In-Depth Review of WMA Player for Android, iPhone, Windows and Mac

Music players have changed how we listen to our favorite songs. One type you might have heard of is the WMA player. WMA stands for Windows Media Audio, and it's a way of making music sound good without taking up too much space on your device. Hence, WMA players are designed to play this specific file format. Now, if you’re struggling to find reliable players, well, we got your back. In this post, we listed the 10 best free WMA players for your mobile device and computer.

• Part 1. What's the WMA
• Part 2. Top 5 Free WMA Players for PC and Mac
• Part 3. Top 5 Free WMA Player Apps for Android and iPhone
• Part 4. FAQs About Best Free WMA Player Review

Part 1. What's the WMA

Windows Media Audio (WMA) is a digital audio file format developed by Microsoft. It is a popular compression format designed to store and transmit audio data. At the same time, it maintains a reasonable level of sound quality. Further, WMA files have smaller file sizes compared to some other formats. Now, WMA is commonly used in various Microsoft products, such as Windows Media Player. Apart from that, many use it in digital music players and online streaming services. Moreover, it is often used in digital music distribution.

WMA's application extends seamlessly into in-car entertainment systems. Some car stereos and audio units are equipped to support WMA files. Many want to play WMA format on their car because of its high-quality audio experience. But still, it’s hard to find car audio systems that support both MP3 and WMA formats.

Luckily, you can still play this type of audio on other devices or platforms. Check out the Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS WMA players you can try in the following section of this post.

Part 2. Top 5 Free WMA Players for PC and Mac

1 Free Blu-ray Player

Platform Supported: Windows and Mac

Best for: High-quality audio, video, and even Blu-ray playback.

One of our best choices that you can download as a WMA player is the Blu-ray Master’s Free Blu-ray Player. Despite being known as a popular Blu-ray player, this software has tons of supported formats, too. As a matter of fact, it can play numerous audio and video formats. It supports audio formats, including WMA, MP3, WAV, FLAC, AAC, and so on. Apart from that, it lets you play MP4, MPEG, AVI, FLV, MKV, and other video files. It only means that this tool is a versatile one, which amazes us upon discovering it. Another thing is that you can play WMA files without any audio quality loss. When we tested it, the tool loaded and played the WMA file immediately with high-quality sound. And so, we can conclude that it is the best WMA player available.

2 VLC Media Player

Platform Supported: Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.

Best for: Users who want to play a wide variety of audio and video formats in one software.

VLC is one of the most popular and used media players. It has been a go-to choice for many users when they try to play their audio and video. One of the main reasons is that the tool supports extensive file formats, including WMA. In fact, it can also serve as a free WMA player for Mac. The thing that we appreciate the most about this tool is it’s easy to use because of its interface. But that doesn’t end here. It also offers advanced features for professionals.

3 Audacity

Platform Supported: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: Professional users for audio editing; less suitable for casual playback.

While primarily known for audio editing, Audacity can also play WMA files. It is a comprehensive tool for audio professionals. It offers features for recording, editing, and more. Having that said, it means it requires skills to use it. Yet, its focus on editing might make it less user-friendly. This is especially true for those simply looking to play music. Nonetheless, when we tried it, it was a decent audio player tool. Plus, it is worth considering this software as a Linux WMA player.

4 Winamp

Platform Supported: Windows

Best for: Users who prefer a classic and feature-rich WMA player with customization options and plugin support.

Next up, we have Winamp. It has been a classic choice for many, and its simplicity makes it appealing to beginners. Aside from that, it is considered one of the most lightweight media players. Luckily, this software can also play WMA files and other popular audio formats. When we check the tool out, we can say that it is a good option for basic music playback.

5 Foobar2000

Platform Supported: Windows, with Mac compatibility through Wine.

Best for: Advanced users who value extreme customization, lightweight design, and efficient resource usage for WMA playback.

