New Media Player update uses more RAM, opens slower

modern Windows – A new Insider Preview update for Windows 11’s modern Media Player has landed with fixes for captions, codec messages, and file recognition—but tests show it still uses far more memory than the classic Windows Media Player from 17 years ago and opens local vide

Heavier memory usage, slower local playback, and a paywall for common video codecs—those are the complaints users are carrying into Microsoft’s latest Insider Preview update for the modern Windows 11 Media Player.

The update has been rolled out to the Experimental Insider builds as part of Microsoft’s June 12 Insider Preview releases. But the problems aren’t new to the modern app, and they’re coming into focus again after testing.

At the center of the backlash is version 11.2605.14.0 of the Media Player, which critics say behaves worse than the classic Windows Media Player that shipped roughly 17 years ago.

While Microsoft lists improvements, the biggest sticking points are performance and the codec experience.

Microsoft’s update does include changes people can feel right away. Caption styling now follows Windows system caption settings, letting users adjust font size, color, and background from the operating system. The app also shows an indexing banner when it is scanning a fresh media library—meant to make it clearer why songs or videos might not appear yet.

Beyond captions and banners. Microsoft says it has improved file recognition to reduce playback errors. added clearer missing codec messages. blocked unnamed playlists. fixed a crash tied to play queue editing. and cleaned up some visual issues. For an app that ships as the default media player on Windows 11, those are practical fixes.

But they don’t address what testers say is still the modern player’s central weakness: it’s simply heavier and slower.

In idle conditions, the modern Media Player reportedly uses around 377MB of RAM, compared with about 103.4MB for the legacy Windows Media Player. And in testing, the newer app also took longer to open a local video file.

For a media player, those numbers land hard. Opening and playing a local video is supposed to be among the simplest jobs a player can do.

The other frustration hits at the codec gate. HEVC—also known as H.265—is common on phones, including iPhones and many Android devices. Yet Windows users may be prompted to install Microsoft’s paid HEVC Video Extensions app from the Microsoft Store to play those files in Media Player. The extension costs $0.99.

HEVC’s licensing is a real constraint. HEVC is tied to patent licensing, and Microsoft has to account for royalties. Still. the user experience is leaving a bitter taste: someone can record a video on a modern phone. move it to a Windows machine. and then be asked to pay extra just to play it in Microsoft’s own media app.

It’s not just theoretical. The fact that free alternatives—like VLC Media Player and MPV—can play HEVC videos without requiring Microsoft’s paid codec extension makes the contrast feel even sharper.

There’s more context inside Windows itself. Windows 11 version 24H2 has removed built-in AC-3 support, which can affect Dolby Digital audio playback.

So the picture that emerges from this Insider update is mixed: Microsoft is improving Media Player in small, sensible ways, while the complaints that matter most to everyday use—RAM usage, local file speed, and how dependent playback is on paid codec add-ons—haven’t gone away.

Windows 11 Media Player modern Media Player Insider Preview memory usage RAM HEVC H.265 HEVC Video Extensions Windows 7 legacy media player AC-3 support Windows 11 24H2