Microsoft has updated its official codec support page for the Windows operating system. According to the new information, version 24H2 will be the first OS version that comes without the inbox AC-3 Dolby Digital codec preinstalled. On versions of Windows prior to Windows 11, version 24H2, the AC-3 codec remains available.
This change does not seem to be a catastrophic problem. There are a ton of media players that do not rely on any system codec. Most of them a free, many have sources open. To name a few: VLC, mplayer/smplayer, Media Player Classic Home Cinema (MPC-HC) and its forks like MPC-BE. So there is no reason to worry.
The Redmond firm noted that with Windows 11 version 24H2, the AC-3 (Dolby Digital) codec is no longer included in the operating system's bundle. This actually means that the inbox media players and inbox multimedia apps will require you to install some third-party codec for that. For that, you can go with the K-Lite codec package.
Finally, Microsoft added that device vendors are free to ship an AC-3 codec with their products, so for some lucky owners of new devices the situation may not change at all.
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I’ve been using VLC forever I think. Feels like it anyway. Also uses mpv. There is nothing better in my opinion.