Gnome MPlayerLinux
vs
Windows Media Player (wmp)Windows
Gnome MPlayer as a Linux alternative to Windows Media Player (wmp)
Updated
Our verdict
Gnome MPlayer is a functional but outdated replacement for Windows Media Player. It handles basic playback of common audio and video files well due to the MPlayer engine, but it lacks a modern library manager. Since the project is discontinued, you will not receive updates or security patches. It is suitable only for users who need a lightweight, low-resource player for simple tasks and do not require extensive metadata management, album art display, or a polished, current user interface. For most users, modern alternatives like VLC or Totem are better choices.
- License
- GPL
- Price
- Free
- Latest version
- 1.0.9
- Rating
- —
What works the same
- Plays common audio formats like MP3, AAC, and WAV
- Plays common video formats like MP4, AVI, and WMV
- Provides basic playlist management
- Offers simple playback controls for quick use
- Runs as a desktop application with a graphical interface
What is different
- Lacks a robust library manager for organizing media by metadata
- Does not display album art or manage collections effectively
- Development is discontinued, meaning no future updates or bug fixes
- Subtitle support is present but less integrated and user-friendly than WMP
- Interface is dated and less polished compared to modern media players
Opening your Windows Media Player (wmp) files
Gnome MPlayer can play most common media files (MP3, MP4, AVI, etc.) that Windows Media Player handles. It does not use the Windows Media Player library database format, so you cannot directly import WMP's library. You will need to manually add files or folders to Gnome MPlayer's playlist. It does not export playlists in WMP's specific format, though it can save standard M3U or ASX playlists.
Switching from Windows Media Player (wmp) to Gnome MPlayer, step by step
- Install Gnome MPlayer via your package manager
- Locate your media files on the Linux filesystem
- Open Gnome MPlayer and use 'Add Files' or 'Add Folder' to load media
- Configure subtitle paths in MPlayer settings if needed
- Create a new playlist within Gnome MPlayer for frequent tracks
- Test playback of various formats to ensure codec support
Key features of Gnome MPlayer
- Frontend for MPlayer engine
- Supports most common audio and video formats
- Simple, lightweight interface
- Basic playback controls and playlist support
- Configurable via MPlayer settings
- Runs on GNOME desktops with minimal resource use
How to install Gnome MPlayer on Linux
sudo pacman -S gnome-mplayerFrequently asked questions
Is Gnome MPlayer still maintained?
No, Gnome MPlayer is discontinued. It is no longer actively developed, which means it may lack support for newer codecs or security updates.
Can I import my Windows Media Player library?
No, there is no direct import tool for WMP libraries. You must manually add files or folders to Gnome MPlayer, as it does not use the same database structure.
Does it handle subtitles well?
It supports subtitles via the MPlayer engine, but the interface for managing and syncing them is basic compared to dedicated players like VLC.
4 other alternatives to Windows Media Player (wmp)
MplayerMPlayer is a free, command‑line media player that supports a wide range of formats and codecs.Open sourceFreeMplayer vs Windows Media Player (wmp)
TotemTotem (GNOME Videos) is the default GNOME video player built on GStreamer.Open sourceFreeTotem vs Windows Media Player (wmp)
VLC media playerVLC is a free, open‑source multimedia player that runs on Linux and handles virtually any audio or video…Open sourceFreeFlatpakVLC media player vs Windows Media Player (wmp)
StremioStremio is a modern, open-source media player that aggregates content from local files and online addons for…Open sourceFreeFlatpakStremio vs Windows Media Player (wmp)