Our verdict: PotPlayer packs more playback options than almost any other Windows player. It plays common formats out of the box and uses your GPU for smooth high-resolution video. The trade-off is a crowded settings menu and closed-source code.
About PotPlayer
PotPlayer is a free media player for Windows published by Kakao Corp. of South Korea. Its current official website is potplayer.tv, and the installers are served from Kakao's own download server.
It includes its own codecs, so most files play without installing codec packs, and it supports OpenCodec if you want to add others. Hardware decoding through DXVA, CUDA and QuickSync keeps CPU use low with 4K and high-bitrate video.
What it does well
- Hardware acceleration. Decodes video through DXVA, CUDA or QuickSync depending on your graphics hardware.
- Wide subtitle support. SMI, SRT, VobSub, Blu-ray subtitles and animated ASS/SSA.
- 3D output. Side-by-side, top-and-bottom and page-flipping output for 3D TVs and glasses.
- Bookmarks and previews. Bookmark scenes or chapters and preview scenes with snapshots.
- Audio device choice. Choose which sound card plays the audio when you have more than one.
Who it is for
Good fit
Windows users who want one player with every playback option and do not mind exploring menus.
Look elsewhere
People who prefer open-source software or a minimal player with few settings.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Plays most formats without codec packs
- Strong hardware decoding support
- Very detailed playback and subtitle options
- ARM64 build available
Cons
- Closed source
- Settings menu is large and confusing
- Windows only
How to install PotPlayer
On potplayer.tv choose the x64 (64-bit) download for most PCs, or ARM64 for ARM devices. Read each setup screen before clicking Next and untick anything you do not want. Right-click the video window to reach almost every option.
Questions about PotPlayer
What is the official PotPlayer website?
potplayer.tv. The site carries a Kakao Corp. copyright and links to installers on Kakao's own download server.
Should I download the 32-bit or 64-bit PotPlayer?
Choose 64-bit on most modern PCs. Use the 32-bit version only if you rely on old 32-bit codecs or filters.
Does PotPlayer need codec packs?
No. It includes codecs for most common formats and supports OpenCodec for adding more.
