PotPlayer
Kakao Corp. • Media Player
Video playback often demands a resource-light player. PotPlayer is a powerful, free multimedia utility that meets this need. Developed by Kakao Corp., this Windows-only application is known for its extensive customization options and robust support for a vast array of video and audio formats. It is a strong alternative to more common players. It offers advanced features like hardware acceleration and 3D video support. These features make it a favorite among power users seeking granular control over their viewing experience.
In This Post
Pro Settings for PotPlayer
Optimizing Hardware Acceleration for 4K/8K Playback
- Right-click the player window and select Preferences (or press F5).
- Navigate to Filter Control > Video Decoder > Built-in-Decoder settings.
- Under the Hardware Decoder section, ensure Use DXVA is checked.
- For NVIDIA users, also tick Prioritize D3D11 to leverage the latest GPU-based decoding for smoother high-resolution video.
Why: This configuration forces the player to offload video decoding tasks to your graphics card (GPU), significantly reducing CPU load and preventing stuttering during high-bitrate 4K or 8K video playback.
Enabling Audio Normalization for Consistent Volume
- Right-click the player window and select Audio.
- Go to Audio Processing.
- Select the Normalizer option from the list.
- You can further adjust the Normalizer settings by clicking the adjacent button to set a target volume level.
Why: Activating the Normalizer prevents jarring volume spikes and drops, ensuring a consistent audio level between quiet dialogue and loud action sequences, which is crucial for comfortable movie watching.
Creating and Exporting Custom Configuration Presets
- Open Preferences (F5) and select the Configuration tab.
- Click the Add button to create a new custom settings file (e.g., Custom 1).
- Click Activate to switch to this new preset.
- After making all your desired changes, click the Export button to save the custom settings as a.reg file for backup or transfer.
Why: This allows power users to maintain separate, complex configurations for different use cases (e.g., a High Quality preset and a Low Resource preset) and easily migrate them to another machine.
Download PotPlayer Version 26.1.15
Size – 45.57 MB
Windows
Download PotPlayer for Windows – x64
Download PotPlayer Codecs for Windows – x64
Download PotPlayer for Windows – x86
What You Need
- OS: Windows 7
- Disk Space: 20.36 MB
Tech Specs
| Software Name | PotPlayer |
|---|---|
| Version | 26.1.15 |
| License | Free |
| File Size | 45.57 MB |
| OS Support | Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7 |
| Language | Multi-language (English, Korean, Chinese, Russian, etc.) |
| Developer | Kakao Corp. |
| Homepage | https://potplayer.tv/ |
| Last Updated | January 2026 |
Key Features
- Hardware-Accelerated Playback: The player utilizes hardware acceleration technologies like DXVA, CUDA, and QuickSync to ensure smooth, seamless video playback, even for high-resolution 4K and 8K content, while minimizing system resource usage.
- Comprehensive Codec Support: It supports nearly all popular video and audio formats, including H.264, H.265 (HEVC), VP9, and AV1, without requiring users to install separate codec packs, thanks to its OpenCodec functionality.
- Advanced Subtitle Management: PotPlayer supports a wide variety of subtitle formats, such as SMI, SRT, Vobsub (DVD), Blu-ray subtitles, and ASS/SSA animation, offering real-time syncing and translation capabilities.
- 3D Video and Output Support: Users can enjoy an immersive viewing experience with support for various 3D glasses and output formats, including Side by Side, Top and Bottom, and Page Flipping, on a 3DTV or PC.
- Screen and Stream Capture: The software includes built-in tools to capture screenshots, create video snapshots, and record the screen, plus it can play online streams directly using protocols like RTSP, MMS, and HTTP.
What’s New in Latest Version
- APV codec support added – Play APV-encoded videos without needing external codecs or converters
- Subtitle character detection improved – Non-English subtitles (Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, etc.) display correctly without garbled text
- Live stream subtitle sync fixed – Real-time generated subtitles now match audio timing during live broadcasts
- MKV file completion bug resolved – Videos that previously froze at the end now play through completely
- MP4 playback speed issues eliminated – Files that stuttered or lagged now play smoothly without buffering delays
Discover more from Software Wave
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.