{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}} {{Primary|date=January 2021}} {{Short description|Freeware audio player}} {{Lowercase title}} {{Infobox software | name = foobar2000 | logo = | screenshot = Foobar2000 v1.3.12 on Windows 10, with LibriVox audio books in playlist, "visualization + album art + tabs" view.png | caption = foobar2000 v1.3.12 on Windows 10 | developer = Peter Pawłowski and contributors<ref>{{cite web|title=License|url=https://www.foobar2000.org/license|website=foobar2000|access-date=24 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628003439/http://www.foobar2000.org/license|archive-date=28 June 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> | released = {{Start date and age|df=yes|2002|12|20}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://hydrogenaudio.org/index.php/topic,4997.0.html |title=Official foobar2000 site & foobar2000 0.3 & SDK! |publisher=Hydrogenaudio |access-date=3 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140707010235/http://www.hydrogenaud.io/forums/index.php?showtopic=4997 |archive-date=7 July 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> | programming language = C++ | platform = Windows NT, iOS, Android, macOS | genre = Audio player | license = Core: Freeware<br />SDK: BSD (3 clause) | website = {{URL|https://www.foobar2000.org}} }}
'''foobar2000'''{{efn|The name foobar is derived from a common placeholder name used in computer programming.}} (often abbreviated as '''fb2k''' or '''f2k''') is a freeware audio player for Microsoft Windows, iOS, Android, macOS, and formerly Windows Phone, developed by Peter Pawłowski. It has a modular design, which provides user flexibility in configuration and customization.<ref name="abi">{{cite web|title=foobar2000 v0.9.6.9 Review|url=http://anythingbutipod.com/2009/11/foobar2000-v0969-review/|access-date=29 June 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120708074724/http://anythingbutipod.com/2009/11/foobar2000-v0969-review/|archive-date=8 July 2012}}</ref> Standard "skin" elements can be individually augmented or replaced with different dials, buttons, and visualizers. foobar2000 offers third-party user interface modifications through a software development kit (SDK).
foobar2000 supports many audio file formats, has many features for organizing metadata, files, and folders, and has a converter interface for use with command line encoders. To maximize audio fidelity in cases where resampling or downscaling in bit depth is required, it provides noise shaping and dithering. There are a number of official and third-party components which add many additional features. The core is closed source, whereas the SDK is licensed under the Three-Clause BSD license.
==History and development== foobar2000 was first released on 20 December 2002 and developed by Peter Pawłowski, who had previously worked at Nullsoft and developed plugins for Winamp. He created foobar2000 with the audiophile community in mind.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rarewares.org/rrw/foobar2000.php|title=ReallyRareWares – Foobar2000 audio player|website=www.rarewares.org|access-date=3 October 2020|archive-date=29 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191029174148/http://www.rarewares.org/rrw/foobar2000.php|url-status=live}}</ref> The software's mascot and logo icon consists of a white "alien cat".
foobar2000 supports Windows, though the support of older versions for Windows XP and Vista has been dropped as of version 1.6 (released 2020).<ref name="version-1.6-xp-vista-0">{{cite web|title=Changelog for foobar2000 version 1.6 (wiki)|website=hydrogenaudio.org|access-date=6 July 2020|url=https://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?title=Foobar2000:Version_1.6_Release_Notes#Compatibility|archive-date=6 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200706201659/https://wiki.hydrogenaud.io/index.php?title=Foobar2000:Version_1.6_Release_Notes#Compatibility|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="version-1.6-xp-vista-1">{{cite web|url=https://www.foobar2000.org/changelog|website=foobar2000.org|title=Release notes for version 1.6|access-date=6 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200630213017/http://foobar2000.org/changelog|url-status=live|archive-date=30 June 2020}}</ref> Windows 2000 support was dropped as of version 0.9.5 (released 2008) and Windows 95/98/ME/NT4 support was dropped as of version 0.9 (released 2006).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.foobar2000.org/changelog-old|title=foobar2000: Change Log (archived)|website=www.foobar2000.org|access-date=3 October 2020|archive-date=21 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200921121223/http://foobar2000.org/changelog-old|url-status=live}}</ref>
Most functionality also works as intended under Wine on Linux, although the program's crash reporter will detect Wine and direct the user to the Wine Bugzilla.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://appdb.winehq.org/objectManager.php?sClass=application&iId=1749 |title=foobar2000 |website=WineHQ |access-date=4 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180305063548/https://appdb.winehq.org/objectManager.php?sClass=application&iId=1749 |archive-date=5 March 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> The vast majority of plugins and themes work fine, however, certain plugins may cause issues. Safe mode allows users to disable all plugins temporarily to debug the issue.
foobar2000 versions since 0.9.5 feature a revamped default interface, with embedded support for album list, album art,<ref name="cnet">{{cite web|title=Foobar2000: Editors' review|date=31 August 2014|website=CNET|url=http://download.cnet.com/Foobar2000/3000-2139_4-10235595.html|access-date=29 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120826004514/http://download.cnet.com/Foobar2000/3000-2139_4-10235595.html|archive-date=26 August 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> spectrum visualization, and some other features and improvements.
