A file with the WMV extension is a Windows Media Video file. It is usually compressed by one or more of Microsoft video compression formats. Although it is a common video format used on Windows, other operating systems or platforms do not support it at all. In result, you will need a WMV player for Mac and more. Moreover, Windows Media Player is able to open WMV, but not the only choice due to the limited controls. Here is a top list of WMV players below.
Part 1: Top 6 WMV Players for Mac/PC
Top 1: Apeaksoft Blu-ray Player
Apeaksoft Blu-ray Player is one of the best WMV players crossing platforms. For beginners, the clear interface lets you find what you want easily. Advanced users can use powerful functionalities, like video effects, audio equalizer, etc.
- Pros
- Play almost all video formats, including WMV.
- Generate excellent audiovisual experience.
- Compatible with Windows 10/8/7 and Mac OS X.
- Offer smooth playback using hardware acceleration.
- Cons
- It requires installation as a desktop WMV player.
How to Play a WMV File
Step 1Load a video
Launch the best WMV player once you install it on PC. There is another version for Mac. Click the Open File button, find the WMV file and open it.
Step 2Control WMV playback
After video loading, you will be taken to the player window. To control the playback, such as pause, stop, fast-forward, rewind and more, locate the bottom bar. Here you can take snapchats with the Camera button. The top menu bar gives you advanced controls, like aspect ratio, effect, etc.
Top 2: VLC
VLC is one of the best free WMV players for Windows, Mac and Linux. As an open-source project, it is totally free to use the full version. Moreover, it includes a large package of codecs and is able to play most popular video formats without extra codec.
- Pros
- Equip a variety of bonus features.
- Play both local videos and online streams.
- Control playback with hotkeys.
- Support a wide range of video formats.
- Cons
- It cannot use tags.
- Most features are hidden in menu bar.
- You cannot customize the interface.
Top 3: KMPlayer
KMPlayer is a WMV player designed to open a world of visualization. It was released by a Korea software company. At first, it is only available to Windows. Now, the developer provides a beta version for Mac users. The lightweight design makes it working smoothly on old machine.
- Pros
- Work with a cloud service.
- Play WMV videos crossing platforms.
- Control playback with buttons and hotkeys.
- Repair damaged AVI files for playback.
- Cons
- The installer contains Opencandy and extra software.
- It lacks a professional support team online.
Top 4: MPlayerX
MPlayerX is one of the best WMV players for Mac. It is a good supplement for QuickTime Player. As an open-source video player, MPlayerX is based on FFmpeg and MPlayer. In order to help you play almost any type of video files on Mac, it equips a huge package of codecs.
- Pros
- Play WMV on Mac without lag.
- Remember the interrupted point.
- Search for the next video file automatically.
- Compatible with other Apple products.
- Cons
- It does not come with playlist support.
- It may lead to system crash frequently.
Top 5: DivX Player
DivX Player is a paid WMV player for both Windows and Mac. It is able to play most popular video formats including WMV. Moreover, it supports the video resolution up to 4K. There are also a lot of bonus features, such as video cast to large screen. The Pro version costs $40.
- Pros
- Compatible with both PC and Mac.
- Cast videos to LED screen.
- Switch between audio tracks while playing.
- Play videos from cloud storage.
- Cons
- The video formats supported are limited.
- There are ads in free version.
Top 6: Elmedia Player
Similar to DivX Player, Elmedia Player is a paid WMV player, but it is only available to Mac. The video resolution supported up to 1080p and 4K. There are a wide range of outstanding add-ons available to extend the video player, such as enhance the sound with Graphical equalizer. The Pro version costs $19.95.
- Pros
- Play WMV on disk and online.
- Download, save and manage subtitles.
- Take screenshots while playing videos.
- Support Airplay.
- Cons
- The built-in browser needs improvement.
- There is hanging issues due to a lot of features.
Part 2: FAQs of WMV Player
Why Windows Media Player cannot play my WMV files?
Firstly, check the version of your Windows Media Player and update it to the latest version. Moreover, check your WMV files with another media player and make sure they are not corrupted. WMP cannot play broken WMV. Alternatively, you can try VLC. You can click here to know more solutions to fix Windows Media Player not working.
Can I play WMV on DVD player?
No. There are only a part of DVD players are able to play digital video files directly. In most cases, they can access MP4 but not WMV. Instead, you have to burn WMV files to DVD and play it on DVD player.
What are the advantages of WMV?
WMV format can save a large quantity of video and audio data with smaller storage space. Moreover, it works well on almost all Windows devices. Microsoft apps, like MS PowerPoint, also support WMV. Therefore, it is the best video format for Windows users.
Conclusion
This article has told you top 6 best WMV player software for Mac, Windows and Linux. Some of them are completely free of charge for full version, like VLC. Others provide a free version with some kind of limit, such as Elmedia Player. Now, you can make a decision and watch your favorite videos in WMV format. If you mind the video quality very much, Apeaksoft Blu-ray Player is the best choice. Moreover, it is pretty easy to use. Other problems? Please leave a message below.
