Microsoft brings its new Media Player to Windows 10

Ashwin
Dec 13, 2022
Updated • Dec 13, 2022
Windows 10
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25

A year ago, Microsoft released the first preview of its new Windows Media Player for Windows 11 users in the Dev Channel, before eventually adding it to the stable build. Now, the company has brought the app to Windows 10.

Microsoft releases a new Windows Media Player for Windows 10

The Media Player app is currently available for users in the Windows 10 Release Preview Channel of the Insider Program.

Deskmodder.de found that the app works in the stable channel of the operating system, so if you want to give it a test drive, you can. Before you download it, you should know that this new Media Player replaces the Groove Music app. As for the classic application of the same name, Windows Media Player Legacy is not affected by it, so you can use the two alongside each other if you want to.

Note: The new app won't be displayed in Windows 10's search if you search for Media Player, to access it search for Groove Music.

How to install the new Windows Media Player on Windows 10

1. Visit store.rg-adguard.net

2. Click the first drop-down menu and set it to ProductId.

3. Copy and paste the following code in the text box on the page: 9WZDNCRFJ3PT

4. The third menu on the web page should say RP (as in Release Preview).

5. Click the tick button and wait for the site to fetch the links from Microsoft's servers.

6. Look for the file that has the name Microsoft.ZuneMusic 11.2209.30.0 neutral_ _8wekyb3d8bbwe.msixbundle.

7. Download it and run the installer to get the new Windows Media Player on Windows 10.

I installed the app on a Windows 10 laptop, to compare it with the Windows 11 version, but they seem to be identical. The new Windows Media Player can be used to play local files, and stream music or videos by URL, though it doesn't support all services. For example, it doesn't support YouTube videos.

The program is compatible with most modern audio and video formats, though you will need the HEVC Video Extension Pack from the Microsoft Store, to play movies that are encoded in h.265 or x265. There are two versions of it, one that costs $0.99, and is the only result that appears when you search for it. The other one, which you can download for free from the Microsoft Store, is called HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer.  Both versions are published by Microsoft, but the latter is hidden from the Store, but here's a link that takes you to the listing.

The Media Player app has a sidebar on the left that you can use to jump between the home screen, music library, video library, play queue, and playlists. The Music Library has tabs that you may use to browse your collection by songs, albums, and artists. The Media Player automatically fetches album art and artist info from the internet, you may disable this behavior from the app's settings.

Besides the usual playback controls that you see in most players, the app has a mini player mode (floating window), and an option to cast the media to your device wirelessly. Microsoft has even managed to sneak in an "Edit with ClipChamp" option in the Media Player's context menu, to promote its video editing service.

Most tech-savvy users may prefer to use an alternative app like MPV, MPV-HC, VLC, PotPlayer, etc., for their video playback needs. But the new Windows Media Player is a decent alternative for people who don't want to install a third-party app. I'd say "it's not great, but does the job" kind of app.

Have you tried the new Media Player in Windows?

Summary
Article Name
Microsoft Windows 11's Media Player is now available on Windows 10
Description
Microsoft's Media Player from Windows 11 is now available for Windows 10 users. Here's how to install the app.
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Ghacks Technology News
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Comments

  1. Chris said on May 20, 2023 at 10:19 am
    Reply

    All commenters above have ignored that this player (and Movies and TV app) are super efficient. Ex. Playing a 1080p h264 video on Potplayer used 8-10% CPU compared to 2-5% on this app

  2. Deep Fried Han Solo said on December 16, 2022 at 3:07 am
    Reply

    > nothing beats MusicBee and PotPlayer. NOTHING.

    Excuse me, I’d like a word with you.

    It’s obvious you’ve never tried quodlibet and/or audacious.

    They’re both FREE AND OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE, by the way, unlike MusicPee and PoopPlayer.

  3. John said on December 14, 2022 at 8:18 pm
    Reply

    “Not great, not terrible.”
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mg5HOnq7zD0

  4. Jeff M.S. said on December 14, 2022 at 3:18 pm
    Reply

    Except that it is just beyond terrible. Use MPC-BE or MPC-HC and avoid any Microsoft app that gets reset and reimagined all over again every 3-5 years

  5. Mr. KnowItAll said on December 14, 2022 at 12:26 pm
    Reply

    Garbage music player, very crippled videoplayer. Super-basic. But yeah, better than Groove and Movies&TV, so I guess that’s something.. It looks cute too. Like a dumb, big boobed blonde. The average user, who doesn’t really have any local music to speak of and only uses YouTube or maybe has a videoclip or two in mp4 format from his/her phone won’t know/care. For enormous music libraries and every damn video format, nothing beats MusicBee and PotPlayer. NOTHING.

