A component of Microsoft Windows | |
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Windows Media Player 12 running on Windows 8
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Details | |
Type | Media player |
Included with |
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Also available for | Windows NT 4.0, Mac OS 7, Mac OS X, Solaris |
Replaces | ActiveMovie Control, CD Player, DVD Player (Win32 version) |
Related components | |
Windows Media Center, Microsoft Movies & TV |
Type of site
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Media player website |
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Available in | L |
Owner | Microsoft |
Created by | Microsoft |
Revenue | Yes |
Website | Archived official website at the Wayback Machine (archive index) |
Commercial | No |
Registration | No |
Users | T |
Launched | October 8, 1999 |
Current status | Active |
Written in | ASP.NET |
Windows Media Player (abbreviated WMP) is a media player and media library application developed by Microsoft that is used for playing audio, video and viewing images on personal computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system, as well as on Pocket PC and Windows Mobile–based devices. Editions of Windows Media Player were also released for classic Mac OS, Mac OS X and Solaris but development of these has since been discontinued.
In addition to being a media player, Windows Media Player includes the ability to rip music from and copy music to compact discs, burn recordable discs in Audio CD format or as data discs with playlists such as an MP3 CD, synchronize content with a digital audio player (MP3 player) or other mobile devices, and enable users to purchase or rent music from a number of online music stores.
Windows Media Player replaced an earlier application called Media Player, adding features beyond simple video or audio playback.
Windows Media Player 11 is available for Windows XP and included in Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. The default file formats are Windows Media Video (WMV), Windows Media Audio (WMA), and Advanced Systems Format (ASF), and its own XML based playlist format called Windows Playlist (WPL). The player is also able to utilize a digital rights management service in the form of Windows Media DRM.