Playing audio or video files in Windows is a straightforward task that can be done by simply double-clicking on the file you wish to play, or by right-clicking and selecting “Play” from the dropdown menu. Either of these methods will open the file in the default media player, which is usually either Windows Media Player or Groove Music.
To play an audio file, such as an .mp3, .wav, .aiff, etc., start by locating it in the file system. This could be in any folder or drive you have access to, including external storage devices such as USBs and/or optical discs. Once the file is located, you can double-click it or right-click it to open it.
If the file is not associated with any particular media player, Windows will prompt you to select one from the list of installed options. Once confirmed, the file should open in the program you chose and begin playing immediately.
The same process can be used to play video files, such as .avi, .wmv, and many others. As with audio files, once you locate the file you want to watch, you can either double-click it or right-click it and choose the appropriate player.
When using Windows Media Player for audio and/or video playback, there are a few helpful controls and options available. These include the ability to repeat, pause, rewind, fast forward, and adjust the volume of the media being played. You can also typically change the playback speed, toggle between video and audio only, switch between different video/audio tracks, and make basic modifications to the audio/video quality.
Other media players, such as Groove Music, may offer additional features and options. These could include things like the ability to create playlists, customize the look of the app, access various settings and preferences, etc.
It is also worth noting that you can use streaming services such as Netflix, YouTube, Spotify, etc. to watch/listen to content without having to download the audio/video file onto your computer. In this case, the selected service will open in your web browser and allow you to browse its library and listen/watch media without saving it to your computer.