14 DAY TRIAL // Windows 11 has a new Media Player, and after it was previously launched exclusively for users in the Dev channel of the Windows Insider program, it’s now live for more users.
Microsoft has just announced that the app is launching for users running builds as part of the Beta channel, most likely ahead of the production debut later this month.
Microsoft will ship the first major Windows 11 update in February, and the Media Player is expected to be part of it.
The new Media Player in Windows 11
As you could easily anticipate, the new Media Player perfectly aligns with the look of Windows 11 overall, therefore providing users with a modern experience from one end to another.
“At the heart of Media Player is a full-featured music library that allows you to quickly browse and play music, as well as create and manage playlists. If your music collection is in Groove Music today, your library and playlists will automatically migrate to this new experience. The update to the new Media Player will replace the Groove Music app. The dedicated playback view features album art and rich artist imagery; these will appear in the full screen and mini player experiences as well,” Microsoft explains.
The Media Player is supposed to replace Groove Music, so it’ll import all the data automatically. Microsoft says it wants this app to be a worthy successor to the more famous Windows Media Player, so it encourages users to send their feedback to the company for additional polishing.
“Media Player includes full support for browsing, managing, and watching your local video collection too! All your content in the music and video folders on your PC will appear automatically in your library, but you can also tell Media Player where to look for additional content in app settings. We have also optimized for accessibility, with improved keyboard shortcut and access key support for keyboard users and with other assistive technologies,” it says.