In this article we are going to introduce you to four audio players that lack a user interface. This way you can play a song while consuming almost no system resources (very lightweight players) and you will only see a small icon in the system tray.
Playing music without a user interface can also give you more space on the desktop, or let you control everything from the keyboard and mouse.
Stealth Player
We'll start with Stealth Player, an audio player that has no user interface and that you can control from the keyboard. The platform supports playlists and allows you to move from one song to another.
You can manage everything with keyboard shortcuts, or by right-clicking on the songs or folders (from its context menu).
You can also configure the environment to listen to Internet radio, or use your phone to remotely control the tool. (It doesn't work very well). Stealth Player is a free program available for Windows operating systems.
Meson Player
Meson Player is another music player that lacks a user interface and is mainly managed with the auxiliary mouse button. It also supports playlists and is very good for listening to Internet radio, and it is especially adapted to Last.FM.
Meson Player is a free program available for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.
StealthAudioPlayer
StealthAudioPlayer is described by its creator as one of the best audio players without a user interface. One of the main advantages is that it is compatible with all audio formats, and when playing tracks they do not lose quality. The platform also supports ASIO drivers (high-fidelity, low-latency signals) and WASAPI.
Visually, this player does not have an icon in the system tray (like the others have). Since its visual output is completely absent, you will have to use the auxiliary mouse button, or drag and drop files onto its .exe file. This option is very good and we have not found it in other platforms.
StealthAudioPlayer is a free application, and although it has not been updated for several years, it is one of the best audio players without a user interface. To download it, I use Google Driver as a server.
Windows Play
Windows Play is an audio player based on AutoHotKey and is the simplest of the list, both in features and usability. The platform only plays MP3 files and runs in the background; the program has no user interface but has an icon that activates in the system tray.
Playback only works with the key combination "Ctrl + P" and it lacks a playlist and all the functions that the other utilities have. Its main advantages are low resource usage and being the lightest tool in the list.
Windows Play is a free program available for Windows operating systems.
In the list you will find from powerful programs like StealthAudioPlayer to very simple tools like Windows Play. We hope you can experience audio playback without the need for a bothersome and often heavy interface.
If you are a user who has been experimenting with these programs for years, we look forward to your recommendations and suggestions.