To complete our list, we introduce Foobar2000. It is another lightweight yet powerful player, and its strength lies in customization. As someone who appreciates tweaking settings, I find Foobar2000 to be excellent for its modular design. It's efficient and ideal for those who want a customizable audio experience. However, beginners might find its customization options overwhelming.

Part 3. Top 5 Free WMA Player Apps for Android and iPhone

1 Jumpshare WMA Player

Platform Supported: Web browsers, such as Chrome, Safari, Firefox, etc.

Best for: Seamless audio file access within the Jumpshare ecosystem.

Are you looking for an online WMA player? Jumpshare offers a free online WMA player that you can use. Using your browser, you can play your WMA files as long as you have an internet connection. If you don’t want the hassle of installing an app on your mobile device, access this on your browser instead. Now, when we tried using this tool, we discovered that it relies on an internet connection. It means that you need at least a stable internet connection to play without any interruption.

2 Poweramp Music Player

Platform Supported: Android

Best for: Users seeking a feature-rich, customizable music player with WMA support.

For Android users desiring advanced features, Poweramp Music Player stands out. It can play local music files in various formats, including high-resolution audio formats. It supports WMA, WAV, FLAC, AAC, and more. Aside from that, it gives you complete control over your audio experience. But here’s a catch, when we try using it, we notice that its free version has fewer features. Thus, we weren’t able to use them. Nonetheless, we were able to play WMA files.

3 VOX – MP3 & FLAC Music Player

Platform Supported: iPhone

Best for: Users who prioritize simplicity and basic WMA playback.

VOX is an Apple WMA player that you can also try. It is an app that you can use on iPhone, iPad, and even Mac. Also, it has been an excellent choice for iPhone users who value simplicity and functionality. Although its name suggests that it is an MP3 and FLAC music player, it also supports other audio formats. It includes WMA, OGG, WAV, ALAC, and so on. At first glance, this app looks really great. Yet, it doesn’t sync well with the iTunes subscription. Nevertheless, it is a reliable WMA player.

4 Google Play Music

Platform Supported: Android

Best for: Accessing and listening to your uploaded library of WMA files stored in Google Play Music.

Google Play Music is more than just a popular music streaming service. It can also serve as a WMA music player. Now, you might wonder how you can play WMA files using it. Well, first, you have to understand that it can’t play when files are copied directly to your storage card or phone. Upon trying it, we learned that you need to import it properly to efficiently play WMA files.

5 VLC Media Player (for Mobile)

Platform Supported: Android, iPhone

Best for: playing a wide variety of media formats on the go, including WMA, MP3, FLAC, etc.

VLC Media Player has a mobile version as well, which you can use on Android and iPhone. It is a handy version that lets you play WMA files on your phone. With it, you can play almost all types of formats without any conversion. The interesting part is that it also supports WMA files. Having said that, we tried using the app, and we were able to play the WMA we have. Yet, if you’re a beginner, you might find it hard to navigate this app.

Part 4. FAQs About Best Free WMA Player Review

• Does VLC play WMA files?

  Of course, yes! As mentioned above, a WMA file is one of the formats supported by VLC.

• How do I play WMA files on Windows 10/11?

  Windows 10/11 includes the Windows Media Player app, which can play WMA files. Simply right-click and choose File > Open from the drop-down menu. Then, find and select the WMA file. Finally, the Windows Media Player will instantly play it for you.

• Can Google Drive play WMA files?

  Google Drive does not have built-in audio player functionality. While it can store WMA files, playback directly within Google Drive is not supported. To play WMA files stored on Google Drive, you'll need to download them. Finally, use a compatible media player on your device.

• Why can't I play WMA files?

  There are many possible reasons why you can’t play WMA files. It may be due to the lack of a WMA-compatible player, a corrupted file, or issues with codecs.

Wrapping up

In the end, that’s everything you need to know about the 10 best free WMA players. Now, it is easier to choose what tool you prefer, depending on your needs. But the tool that we highly recommend is the Free Blu-ray Player. It is free and supports numerous formats to play on your computer. Thus making it the best all-in-one software.