Microsoft recently announced a new Media Player for Windows 11, which replaces Groove Music and is supposed to be the successor to the famous Windows Media Player. The Media Player has been rolling out to testers running Windows 11 Dev Channel, but users reports suggest that the new app is now also heading to non-Insiders.
A new update has set Windows Media Player software requirement to Windows 11 Build 22000, which means you can now install the app via the Microsoft Store. If you don’t see the update in the Store, you should be able to install the app manually as long as the device is running Build 22000.346 or newer.
Windows Media Player was first teased during a live podcast stream and Microsoft officially announced the redesign in November 2021. The company has been testing Media Player for more than two months now and it seems to be ready for regular use. Additionally, a new update for Media Player enables support for system accent colours.
Media Player can now follow the system accent colour in Windows 11. After the latest update, it is finally possible to use Windows 11 accent colour and replace the app’s built-in colour system called “Zest”. If you prefer Zest, you can always go back to the default previous style from Media Player’s settings.
The new Media Player is specifically built with Windows 11 in mind and it uses WinUI elements, round corners, etc. At the moment, Media Player works only on Windows 11, but it will also arrive on Windows 10 without rounded corners and Mica theme which applies to the app’s background.
Media Player replaces Groove Music
It’s worth noting that the new Media Player would replace the existing Groove Music Player and import all its databases including playlist or your saved media locations automatically once updated.
Remember that the classic Windows Media Player isn’t going anywhere. If you prefer the classic Windows Media Player, you can still enable it from Optional Settings, though it goes without saying that the old Media Player will be removed from the operating system in a future release.
As mentioned at the outset, Media Player is now available for Windows 11 Build 22000. If you don’t see the update in the Store, you can download it from here.
There’s no ETA as to when the app will become available for everyone.
In addition to Media Player, Microsoft is also working on a new Notepad app for Windows 11.