How to hear audio files in a sequence

Windows Me
Windows XP

Preview files sequentially: Windows Me lets you see image files as a slide show or hear audio files in a sequence (see the April 2001 Windows Tips for instructions on how to make a quick slide show). Windows XP adds the ability to play sound, video, and image files directly from their folder windows. First, make sure the folder with your multimedia files is displaying the task pane, not the folder tree, on the left. Click the appropriate link at the top of the list in the task pane--namely, Play all for sound and video files, or View as a slide show for folders with images. Sound and video run in your default media player. Pictures appear in a full-screen slide show; move the mouse to display floating controls for going forward or back and for canceling. The controls in the top-right corner of the screen pause, skip, and otherwise control playback. You can also control playback via the keyboard: Press Tab to toggle the slide-show toolbar, Enter to advance slides, and the left and right arrow keys to see the previous or next slide. Press the spacebar to toggle between letting the slides advance on their own and pausing. (Pausing also displays the toolbar again, but just press Tab once more to hide it.)

Note that if you use the 'Play all' feature with video or audio, Windows will play not only the files in the current folder but any video or audio files nested in subfolders, as well (unless the nested folder is compressed). If that's not what you want, select the desired files and click Play selection. If you have installed RealOne Player or another media player on your system, your audio files may play in that program rather than within the folder.