The latest MPC-HC release listed on the clsid2 GitHub page is 2.8.2, with the date shown as 17 September and no year. The same page lists 2.8.1 (22 August) and 2.8.0 (10 August) as stable releases, and development builds between them. The project page is a GitHub release list, and the version history gives only day and month, so the year should be confirmed there before you rely on any date.
MPC-HC is a Windows media player. The release notes name changes such as ReplayGain support, updated LAV Filters and an updated MPC Video Renderer, which tells you the project builds on the same components that other Windows players use.
Recent releases
| Version | Date shown | Type | Changes in the release notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.8.2 | 17 Sep | Latest | ReplayGain support, updated LAV Filters and MPC Video Renderer, keyboard shortcuts editable without a mouse |
| 2.8.1.15 | 31 Aug | Development build | No changes listed; the page points to a newer dev build, 2.8.1.78 |
| 2.8.1 | 22 Aug | Stable | Secondary SRT subtitle track, auto-copy of subtitle text to the clipboard, a remote page in the web interface |
| 2.8.0.6 | 11 Aug | Development build | No changes listed; the page points to a newer dev build, 2.8.0.49 |
| 2.8.0 | 10 Aug | Stable | Renderer settings moved, history split into its own file, history exclusion and a Show History dialog, colour controls moved into a popup |
Computed from the day and month shown, assuming one calendar year: 12 days from 2.8.0 to 2.8.1 and 26 days from 2.8.1 to 2.8.2. The page prints no year, so these gaps assume the same year. The asset lists were collapsed on the page, with 6 files for each stable release, and file names were not visible.
Three stable releases in about six weeks is a quick pace for a player. The notes are mostly about interface and subtitle handling, and none is described as a security fix, so the page gives no reason to treat any single update as urgent. It does not rule one out either.
What the page does not say
The GitHub release list gives no price, licence or Windows minimum, and it did not show file names for the installer, portable or architecture builds, only counts. Check the assets on the release page itself and pick the build that matches your PC. The repository front page fills most of those gaps, as the next section shows.
Where MPC-HC shows up in the K-Lite pack
The K-Lite Codec Pack's download page says its Standard variant includes Media Player Classic Home Cinema and recommends it. That makes MPC-HC the player most people meet through K-Lite, though the K-Lite page does not say which MPC-HC version it ships. If you install K-Lite and MPC-HC separately, keep an eye on both versions.
What the project page says
The GitHub front page describes MPC-HC as "a free and open-source video and audio player for Windows." This repository is a fork of the original mpc-hc project, listed as forked from mpc-hc/mpc-hc, and the code is under GPL v3. The page lists Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10 and 11, and the only system requirement it states is the Windows version, plus the Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 SP1 Redistributable (x86) if you want yt-dlp streaming.
The maintainer calls the player mature and stable and says new feature requests are not being accepted, while pull requests from programmers are welcome. That fits the release notes, which are about renderers, history and subtitles, not new media types. The page also says the internal codecs come from the external LAV Filters project and are updated periodically, and it names MediaInfo as another external project MPC-HC uses.
Before you install: a short check
- Open the releases page and read the notes for the version you plan to install.
- Choose the latest stable release unless you want a development build. The page marks development builds with a label and gives them no change notes.
- Confirm the date's year on GitHub, since the list omits it.
- Read the repository's COPYING.txt if you plan to redistribute it.
Video players side by side
| Player | Windows floor stated | Licence stated | Where the build comes from |
|---|---|---|---|
| VLC | Windows XP SP3 to 11 | Open source (various) | Official installer, MSI, ZIP, 7z from VideoLAN |
| MPC-HC | Windows 7 to 11 | GPL v3 | GitHub releases |
| mpv | Not stated | Not named on the home page; libmpv builds GPLv3 or LGPLv3 | Third-party builds, plus project CI builds for testing |
| PotPlayer | Windows 7 to 11 | Not stated | Developer's page; x86, x64, arm64 installers |
Scope: each player's own pages on this site, read 23 Oct 2026. "Not stated" means the pages we read give no statement.
Alternatives in this directory
K-Lite Codec Pack bundles MPC-HC with codecs. VLC media player brings its own codecs, so it does not need a pack. PotPlayer and mpv are the other video-first players here, and foobar2000 is a music player if audio is what you need.