PCTools logoPCToolsProof before promises.
mpv icon

mpv

A minimal free media player: hardware-decoded playback via mpv-android-lib/FFmpeg, high-quality scalers (ewa_lanczos, spline36), debanding, subtitle timing via Lua scripts. ~30 MB portable with no installer runtime dependencies; config is plain-text lua-friendly INI.

Category
Media
Licence
Free and open source
Official site
mpv.io
Last updated
2026-10-17
Download from official siteAll free apps

What it does

mpv plays audio and video with high-quality defaults, hardware acceleration, and a scriptable configuration. It is VLC's minimal cousin: fewer features, cleaner behaviour.

When it helps

When you mostly play files and control playback from the keyboard, or want a player that stays out of the way under a tiling window manager. Its default scaling and debanding are often better out of the box than larger players.

Limitations

No proper library or GUI by default — if you want albums and playlists, pair it with a front end (Celluloid, IINA on macOS) or use VLC. Subtitles and streaming sites are more manual to set up.

Security and licensing

Open source (GPL). Like VLC, it is a safer way to open an unknown media file than a shell-integrated default player.

Alternatives

VLC when you want one application that does everything; IINA on macOS for a native-feeling player on the same engine; SMPlayer on Linux for a Qt front end.

Common questions

mpv vs VLC — which media player is better?

mpv for keyboard purists: better default scaling and debanding, tiny footprint, scriptable config, no GUI clutter. VLC for a full GUI, playlist management, broadcasting and format kitchen-sink coverage. Many power users keep both.

How do I configure mpv?

Create mpv.conf in your config directory (Windows: %APPDATA%\mpv\, Linux: ~/.config/mpv/). Common starting point: hwdec=auto-safe, profile=high-quality, keep-open=yes. The mpv manual lists every option; start minimal and add only what you notice missing.

What are the essential mpv keyboard shortcuts?

Space = pause, ←/→ = 5s skip, ↑/↓ = volume, f = fullscreen, 9/0 = volume down/up, s = screenshot, q = quit, / and * = subtitle delay nudge, Ctrl+arrows = audio delay. Full list: mpv manual → "Default key bindings".

Does mpv play DVDs and Blu-rays?

Blu-ray menus are not supported (playback of the title itself can work with libbluray). DVDs play if your build includes libdvdread/libdvdnav — on Windows, the prebuilt bundles include them; on Linux, install the distro's libdvd packages.

How do I add subtitles in mpv?

Drop a .srt/.ass file onto the window, or press v to cycle subtitle tracks. For automatic fetching, install the subdl or assubnet scripts from mpv's user-scripts repository — they match subtitles by hash and download the best match.

Related reading

← All recommendations