There are many free programs you can use to watch videos, listen to audio files, or view pictures and images with. Yet, not many people feel comfortable downloading and installing unknown software – especially since some can’t even open all formats. After having had a look at native Apple files before, we will have a look at media files that are supported by Windows native programs this time.

We will concentrate on Media files like videos, audio files, and images only this time (with the exception of some project files), since document, presentation, and spreadsheet files is a topic for another day.

If you still come across an audio or video file that isn’t supported by your Windows native programs, you can still convert them into a format that can be displayed or played by them. You don’t need any download or installation for these audio converter or video converter as well.

Windows Media Player

The most current version of the Windows Media Player, Media Player 12, got rid of quite a few restrictions the Media Player 11 version still held. It is part of the Windows 7 Starter Edition, Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise.

Video:

The support of MP4 and M2TS files as well as 3G2, 3GP, and 3GPP files doesn’t come as a big surprise. Especially MP4 became a very popular format for videos and movies, thus the implementation and support by the Windows Media Player was just a matter of time.

What’s more noteworthy is that Windows Media Playe 12 also supports Apple resp. Mac formats as well now, such as MOV and M4V.

• 3G2, 3GP, 3GPP (not available in Media Player 11)
• AVI
• M2TS (not available in Media Player 11)
• M4V (not available in Media Player 11)
• MOV (not available in Media Player 11)
• MP2
• MP4  (not available in Media Player 11)
• MPG
• WMV

Audio:

While the Apple native formats AIF and AIFF have been supported by Windows Media Player before, the Media Player 12 version added support of the M4A file format as well. Furthermore, AAC files can be listened to with the Media Player as well now.

• AAC (not available in Media Player 11)
• AIF, AIFF
• M4A (not available in Media Player 11)
• MID, MIDI
• MP3
• WAV
• WMA

 

Windows Movie Maker

For getting the most current version of the Windows Movie Maker, Windows Movie Maker 12, the Windows Essentials 2012 package is necessary.

Project:

The following project files that contain information about the video, audio, and other editing processes can be opened and further edited in Windows Movie Maker 12:

• MSWMM
• WLMP

Video:

• WMV
• M2TS, MTS
• AVI
• MP4, MOV, 3GP, 3G2
• MPEG, MPG, MP2

Audio:

• WMA
• AIF, AIFF, WAV
• M4A
• MP3

Image:

• JPG, JPEG
• TIF, TIFF
• GIF
• BMP
• ICO
• PNG

 

Windows Media Center

The Windows Media center allows you to watch TV Series, movies, DVD content, and more on your computer. It’s available in the newest version for For Windows 8, 7, RT, and Vista.

Video:

• WMV
• M2TS
• MOV
• AVI
• MP4, M4V
• MPEG, MPG, MP2

Audio:

• WMA
• WAV
• MP3
• AAC

Image:

• JPG, JPEG
• TIF, TIFF
• RAW
• GIF
• BMP
• PNG

 

Windows Photo Viewer

The Windows Photo Viewer is the default program to view images, photos, and pictures of several formats since Windows 8, 7, and Vista.

The most popular image formats are supported by the Photo Viewer, but it unfortunately does not cover camera raw formats like ARW, CRW, or NEF.

Furthermore, animated GIFs are displayed as still images rather than animated. To display an animated gif in motion, one either needs Internet Explorer (or any other browser) or another picture viewing program that supports animated GIFs.

• JPG, JPEG
• TIF, TIFF
• PNG
• GIF (no animated GIFs)
• BMP