What are some common video players?
Updated December 22, 2018
Video files can be saved in a number of different formats. Some are universal and can be played by many programs, while others are proprietary formats that can be played only using a specific program. Below is a list of video players that play many different video formats.
Windows
| Company | Program | Extensions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| CyberLink | PowerDVD | n/a | Popular video playback program that supports MPEG-2 HD, MPEG-4 AVC, WMV-HD, DVD-Video, Mini-DVD, and DivX Pro formats. |
| Daum Communications | PotPlayer | n/a | Windows video player available in 32-bit and 64-bit editions; provides efficient performance using DXVA, CUDA, and QuickSync technologies; supports numerous subtitle formats. |
| DivX | DivX Player | .DIVX | Plays videos encoded with the DivX codec, a high-quality, high-compression video format; supports 1920x1080 HD video and other resolutions. |
| GRETECH | GOM Player | n/a | Media player that supports multiple audio and video formats and includes several common codecs; supports subtitles, video adjustments, and screen captures; can also play broken AVI files. |
| Microsoft | Windows Media Player | .WMA, .WMV, .ASF | Audio and video player developed by Microsoft; bundled with the Windows operating system; plays Windows Media files and several other formats, including AVI files. |
| Mirillis | Splash Lite | n/a | Windows video player optimized for high-definition (HD) video; includes an advanced picture post-processing engine that provides smooth motion and vivid colors. |
| MPC-HC Project | MPC-HC | n/a | Lightweight media player also known as "Media Player Classic - Home Cinema;" based on the Mplayer2 project; supports GPU-assisted decoding and plays all common video and audio formats. |
| Online Media Technologies | AVS Media Player | n/a | Media player that plays audio and video files and displays images as a slideshow; supports dozens of media file formats; supports up to 7.1 surround sound. |
| Participatory Culture Foundation | Miro | n/a | Miro is a free open-source audio and video player designed for fullscreen HD video playback; supports several different file formats and can play television shows from online sources. |
| RAD Game Tools | The RAD Video Tools | .BIK | Supports the Bink Video Codec, commonly used by video games; The RAD Video Tools includes both the Bink and Smacker compressors. |
| VideoLAN | VLC Media Player | n/a | Compact cross-platform media player; supports several formats including MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, and DivX; can also play DVDs, VCDs, and streaming multimedia files. |
macOS
| Company | Program | Extensions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | QuickTime Player | .MOV, .QT | Multimedia player developed by Apple; bundled with the Mac OS X operating system; plays QuickTime movies and many other formats; supports H.264 and various other codecs. |
| DivX | DivX Player | .DIVX | Plays videos encoded with the DivX codec, a high-quality, high-compression video format; supports 1920x1080 HD video and other resolutions. |
| Eltima | Elmedia Player | .SWF, .FLV, .XAP | Video player for Mac OS X that includes advanced options and controls; includes full-screen mode, frame capture, and the ability to save Flash movies. |
| Participatory Culture Foundation | Miro | n/a | Miro is a free open-source audio and video player designed for fullscreen HD video playback; it supports several different file formats and can play television shows from online sources. |
| RAD Game Tools | The Bink Video Player | .BIK | Plays Bink files, which are typically used in video games; available in both PowerPC and Intel versions. |
| VideoLAN | VLC Media Player | n/a | Compact cross-platform media player; supports several formats including MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, and DivX; can also play DVDs, VCDs, and streaming multimedia files. |
Linux
| Company | Program | Extensions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| mpv.io | mpv | n/a | Free, open source, cross-platform media player with a simple interface; provides high-quality OpenGL-based output with color management and interpolation. |
| Participatory Culture Foundation | Miro | n/a | Miro is a free open-source audio and video player designed for fullscreen HD video playback; it supports several different file formats and can play television shows from online sources. |
| RAD Game Tools | Bink Video command line Player | .BIK | Plays Bink video files, which are commonly used in video games; can also play compiled Bink EXE files. |
| VideoLAN | VLC Media Player | n/a | Compact multi-platform media player that supports dozens of different audio and video formats; can also play DVDs and VCDs. |