, such as VLC player and 5KPlayer, the best free media player for Windows 10/11 with much more useful features.
Part 4. How to Solve Windows Media Player not Working on Windows 10/11?
The audio video formats supported by Windows Media Player are somewhat limited. When you are running into compatibility issues with Windows Media Player on Windows 10 or Windows 11, try the following methods.
Method 1. Install Codec or Codec Pack for Windows Media Player
You can find some Windows Media Player Codecs online (but we recommend you only try installing Windows 10 Media Player Codec Pack from safe and trustworthy websites). However, some of the components in such codec packs may have incompatibility issues, which will cause serious playback errors in the Player and other players, lead to system corruption, and make it difficult for Microsoft to diagnose and troubleshoot. To avoid such incompatibility problems that might arouse Windows 10/11 errors, you have other different ways to choose.
Method 2. Convert Incompatible Videos to Windows 10/11 Media Player Supported Ones
One of the most feasible solutions to play any media on the new Windows OS is to convert FLV, WebM, MOD, TOD and any other incompatible videos to the media formats supported by Windows 10/11.
WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe is the most secure and effective 4K video converter to transfer between any video formats. It makes media files more compatible with Windows 10/11 and become the native Windows 10/11 videos (e.g. WMV) almost without quality loss.
No matter what players you are using on your Windows 10 PC, Windows 10 phone or Windows 11 PC, you can count on the media converter for video conversion. With embedded in 400 video/audio codecs, it supports all video audio types you can think of, and almost all kinds of video resolutions (including 4K UHD) currently.
With a great many ready-made profiles, it even enables you to convert videos directly to Microsoft Windows Phones, tablets, Surface Pro (3), Xbox (One), Zune, and also Apple TV, iPad, iPhone, iPod, Android devices, Chromecast, etc.
Method 3. Download Third-party Media Player for Windows 10/11
Rather than converting HD/4K videos, you can choose to download another best free media player as the replacement of Windows Media Player for Windows 10 or 11, or say Windows Media Player alternatives. We would have suggested you to use VLC player which is open source and has its own built-in codecs. But now VLC also has many errors, you can try another media player for Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8 or Windows 7.
- It plays DVDs, and all video formats (MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI, H264, H265, VP9, AV1. ) and music, supports 4K UHD and 3D videos;
- Downloads online videos from 1000 sites, converts YouTube to MP3, and (AirPlay) streams media between devices.
- It is your must-have DVD/4K/3D media player and library for Windows 10/11. 100% FREE and CLEAN!
Here are how to download the media mlayer for Windows 10/11 free:
Step 1. Go to the official page of 5KPlayer, view the product introduction to see if it is the one you want.
Step 2. Click on the second button on the first screen to download the media player for Windows. It is fully compatible with Windows 10/11.
Step 3. Proceed to install 5KPlayer and double click the icon to open the software.
Step 4. Click on specific buttons to play “Video”, “DVD”, “Music” and “Radio”, or “YouTube” button to download online videos from any of the mainstream online videos sites, or “AirPlay” to receive and send AirPlay streams.