In May 2016, versions for mobile devices were released,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hydrogenaudio.org/index.php/topic,111806.html|title=Foobar2000 (Mobile Edition)|website=hydrogenaudio.org|access-date=7 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160605120635/https://hydrogenaud.io/index.php/topic,111806.html|archive-date=5 June 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/foobar2000-mobile/9nblggh5xs5x|title=foobar2000 mobile – Windows Apps on Microsoft Store|website=Microsoft Store|access-date=10 May 2019|archive-date=10 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190510091306/https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/foobar2000-mobile/9nblggh5xs5x|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://apps.apple.com/us/app/foobar2000/id1072807669|title=foobar2000 on the App Store|website=App Store|access-date=7 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160802021400/https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/foobar2000/id1072807669|archive-date=2 August 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.foobar2000.foobar2000|title=foobar2000 – Android Apps on Google Play|website=play.google.com|access-date=10 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160517191831/https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.foobar2000.foobar2000|archive-date=17 May 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> and in January 2018, an early beta version for macOS was released.<ref name="foobar2000-mac">{{Cite web|url=https://www.foobar2000.org/mac|title=foobar2000 for Mac|website=www.foobar2000.org|access-date=14 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180110234117/http://www.foobar2000.org/mac|archive-date=10 January 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> In April 2023, version 2.0 was released out of beta with native support for 64-bit, dark mode, and ARM.<ref name="foobar2000_2.0_changelog">{{cite web |title=Foobar2000:Version 2.0 Release Notes |url=https://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?title=Foobar2000:Version_2.0_Release_Notes |website=Hydrogenaudio Knowledgebase|publisher=Hydrogenaudio |access-date=16 January 2023}}</ref>
== Features ==
=== Core === At its core, foobar2000 natively supports a range of audio formats, including MP1, MP2, MP3, MPC, AAC, WMA, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC / Ogg FLAC, ALAC, WavPack, WAV, AIFF, AU, SND, Audio CD, Speex, and Opus.<ref>{{cite web |title=foobar2000: Audio Formats |url=https://www.foobar2000.org/formats |website=www.foobar2000.org |access-date=2025-10-30}}</ref>
foobar2000 also has a highly customizable user interface, advanced tagging capabilities and support for ripping Audio CDs, as well as transcoding of all supported audio formats using the Converter component. The player can read inside ZIP, GZIP, and RAR archives.
Additional features include ReplayGain support (for both playback and calculation),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?title=ReplayGain|title=ReplayGain|website=Hydrogenaudio wiki|access-date=2026-05-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140706172230/http://wiki.hydrogenaud.io/index.php?title=ReplayGain|archive-date=6 July 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://joncairns.com/2010/10/foobar2000-4-3-replaygain/|title=foobar2000: 4.3 Replaygain|author=John Cairns|date=3 October 2010|access-date=25 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120609070813/http://joncairns.com/2010/10/foobar2000-4-3-replaygain/|archive-date=9 June 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> gapless playback,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?title=Gapless_playback|title=Gapless playback|website=Hydrogenaudio wiki|access-date=2026-05-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140706172312/http://wiki.hydrogenaud.io/index.php?title=Gapless_playback|archive-date=6 July 2014}}</ref> keyboard shortcuts and support for DSP effects such as equalization and crossfade.
Users can configure the foobar2000 Media Library with automated folder watching<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.foobar2000.org/?page=ReleaseNotes&version=096 |title=foobar2000 0.9.6 release notes |access-date=9 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090716075844/http://www.foobar2000.org/?page=ReleaseNotes&version=096 |archive-date=16 July 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> and Windows Media streaming.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.foobar2000.org/?page=ReleaseNotes&version=10 |title=foobar2000 1.0 release notes |access-date=4 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611100734/http://www.foobar2000.org/?page=ReleaseNotes&version=10 |archive-date=11 June 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> The client is built with an open component architecture, allowing third-party developers to extend functionality of the player.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.maximumpc.com/how-to-manage-your-music-the-power-user-way-with-foobar/ |title=How-To: Manage Your Music the Power User Way with Foobar |author=Alex Castle |date=14 April 2010 |website=Maximum PC |access-date=29 May 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324050445/http://www.maximumpc.com/how-to-manage-your-music-the-power-user-way-with-foobar/ |archive-date=24 March 2016}}</ref>
=== Optional === [[File:foobar2000 v2-24-2.png|thumb|foobar2000 v2.24.2 running on Windows 11 with a third-party spectrum analyzer component installed on it]] With addons or plugins, foobar2000 can read the APE, HDCD, AC3, DTS, SACD and DVD-Audio formats.
Other optional features include playback statistics, CD burning, kernel streaming, ASIO support, WASAPI output compatibility, and a UPnP/DLNA renderer, media server and controller for networking. Third-party support is also present in the audio client. For instance, foobar2000 supports Last.fm scrobbling and integration with Apple iPod, including album art support and automatic transcoding of audio formats not supported by iPod itself.
==Derivative works== foobar2000 developer Peter Pawłowski has also made other audio software, including Boom, which is aimed at "non-technical people who just want to listen to their music". It comprises a single executable file that runs on Windows without requiring installation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Boom Audio Player |url=https://www.foobar2000.org/other/boom |website=www.foobar2000.org |access-date=2026-02-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260202012708/https://www.foobar2000.org/other/boom |archive-date=2026-02-02 |url-status=live}}</ref>
== See also == * Comparison of audio player software
== Notes == {{notelist}}
== References == {{Reflist|30em}}
== External links == {{Commons category}} * {{Official website}} *[https://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?title=Foobar2000:Foobar2000 Foobar2000 — Hydrogenaudio Knowledgebase (HAK)] – official knowledge-base for foobar2000.
{{Media player (application software)}}
Category:2002 software Category:Windows media players Category:Tag editors Category:Windows CD ripping software Category:Android media players Category:Media players Category:Software that uses FFmpeg