QMPlay2 review
A free desktop player with FFmpeg format support, hardware decoding options and YouTube playback.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
QMPlay2 is a free, open-source desktop video and audio player for people who want broad local media playback across Windows, Linux and macOS. Its format coverage follows FFmpeg-supported formats and codecs, with support also for Audio CDs, raw files and chiptunes. That makes it a fit for solo desktop users with varied media files; it is less suited to buyers seeking a web-based service or a wider media management suite.
Playback breadth is the central strength. The player includes hardware video decoding options such as Vulkan Video, CUVID, DXVA2, D3D11VA, VA-API and VideoToolBox, as well as video deinterlacing filters. It can render subtitles and let viewers select subtitle streams. Spherical video viewing is available through OpenGL or Vulkan outputs. These options give users several ways to handle different video and display paths, though the list does not establish that every option works on every system or file.
QMPlay2 also includes a YouTube browser and supports YouTube playback through yt-dlp; Streamlink is listed as an integration. Buyers should distinguish that network playback from a hosted streaming service: QMPlay2 is distributed as desktop software, and its YouTube function relies on an external tool. The project documents builds and installation instructions for its three desktop platforms. Choose QMPlay2 if a free, open-source local player with format breadth, decoding options and subtitle controls is the priority. Choose another product if you need mobile or browser playback, or want a broader service rather than a desktop player.
QMPlay2 pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Plays formats and codecs supported by FFmpeg, plus Audio CDs, raw files and chiptunes
- Offers hardware decoding options across Windows, Linux and macOS
- Includes a YouTube browser, yt-dlp playback and subtitle stream selection
- Where it doesn't
- Desktop-only deployment leaves out mobile and web playback
- YouTube playback depends on the separate yt-dlp integration
- Its feature set centers on playback rather than broader media workflows
QMPlay2 fact sheet, pricing and score →
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