Foobar2000 is an audio player with low memory footprint and native support for most popular audio formats. It includes replay gain, audio normalization, equalization, and more. Play list display and keyboard shortcuts are both very customizable.
The program can edit song tags (album and song name, number, year, etc.) based on the FreeDB Internet database and even rename the original songs based on these tags. A file format conversion tool is available, but must be enabled with external downloads. Can even fix some MP3s with corrupted file headers.
Windows 2000 is no longer supported but users can download the last compatible version: 0.9.4.
| Category: | |
| System Requirements: | WinXP / Vista / Win7 / Win8 |
| Writes settings to: | Application folder |
| Stealth: ? | Yes |
| Unicode support: | Yes |
| Path portability: | Requires manual entry of relative path (eg. ..\..\personal\work.doc) |
| License: | Freeware |
| How to extract: |
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| What's new? |
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Since the change in API, there hasn't been a proper directory of ported components, but this is the most comprehensive index: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=42730
Using 0.8.3 on my portable hard drive with a collection of music. Database is not portable - it uses full filepath for music file to store file info :(
looking something else therefore.
Nice program, I like its features, and its ability to save play lists. However, I wish it had a way to sit in system tray instead of being minimized. Otherwise, its a great program.
@Loner:
I use Columns UI, which is a much better interface than default one, and it has an option to minimize to tray (under Preferences->Display->Columns UI->Status bar/Systray).
Where I can found more skins for it? Thanks!
@Vasily: If you use the "Library" feature to scan your drive for music, Foobar2000 stores the full path in the "Album List" database. However, if you add files to playlists, they are automatically stored in a "playlist" subdirectory of the program directory AND they use relative paths. You can have as many playlists open at the same time as you want.
foobar2000 is the best audio that I've ever used. Does everything that I need it to do and well, including handling my iPod. Very highly recommended. Been running it on my portable drive for a very long time now.
Juppie :-) Foobar2k 9.6 has been released and does no longer request administrative rights to start the setup under windows vista. UAC fires after choosing to install foobar on the computer and not in portable mode.
Oh wow.. I think I found a 1by1 player replacement, which is a great player by all means but it starts slacking with large directories (750+).. So far 10 minutes with Foobar2000 and I'm impressed, time will tell If this becomes my default media player.
The latest versions allow for configuration of the main window to make it either resemble programs like iTunes and Songbird or to do a minimalism track that many users prefer (ala VLC).
The ability to play many formats and the focus on being a purely music-playing software makes it an outstanding, clean player for every taste. Rapidly becoming a genuine Winamp replacement.
Please note that as of v0.9.6.4, the official installer allows installation in portable mode - just select the option for portable install and it will install itself into a folder, with all settings made to an .ini file and no changes made to the registry or host computer.
No need for a separate portable version now :)
It seems to automatically take in relative paths for me.
I'm testing it (running off of my Rockbox player) and it's working great so far--didn't crash like songbird yet.
It's a nice portable app, however, it does not support relative paths when saving playlists. Saved playlists are with absolute paths as of v1.0.3 Hope they fix it in future versions. A small oversight that greatly diminishes its' usability.
I really like Foobar2000 for FLAC, OGG, MP4, M4A, ALAC, MP3, WAV, AIFF, and MID files. It's really cool. I like how it works with the highest resolution WAV files. It's great for editing id tags and converting CD's to FLAC. I loaded up with a bunch of plugins and it's really neat. I customized my interface just how I like it. I use it every day for tons of things.
On the downside, this recent version (as of Jan 25, 2011) didnt install correctly because it choked on my plugins. I'm not really sure how to fix it so I just went back to the previous version which still works just fine on Windows XP.
Just discovered this program's ability to update whole album's metadata from FreeDB. No more Song1.mp3, Song2.mp3, etc. Note that it works a whole lot better if you check whole albums rather than individual songs, but its absolutely irreplaceable.
V1.1.5
@ webfork
I agree.. this is irreplaceable!
I don't have to splice .FLAC tracks, it's able to use the .cue file .. wow!
It can also verify EAC logs, plus many more features/plugins !
Great software, they could easily charge for this.
Great job Manufacturer!
V1.1.6
Foobar2000 is the undisputed king of audio players.
Free, independently developed, frequently updated, completely portable, Linux (WINE) capable, fully customizable, tabbed playlists, small size, tons of features out of the box, can be extended with plugins galore.
What more can one ask for.
V1.1.10
@abc: Localization.
V1.1.10
@lautrepay: definitely; but as much as I understand from various developer's comments on that request, it seems to be unfeasible...
V1.1.10
@Emka: That's true, it's unfeasible. Sadly, the same applies to XMPlay...
V1.1.10
That's interesting, being a native English speaker you don't notices things like that. For what its worth, there's a "simplified Foobar2000" that has localization by the same author here: http://perkele.cc/software/boom
V1.1.10
@abc: to be honest, I haven't got too much difficulties when a program is english only, although I prefer my own language if there's a good translation. But for the developer no localization means less bug reports, less suggestions, less collaboration (skins, icons, plugins, even code)... and less donations.
As for Boom: http://www.portablefreeware.com/index.php?id=2203.
Thanks anyway.
V1.1.10
Keep finding new things I love: if you choose one of the layouts with "Properties" included, you get access to a "View" window that lets you swap quickly between artist, folder structure, and genre. In order to quickly find the music you want in larger collections, its often necessary to jump between these different settings. Foobar does this easily and instantly.
V1.1.11
The more I use foobar2000, the more I love it. foobar2000 has excellent tagging features as you can connect to freedb / Discogs (via foo_discogs) and it will tag your music for you. You can also rename your files based on your tags as well. This basically eliminates all those MP3 tagging / renaming programs.
Combine that with its excellent processsing and conversion capabilities and this one program can replace all your music utility programs!
V1.1.14a
For file tagging I prefer Tag Scanner but the tagging and audio conversion features of foobar2000 are quite convenient and adequate enough most the time I forget about using Tag Scanner.
Comparable to WMP, iTunes and others, The lack of multi-media handling (audio / video / etc) has become it's Achilles hill. But I haven't found a better performing and customizable replacement, so I'm quite happy foobar2000 for the time being.
Some component recommendations:
foo_simplaylist
foo_playcount
foo_facets
v1.1.16
@abc: Considering Winamp's video playback quality, perhaps it is preferable to keep foobar2000 as it is...
v1.1.16
Nice collection of equalizers: http://www.softpedia.com/get/Multimedia/Audio/Audio-Plugins/Equalizers4Foobar.shtml
v1.2.6
Foobar starting from v0.9 requires NT, XP or higher. Does not support Win9X or ME anymore. That's why I still keep a copy of v0.8.3 for the older machines.