Suggestions appear as you type. Use the up and down arrows to choose one and Enter to open it.

This page's audience our own tag's counts — open to see them
–Visits
–Page views
–Clicks to vendors
–Time on page
–Reading now
Clicks to vendors, by tool
  • –
Top countries
  • –
Devices
  • –

– · visits, page views and clicks counted by our own tag, which counts more than our checked analytics; every figure rounded down · how we count

MPC-BE review

Free#19 of 75 in Media Player SoftwareVideo Player Software

A free Windows player for local media, discs, network streams, URLs, and subtitles.

7.3/10Editor score
Visit MPC-BE
MPC-BE7.3 Visit MPC-BE

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

MPC-BE is a free, open-source audio and video player for Windows. It is suited to users who want one desktop application for local files, URLs, network paths, playlists, subtitles, DVDs, and Blu-ray media. The player covers formats including AVI, MKV, MPEG-TS, MPEG-PS, MP4, FLV, WMV, RF64, WavPack, Wave64, AV1, HEVC, and VVC. Installable and portable Windows builds give users two distribution options without changing its focus on playback.

Its strongest case is breadth within traditional media playback. MPC-BE supports external and embedded subtitles, file-format associations, hardware-accelerated video decoding, and playlist handling. That combination makes it a practical fit for Windows users with mixed local libraries, physical discs, and network-based content. Integration with yt-dlp adds YouTube playback, while FFmpeg, LAV Filters, and MPC Video Renderer contribute to its playback-oriented ecosystem. Users choosing it should value direct media playback and format coverage over a broader content-management suite.

The main trade-off is platform scope: MPC-BE runs on Windows, so it is not suited to buyers seeking a player across multiple operating systems. Its feature set is centered on watching and listening rather than media creation or editing. The yt-dlp connection is also defined around YouTube playback, not a general promise of support for every online service. Pick MPC-BE for a free Windows player with disc support, subtitles, network playback, hardware decoding, and portable distribution. Choose another product if cross-platform availability or production-focused media tools matter more than playback coverage.

MPC-BE pros and cons

  • Where it wins
    • Free and open source with installable and portable Windows builds.
    • Supports DVDs, Blu-ray media, network streams, URLs, subtitles, and playlists.
    • Hardware decoding with yt-dlp, FFmpeg, LAV Filters, and MPC Video Renderer.
  • Where it doesn't
    • Available for Windows only.
    • Its scope centers on playback rather than media creation or editing.
    • yt-dlp integration is specifically provided for YouTube playback.

MPC-BE fact sheet, pricing and score →

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Last updated · How we research and update