Believe it or not Winamp used to be the internet’s media player of choice. It was extremely versatile while remaining amazingly lightweight. Many years ago the software was picked up by AOL and the player hasn’t been the same since. It is still a fabulous player, but like so many other pieces of software, the majority of it’s features will never be used. So why not get rid of those features? Fortunately Winamp uses a plug-in system, making it easy to trim all the unneeded cruft. So without further ado, let’s get started.

To begin with you are going to (obviously) need Winamp. Additionally, the Essentials pack is a great addition, bringing apple lossless playback amongst other tools.

  1. Winamp [download]
  2. Winamp Essentials [download] [optional]

Fresh Install:
For new Winamp users, we will start with a custom install type. Here are my recommended options. Naturally you should modify these settings to your own preferences, particularly in the portable media player support. If you don’t use Winamp for syncing a media player, disable it completely. Also you will want to remove all ‘Additional Features’.

Pre-existing Install:
For simplicity, it is best to just run the installer again with the options selected. This is much easier than removing each plugin individually.

Winamp Essentials:
For us the primary reason for Essentials is the Apple lossless playback. However for those interested, Essentials definitely has some nice add-ons. In particular many users may find the Time Restore option a nice plugin. There is no image guide for Essentials, as it is completely up to the user what features to select.

Image Walkthrough:

Custom Install Guide | Additional Features Guide