Plenty of free media players for Windows exist, but the best option for most users is likely to be VLC.Īs third-party media players go, VLC is the ultimate option for most Windows and Mac users. Rather than using a 10+ year old media player, there are better, more modern alternatives to Windows Media Player available for Windows users. This problem can only really be fixed by switching to an alternative media player instead. One problem with both apps, for instance, is a lack of the overall file format support you’ll see from third-party alternatives. These may be ideal replacements for Windows Media Player, or they may be lacking in the features you’d expect. By splitting Media Player’s features into two apps, however, Microsoft is trying to offer more distinctive features than the original Media Player for each intended purpose. There’s no denying, however, that Movies & TV and Groove Music don’t have the same brand recognition that Microsoft had with Windows Media Player. If you decide to rent content through the PC app, you’ll also be able to access it on an Xbox, should you wish too. In that respect, Movies & TV is designed as a competitor for other big media rental apps such as Google Play or Amazon Prime Video.