As Windows 11 gradually grows better day by day, some in-build features are left behind. Windows Media Centre application is one of them. It was an in-built application that was used by Windows users for playing DVD format videos and other videos without any problem. For some licensing issues with MPEG2 Codec, the application was removed by Windows.
Now, Windows 11 has a default media player called “Movies & TV”, where you can buy or rent movies and videos, and even you can play your local video files. But it can not play some of the video formats that come in DVDs, like 2K, 4K Videos, and ultra-high-definition videos. If you want to play 4K videos on Windows 11, you have to install HEVC Codec. However, if you want to go with this process, you can try out these free video players for Windows.
Best Free Video Player for Windows 11
So, you require a third-party application to play these video formats. Here is a list of the best free video players that can handle various types of video formats. If you want to know why the new PC no longer has DVD drives anymore, then read this.
1. VLC Media Player
When we are talking about Video Players, the first name that comes to our mind is VLC Media Player. The name does not need any introduction because more or less we all know about VLC Media Player. It is a free application and anyone can download it on their laptop or PC.
Talking about performance, it is the most used application worldwide for playing DVDs. It can play DVDs, VCDs, Audio CDs, and Blu-ray disc formats with good audio and video quality. If you want to play videos with a high resolution like – 2K, 4K, or 8K, you can install VLC Media Player on Windows 11.
2. KMPlayer
K-Multimedia Player is a media player for the Windows operating system, that can play a large number of formats including VCD, DVD, AVI, MKV, Ogg, OGM, 3GP, MPEG-1/2/4, AAC, WMA 7, 8, WMV, RealMedia, FLV, and QuickTime.
It has a very easy-to-use interface and robust features. It can be said that KMPlayer is the best video player available for the Windows operating system. Moreover, you do not require heavy system requirements to play the video on a KMPlayer. It only takes a small amount of memory and plays video flawlessly.
3. GOM Player
GOM Player is an open-sourced DVD Player and also comes free of cost. It can play DVDs, VCDs, and SVCD images. The video player can find missing codecs of a broken media file and can skip the frames and play the video content.
So, if you’re looking for the basic options to play various video formats, you can rely on the GOM player and enjoy your day. However, it has a small drawback. This application contains ads, and if you want an ad-free experience you have to pay $25.
4. 5KPlayer
While recommending a Windows video player, we cannot skip the 5K player from the list. The software allows you to watch ultra-high-definition content, and you can be assured of not facing any problems. As the player supports the H/W acceleration feature.
Not only it’s suitable for offline videos, but the application is also equally fruitful to play online videos as well. Performance-wise, it is a quite decent app for the Windows operating system with good-quality audio and video. But again a small drawback is the 5KPlayer contains ads.
5. Media Player Classic
The most used application after all these video players is Media Player Classic. If there are some issues with running VLC Media Player for your PC or Laptop you should try Media Player Classic. It is also a free application and does not cost any amount.
Performance-wise, it is pretty good with both audio and video quality. DVDs, you can play Blu-Ray discs format, etc. However, since 2017, this application has performed with the same feature and is not been actively developed. But one can go for it because of its performance, and it is a reliable application.
Conclusion
There are other applications available for playing DVD-format video files. However, the following are a few popular video players you can try. Download any of them and enjoy your movies. If you prefer not to use a third-party application to play video files, you can utilize the default video player that comes pre-installed with the Windows operating system, called Movies & TV.
However, to play ultra-high-definition content, you will need to install the HEVC Video Extension from the Microsoft Store, which costs $0.99. Our suggestion is to use VLC Media Player, and if you wish to play ultra-high-definition content, consider investing in the HEVC Video Extension for Windows.
