Adding a component to foobar2000 takes about a minute, and you never have to copy a file into Program Files by hand.
Download the component, open the Components page in foobar2000's preferences, click Install, and restart - that is the whole job.
What actually trips people up is the file they downloaded, because a 64-bit foobar2000 cannot load a 32-bit component.
So this guide covers the steps, how to pick the right build, and what each "failed to load" message means.
What a Component Actually Is
A component is an add-on that gives foobar2000 something it did not have before - a new file format, a different layout, lyrics, meters, or a streaming source. The player itself stays small, and you bolt on only what you use.
It usually arrives as a single file ending in .fb2k-component. That is a package holding the component's DLL, and foobar2000 unpacks it into the right place for you.
The safest place to get one is the official foobar2000 Components Repository, which lists over 300 of them and marks which ones run on 32-bit, 64-bit and ARM Windows. For anything not hosted there, go to the developer's own page and nowhere else.
Check This First - 32-bit or 64-bit
foobar2000 2.0, released in April 2023, added 64-bit and ARM versions of the player. The official changelog is blunt about the catch: 64-bit foobar2000 needs 64-bit builds of components and cannot load legacy 32-bit ones.
That single rule explains most of the "it installed but nothing happened" reports you will find.
| Your foobar2000 | Components it can load | Pick this download |
|---|---|---|
| 64-bit (most PCs today) | 64-bit only | The Windows 64-bit build |
| 32-bit, including every 1.x version | 32-bit only | The Windows 32-bit build |
| ARM, on Windows on ARM laptops | ARM and 64-bit components | The ARM build if there is one, otherwise 64-bit |
Not sure which one you run? Open Task Manager while foobar2000 is playing - a 32-bit copy shows "(32 bit)" after its name. A 32-bit install also lives in C:\Program Files (x86) rather than plain Program Files.
Good news for most downloads. Many current components ship every build inside one .fb2k-component file, and foobar2000 installs only the part that matches your copy. When a component page offers separate files, that is when the table above matters.
How to Install a Component in foobar2000
- Download the component's .fb2k-component file and leave it as it is.
- In foobar2000, open File, Preferences (or press Ctrl+P) and select Components in the list on the left.
- Click Install... and pick the file you downloaded - or simply drag the file onto the component list.
- Click OK, and say yes when foobar2000 asks to restart.
There is an even quicker route. Double-click the .fb2k-component file in File Explorer and foobar2000 opens and installs it for you.
After the restart, the new component appears in that same Components list. Some add their own page under Preferences, while others add a panel you place yourself through View, Layout, Enable layout editing mode.
Do not copy DLL files into Program Files. Some older guides tell you to drop the DLL into C:\Program Files\foobar2000\components and then click Install as well. Doing both is exactly how you get the "Multiple instances of DLL with the same file name found" error, which foobar2000's own FAQ describes as a manual installation gone wrong - so if you already did it, remove the copy you added by hand and restart.
Removing or Updating a Component
To remove one, go back to File, Preferences, Components, right-click the component and choose Remove. Click OK and restart, and it is gone.
To update, install the newer .fb2k-component file the same way you installed the first one. There is no need to remove the old version first.
When a Component Will Not Load
foobar2000 tells you at startup when it skips a component, in a message that begins "Failed to load DLL" followed by the file name and a reason. The reason is the part that tells you what to do.
| The reason says | What to do |
|---|---|
| This component is missing a required dependency, or was made for a different version of foobar2000. | Check the 32-bit or 64-bit build first. Then read the component's page for any extra files it needs. |
| Wrong version number; this component appears to have been built with a newer version of the foobar2000 SDK. | Your foobar2000 is older than the component. Update the player. |
| Wrong version number; this component appears to have been build with an outdated version of the foobar2000 SDK. | The component is too old for your player. Look for an updated release or a replacement. |
| Multiple instances of DLL with the same file name found. | A second copy was added by hand. Delete it and keep the one installed through Preferences. |
| This application has failed to start because the application configuration is incorrect. | Usually a missing Microsoft Visual C++ runtime. Install the Visual C++ Redistributable Runtimes All-in-One package. |
Upgraded from a very old foobar2000 and now something misbehaves? The official FAQ's advice is to update every third-party component, or remove them one at a time until the culprit shows itself.
If an old favourite has no 64-bit build at all, Hydrogenaudio keeps a list of components built for 64-bit foobar2000, which is the quickest way to find a replacement.
Good Components to Start With
Every one of these has a 64-bit build and installs with the steps above.
| Component | What it adds | Add it if |
|---|---|---|
| Columns UI | A whole alternative interface with column playlists and movable panels | The default look feels too plain and you like tweaking layouts |
| OpenLyrics | Lyrics for the playing track, found online, in lyric files or in tags | You want to sing along without opening a browser |
| YouTube Source | YouTube and web audio inside your playlists | You listen to music online too - see streaming YouTube audio in foobar2000 |
| Waveform Minibar (mod) | A seekbar drawn as the track's waveform | You want to see loud and quiet passages at a glance |
| Analog VU Meter | Needle-style VU meters with swappable skins | You miss the look of a hi-fi amplifier |
One thing you do not need a component for is converting music. The converter is built in and only needs the encoders from the foobar2000 Free Encoder Pack, and our guide to converting audio with foobar2000 walks through it.
And if what you really want is an equaliser for every app on the PC rather than foobar2000 alone, a system-wide tool does the job better - here is how to fine-tune your sound with Equalizer APO and Peace.
Quick questions
Are foobar2000 components free?
The components on the official repository are free to download. They are written by independent developers, so each one is updated on its own schedule rather than with the player.
Why does my component not load in 64-bit foobar2000?
Almost always because it is a 32-bit build. 64-bit foobar2000 cannot load 32-bit components, so download the 64-bit build or look for a replacement that has one.
Where does foobar2000 put installed components?
In its own settings folder, not in Program Files. For a normal install of version 2 that folder sits under %appdata%\foobar2000-v2.
Do I have to restart foobar2000 after installing a component?
Yes. foobar2000 loads components when it starts, and it offers to restart for you as soon as you click OK.
I installed a component, so why can I not see it anywhere?
Many components add a panel rather than a menu item. Turn on layout editing through View, Layout, then right-click an area of the window to add the new element.
Can a component harm my PC?
A component is a DLL that runs inside foobar2000, so treat it like any other program. Take it from the official repository or the developer's own page, and skip copies re-uploaded elsewhere.
Want the rest of the setup - first playback, converting, streaming and DSD - in the order you need it? Start with our foobar2000 guides hub.
The Install button does the hard part - your only real job is picking the build that matches your foobar2000.
Download foobar2000 and start adding components, or tell us which component you could not live without.
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