  6. John G. the 3rd said on December 14, 2022 at 7:21 am
    Reply

    Sounds like shit to me.

  7. JaneIves said on December 13, 2022 at 10:47 pm
    Reply

    About 18 years are lost by Microsoft. What a boring internship project. Microsoft just sucks at software now. Windows already has a Media Player that is fully functional, but they wrecked it in 2012 by introducing this UWP rubbish. It is now slower and more difficult to manage a big number of your files, just like everything else Microsoft makes “modern.” essential features and customization choices are absent. People have already switched to better options. MPC-HC, VLC, Winamp, AIMP, mpv…

  8. Someone said on December 13, 2022 at 9:24 pm
    Reply

    I use WMP version 12, every day. I never liked Groove. This media player, supports all my library of videos, except H265 codec, what is supported on VLC. The new look is ugly, compared to WMP 12 and older legacy versions from Microsoft. I hope the legacy app never stop supported, by servers from microsoft, only after the retirement of Win 10.

  9. LOLOLOLOLOL said on December 13, 2022 at 8:37 pm
    Reply

    The only thing Microsoft seems to be in touch with are choir boys.

  10. John G. said on December 13, 2022 at 7:20 pm
    Reply

    Another reason to use W10 for long time. Thanks @Ashwin for the article! :]

  11. Akina said on December 13, 2022 at 7:08 pm
    Reply

    On Windows MPC-HC, on Linux MPV is my way to go.

    1. Anonymous said on December 13, 2022 at 10:49 pm
      Reply

      I use mpc on linux Ubuntu: Gnome type OS

      $ sudo apt-get update
      $ sudo apt-get install mpc

  12. VioletMoon said on December 13, 2022 at 5:25 pm
    Reply

    Here are a couple of tutorials others may find useful; I couldn’t make sense of the gHacks article–not sure why, but I immediately had to search for something simple.

    https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows11/comments/qvguw3/guide_to_install_new_media_player_app/

    https://github.com/huutoan91/Windows-10-HEVC-Video-Extensions-from-Device-Manufacturer

    Simplified steps:

    1. Go to – https://store.rg-adguard.net/
    2. Change to Package Family Name – Fast
    3. Enter – Microsoft.ZuneMusic_8wekyb3d8bbwe
    4. Find and download Microsoft.ZuneMusic_11.2110.34.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe.msixbundle
    4. On the same Microsoft Store site, change to Product ID and enter – 9n4wgh0z6vhq
    5. Download.

    Two packages should now be available for install–the new Media Player App and the HEVC [free] codec package.

    One site recommended uninstalling Groove before installing the new Media Player.

  13. 1337 said on December 13, 2022 at 4:19 pm
    Reply

    So, mpc-be is still king, got it!

  14. Coriy said on December 13, 2022 at 3:00 pm
    Reply

    I replaced Grove and Windows Media Player with MPC-HC years ago. Better codec support, better subtitles and, best of all, no telemetry being sent to M$ avout what I’m watching and listening to.

    1. J said on December 15, 2022 at 1:59 pm
      Reply

      MPC-HC stopped DEV in 2017 – it’s not getting anymore updates

    2. Yes said on December 13, 2022 at 3:27 pm
      Reply

      Exactly, WMP is an obsolete application. No need to use when there are better open-source alternatives.

  15. moaead barhom said on December 13, 2022 at 2:36 pm
    Reply

    the package requires OS version 10.0.22000.346 or higher

  16. nuffsaid said on December 13, 2022 at 2:30 pm
    Reply

    mpv for windows, nuff said

    1. Mike Murphy said on December 13, 2022 at 3:18 pm
      Reply

      I use smplayer with mpv as backend. The UI might not look great, but it works fine for long playlists.

      It also supports youtube-dl/yt-dlp, so I can watch youtube videos without ads and without having to log-in.

      1. akg said on December 13, 2022 at 4:21 pm
        Reply

        smplayer works really well , for UI just use icon set- fusion , GUI- basic gui ,style – fusion .

  17. Facepalm said on December 13, 2022 at 2:11 pm
    Reply

    Wonderful instructions. Except for the tiny little fact that “Microsoft.ZuneMusic 11.2210.30.0 neutral_ _8wekyb3d8bbwe.msixbundle” doesn’t exist.
    Seriously Ghacks, your standards these days are very very low.

    1. Martin Brinkmann said on December 13, 2022 at 2:46 pm
      Reply

      Fixed it.

    2. moaead said on December 13, 2022 at 2:39 pm
      Reply

      it’s at the 17th row from the bottom

  18. Anonymous said on December 13, 2022 at 1:58 pm
    Reply

    No thanks.

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