Media Player for Windows 11 is a modern local media playback application that replaces Groove music and older versions of Windows Media Player. It supports music, video and image playback, and has library management, dark mode and offline usage. 1. This application is pre-installed in Windows 11 22H2 and above. You can open it by searching for "Media Player" through the start menu. When you use it for the first time, you can choose to add local folders (such as Music, Videos, etc.) to the media library. The system will automatically classify by artists, albums, genres, etc., and you can adjust the path in "Settings > Management Library" in the future. 2. When playing media, enter categories such as Music or Videos through the left navigation bar. Double-click the song or video to play. The playback control bar is displayed at the bottom. It supports playback/pause, fast forward/back, volume adjustment, repetition and shuffle play, and provides a mini playback mode. You can also directly drag and drop files to the application for temporary playback. 3. To create a playlist, you need to go to Music > Playlists, click "New Playlist", and add songs by searching or browsing. It supports dragging to adjust the order, delete tracks, rename or delete the entire list. All lists are saved locally and automatically synchronized. 4. Video playback supports common formats such as MP4, AVI, MKV, etc., browse by file or folder on the Videos page, click to play, supports full screen, embedded subtitles (or plug-in subtitle files of the same name) and basic playback speed adjustment, but does not support DVD playback or requires advanced encoding with additional decoder. 5. Custom functions include following the dark/light mode set by the system, right-clicking to remove files in the library (not deleting the original file), clicking the album cover at the bottom to expand the complete playback interface to view the playback queue and visualization effects. In addition, the application supports offline use, metadata editing (right-click > edit information), taskbar system tray playback control, and can run simultaneously with other applications such as Spotify. It is a simple and efficient local media management center.

Windows 11 introduced a redesigned Media Player app to replace Groove Music and the older Windows Media Player. It's a modern, clean app that supports local music, videos, and image playback, with library organization and dark mode support. Here's how to use it effectively.

1. Opening and Setting Up Media Player

The new Media Player is preinstalled on Windows 11 (version 22H2 and later). To open it:

• Click the Start menu and search for “Media Player”
• Or find it in your app list

When you open it for the first time:

• It will ask if you want to add folders to your media library (like Music, Videos, Pictures)
• You can browser and select specific folders (eg, D:\MyMusic or external drives)
• Once added, it scans and organizes your files by artist, album, genre, etc.

Tip: You can always change library folders later in Settings > Manage libraries .

2. Playing Music and Videos

Using the player is straightforward:

• On the left sidebar , you'll see sections like:
  • Home
  • Music
  • Videos
  • Pictures
• Click Music to browser by:
  • Albums
  • Artists
  • Songs
  • Genres
  • Playlists (you can create your own)
• Double-click any song or video to start playback

Playback controls appear at the bottom:

• Play/Pause
• Skip forward/back
• Volume slider
• Repeat and Shuffle buttons
• Mini player mode (icon in top-right of playback bar)

You can drag and drop files directly into the app to play them temporarily.

3. Creating and Managing Playlists

To create a playlist:

1. Go to Music > Playlists
2. Click New playlist
3. Name it (eg, “Workout Mix”)
4. Start adding songs by searching or browsing your library
5. Click the button next to any song to add it

You can:

• Reorder songs by dragging
• Remove songs with the trash icon
• Rename or delete playlists from the playlist view

Playlists are saved locally and sync across the app automatically.

4. Viewing and Playing Videos

Media Player handles common video formats (MP4, AVI, MKV, etc.):

• Go to the Videos section
• Browse by file or folder
• Click any video to play it
• Use full-screen mode with the button in the bottom-right

It supports:

• Subtitles (if embedded or in the same folder with matching name)
• Basic playback speed controls (accessible via right-click or settings)

Note: It doesn't support DVD playback or advanced codecs without additional software.

5. Customizing Your Experience

• Dark/Light Mode : Set in Windows Settings > Personalization > Colors — Media Player follows system theme by default.
• Library Management : Right-click any file to remove it from the library (doesn't delete the actual file).
• Now Playing View : Click the album art in the bottom bar to expand full playback view with queue and visualization.

Bonus Tips

• The app works offline — no internet needed
• Supports metadata editing (right-click a song > Edit info)
• Integrates with Taskbar — playback controls appear in the system tray
• Can be used alongside Spotify or other apps without conflict

Basically, Microsoft built a simple, reliable local media hub. It won't stream music like Spotify, but it's perfect for managing and playing your personal collection — and it looks great doing it.

The above is the detailed content of How to use the new Media Player in Windows 11. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!