Windows Media Player by Microsoft Corporation is a famous multimedia file player that comes bundled with every version of Windows operating systems. Even if Windows Media Player for Mac is not a viable choice, there are plenty other players that you can use on your system. Here are some decent alternatives to Windows Media Player for Mac. To search for Windows Media Video converters, type wmv into the search box, and then press Return. From the list of results, download and install the conversion software you want. In OneNote, go to the audio or video clip icon in your notes that you want to play, right-click (or Control-click) it, and then click Save As on the menu that appears.
For some users still transitioning from PC to Mac, the experience can be a bit jarring. All of those new commands, programs, and file types can confuse even the most tech-savvy. Rest assured, you'll get into the groove of things in no time. Still, there are a couple of questions that always seem to come up.
One common question we've come across from new Mac users is how to play Windows Media files on Mac, or if that's even possible! In short, the answer is yes—you can play Windows Media files on Mac, despite the fact that the Mac version of Windows Media Player was discontinued nearly 10 years ago. There are essentially two ways to do it:
1. You can install a third-party application from the Internet.
Examples include Flip4Mac, VLC, and more.
2. You can run Windows on Mac using Parallels Desktop and use—what else? Windows Media Player to play Windows Media files on Mac!
Parallels Desktop not only allows you to play Windows Media files, but also allows you to run any Windows-only software on your Mac. We're talking everything from Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.) to live-streaming popular PC games. Admittedly, we're a little biased, but when it comes to merging Windows and Mac, we think Parallels Desktop is by far the best choice! Even better, you can try it for free.
If you're already a Parallels Desktop user, great! Which do you prefer, Windows Media Player or QuickTime? Share your thoughts with us in a comment, or reach out to us on Facebook or Twitter.
Support for Windows 7 ended on January 14, 2020
We recommend you move to a Windows 10 PC to continue to receive security updates from Microsoft.
Download Windows Media Player
Get Windows Media Player for your version of Windows, or learn how to play Windows Media files on your Mac. Get the details here.
Get help
Find help and how-to information for your version of Windows Media Player. Learn about the features and how to fix problems.
Windows Media Player 12
Play a CD or DVD in Windows Media Player
Burn and rip CDs
Codecs: frequently asked questions
Microsoft Media Player For Mac
If Windows Media Player stopped working correctly after the latest updates from Windows Update, you can verify that the updates are the problem by using System Restore. To do this:
Select the Start button, and then type system restore.
Select Create a restore point, and then in the System Properties pane, select System Restore.
Follow the prompts to select the restore point just before the round of updates that seemed to trigger the problem. Then run the system restore process. (This takes a while.)
After your system is restored to the earlier configuration, check to see whether Windows Media Player runs correctly again.
For advanced video features like 4K, you might also want to try Microsoft Movies & TV. To download this for free from Microsoft Store, go to Movies & TV and select Get.
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2. You can run Windows on Mac using Parallels Desktop and use—what else? Windows Media Player to play Windows Media files on Mac!
Parallels Desktop not only allows you to play Windows Media files, but also allows you to run any Windows-only software on your Mac. We're talking everything from Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.) to live-streaming popular PC games. Admittedly, we're a little biased, but when it comes to merging Windows and Mac, we think Parallels Desktop is by far the best choice! Even better, you can try it for free.
If you're already a Parallels Desktop user, great! Which do you prefer, Windows Media Player or QuickTime? Share your thoughts with us in a comment, or reach out to us on Facebook or Twitter.
Support for Windows 7 ended on January 14, 2020
We recommend you move to a Windows 10 PC to continue to receive security updates from Microsoft.
Download Windows Media Player
Get Windows Media Player for your version of Windows, or learn how to play Windows Media files on your Mac. Get the details here.
Get help
Find help and how-to information for your version of Windows Media Player. Learn about the features and how to fix problems.
Windows Media Player 12
Play a CD or DVD in Windows Media Player
Burn and rip CDs
Codecs: frequently asked questions
Microsoft Media Player For Mac
If Windows Media Player stopped working correctly after the latest updates from Windows Update, you can verify that the updates are the problem by using System Restore. To do this:
Select the Start button, and then type system restore.
Select Create a restore point, and then in the System Properties pane, select System Restore.
Follow the prompts to select the restore point just before the round of updates that seemed to trigger the problem. Then run the system restore process. (This takes a while.)
After your system is restored to the earlier configuration, check to see whether Windows Media Player runs correctly again.
For advanced video features like 4K, you might also want to try Microsoft Movies & TV. To download this for free from Microsoft Store, go to Movies & TV and select Get.
Make it yours
Media Player Download For Mac
Customize Windows Media Player with easily installed skins, visualizations, and plug-ins for a new look and extra features. Learn more.
