ZX Player
A fast, private video and audio player for Android
- Role
- Solo: Android app, native modules, website and promo video
- Platform
- Android
- Status
- Released
- Released
- Oct 2026
- Built for
- Personal project
- Source
- Open source
The Brief
A fast, minimal video and audio player for Android that works fully offline. It's free, with no ads, no account and no uploads.
It combines a library, a capable player and simple file tools in one app: React Native for the interface, with Kotlin native modules and Media3 / ExoPlayer underneath.
What I Built
- 01
Native Where It Counts
React Native for the interface, bridged to Kotlin native modules and Media3 / ExoPlayer for playback, background audio and picture-in-picture.
- 02
Careful with Files
Copy, move and delete go through Android's own confirmation, and deleted files wait 30 days in a Recycle Bin before they're gone.
- 03
Shipped Whole
Released as a free, open-source APK with its own website and promo video, all made solo.
The Story
The Challenge
Make a player that feels instant on any Android phone while keeping every file, and every viewing habit, on the device.
The Approach
React Native and TypeScript for the interface; Kotlin native modules and Media3 / ExoPlayer for playback, plus gestures, background playback and picture-in-picture.
The Outcome
Released in October 2026 as a free, open-source APK, shipped alongside its own website and promo video.
By the Numbers
- Ads, accounts or uploads
- 0
- Days in the Recycle Bin
- 30
- Pinch-to-zoom
- 4×
- Color themes, light and dark
- 5
What It Does
- 01
Gestures
Swipe for brightness, volume and seeking. Double-tap to skip, hold for 2× speed and pinch to zoom up to 4×.
- 02
Library
Folders, all videos, all audio, Continue watching, Favorites, Recently Added, playlists and search. New files get a NEW tag.
- 03
Background Playback
Notification and lock-screen controls, picture-in-picture and an audio mode with album art.
- 04
Subtitles and Audio Tracks
Switch embedded tracks, or load .srt, .ass and .ssa files and adjust their delay.
- 05
Sleep Timer
Stop after 15, 30 or 45 minutes, a custom time or at the end of the video.
- 06
Themes
Sky, Forest, Crimson, Ocean and Racing, each in light and dark.
- 07
File Management
Copy, move or delete with Android's confirmation. Deleted files wait in the Recycle Bin for 30 days.
- 08
Privacy
No account, sign-in or ads. Videos stay on the device and are never uploaded.
Under the Hood
- React Native
- TypeScript
- Kotlin
- Media3 / ExoPlayer
- React Navigation