Foobar2000 is a highly customizable and lightweight audio player for Windows. It is known for its modular design, extensive support for audio formats, and powerful features for managing music libraries. This article will guide you through the installation process and basic usage of Foobar2000 on a Windows system.

Installation of Foobar2000

1. Download Foobar2000:

   • Visit the official Foobar2000 website at foobar2000.org.
   • Download the latest stable version of the installer.

2. Run the Installer:

   • Locate the downloaded installer file in your Downloads folder or wherever you saved it.
   • Double-click the installer to run it.

3. Follow the Installation Wizard:

   • Choose the installation type (Standard or Portable).
   • Select the destination folder where you want to install Foobar2000.
   • Choose any additional components you wish to install, such as additional audio format support or visualizations.
   • Complete the installation by following the prompts.

Basic Usage of Foobar2000

Once installed, you can start using Foobar2000 to manage and play your audio files. Here are some basic tasks you can perform:

1. Adding Music to Your Library:

   • Open Foobar2000.
   • Go to File > Add Folder to add a directory containing your music files.
   • Alternatively, you can drag and drop music files directly into the Foobar2000 window.

2. Creating a Playlist:

   • Select the tracks you want to add to a playlist.
   • Right-click and choose Add to Playlist > New Playlist.
   • Name your playlist and save it for future use.

3. Customizing the Interface:

   • Go to View > Layout to customize the appearance of Foobar2000.
   • You can choose from various layouts and skins to suit your preferences.

4. Using Keyboard Shortcuts:

   • Foobar2000 supports numerous keyboard shortcuts to enhance your productivity. For instance:
     • Ctrl + P: Opens Preferences.
     • Ctrl + N: Creates a new playlist.
     • Ctrl + O: Opens files.

Advanced Features

Foobar2000 offers advanced features such as:

• DSP Manager: Customize audio output with various effects and equalizers.
• File Converter: Convert audio files between different formats.
• ReplayGain: Automatically adjust playback volume for consistency across tracks.

Examples

To automate some tasks with Foobar2000, you can use command-line options. Here’s an example of how to use Foobar2000 via the command line:

• Play a Specific File:

  "C:\Program Files (x86)\foobar2000\foobar2000.exe" "C:\Music\song.mp3"

• Open Foobar2000 in Safe Mode:

  "C:\Program Files (x86)\foobar2000\foobar2000.exe" /safe

These commands can be executed in the Command Prompt to launch Foobar2000 with specific parameters.