How to play media files from folder and subfolders or directory and subdirectories in Windows?

Question

I would like to know how to play media (audio and video) files that are located in a folder and its subfolders using Windows. I don't want to create a music libraries first. I simply want to click on a media file, have a player start playing it and continue with the next files in that folder and subfolders. Is there any solution?

Solution

If you use VLC-MediaPlayer you can simply right click on the folder where the media files are and select "Play with VLC" or something like this. This action selects all media files within the folder and its subfolders.

If you use Windows Media-Player it is the same: right click on folder > select "Play with Windows Media Player".

Comments

[Frank Breitling]

I see. This requires the folder properties->customize->optimized for music which removes all the important file information, but I can fix this. Unfortunately this adds the files to a Media Player playlist which obfuscates the subfolder information. The problems with VLC are besides I am not having the context menu because I am using the portable version that it takes many seconds to load files from a smb NAS server. So VLC is not an option for me either.

[Nordlys Jeger]

@FrankBreitling Another Workaround ist to press CTR+A and then open the files with context menu

[Frank Breitling]

Ok, just be aware that for the context menu to appear it requires the folder to be optimized for music. And in a Media player playlist the subfolders are difficult to find.

[Nordlys Jeger]

If you are already inside the first folder, where a media file is located, you can press CTRL+A and then click right on the media file and select "Play". This does not need any folder to be optimized for Music

[Frank Breitling]

Oh, you are right, then the context menu depends on the file type. For .mp4 files I don't see the Play with Windows Media Player but for .mp3 it shows up.