How to make Windows media player by default. Windows Media Player cannot play the file - what to do. Description of some functions
As you already know, Windows 10 Fall creators, has received several cumulative updates. The new KB4046355 service pack released for this build removes Windows Media Player.
The update removes Windows Media Player from the device (files and entries in the context menu), but it does not prevent users from installing it again.
If you are affected by this issue and need to repair Windows Media Player, reinstall it using the Settings app.
How to install, return Windows Media Player
- Open the app "Options" and go to the settings group "Applications"... Please select "Applications and Features"and click on the link "Management of additional components".
- On the screen "Management of additional functions" press the button "A plus" Near "Add component".
- Find in the list windows Media Player and press the button "Install"... Windows Media Player will be installed. You don't need to restart Windows 10.
Installation will not take more than ten, twenty seconds.
After windows installations Media Player reappears on your device. Again, it is unclear at this time if this is a bug that only affects some insider devices, or if it is an omen of future events.
Windows users not using Windows Media Player should not notice any problems caused by uninstallation. However, if problems are found, it is advised to reinstall the media player using the above method.
Now you: What media player are you using?
The fact that the ability to work on a computer today is necessary for everyone and everyone does not raise doubts even among skeptics.
The book you are holding in your hands will be a real friend and helper for those who wish to independently and in a short time master the wisdom of working on personal computer... Written simple and understandable language, it is accessible and easy even for beginners. A large number of specific examples and visual illustrations contribute to the quick and easy assimilation of the proposed material.
Its sequential presentation, as well as a detailed step-by-step description of the key operations and procedures, make the study of this book a fascinating process, the result of which will be the ability to communicate well with any modern computer.
The description is based on the example of Windows XP Professional.
Book:
Sections on this page:
Despite the fact that the default settings, as a rule, are optimal for most users (especially beginners), it is often necessary to change them. In addition, before starting to use any software product, including Windows Media Player, it is recommended to view and, if necessary, edit the settings in order to "adapt" the program to your requirements.
To switch to the player setup mode, use the main menu command Service? Options... When activated, the screen displays the window shown in Fig. 8.10.
Figure: 8.10. Windows setup Media Player
As you can see in this figure, the settings window includes several tabs: Turntable, Copy music, Devices, Speed, Multimedia library, File types, Network, etc. On them, depending on the purpose and functionality, the same type of parameters are grouped. In this book we will look at the most requested ones.
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8.7.1. Customization general parameters
Setting general parameters windows work Media Player is carried out in the tab Turntable(see Figure 8.10).
Using the parameter checking for updatesselection of a suitable test mode windows updates Media Player. The set value determines the period of time between updates - once a day, once a weekor once a month.
It often happens that a video file cannot be played due to the lack of the required codec in this computer. You can enable the mode in which in such situations the required codec will be automatically downloaded from the Internet - for this you need to select the checkbox Automatically download codecs.
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If this mode is disabled, the codec will be loaded only after an affirmative answer to the request issued by the program. By default, the Automatically download codecs check box set.
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If the checkbox is checked Launch the player from the Media Guide site, then when you start the player in the taskbar, the section Media Guide(subject to internet connection). If this check box is cleared (or there is no active Internet connection), then the section Playback(see fig. 8.1).
In skin mode, display on top of all windows- if this box is checked, then windows windows Media Player running in skin mode will always appear in the foreground (that is, on top of other application windows). If the checkbox is checked Display the docked window in cover mode, then in cover mode, a small docked window will be displayed at the bottom right of the screen (we already talked about this above).
When checked Allow splash screen display during playbackthe process of playing multimedia files will be accompanied by a splash screen in accordance with the screen settings. Note that it makes no sense to enable this mode when playing video files.
Add music files to the library during playback- when this checkbox is selected, the files being played will be automatically added to the multimedia library. In this case, the checkbox becomes available Include files from removable media and from shared network folder ; if it is installed, files that are played not only from hard disk, but also from removable media, as well as from a network folder.
8.7.2. Configuring Copy Options
Copy settings are configured on the tab Copy music, the contents of which are shown in 8.11.
Figure: 8.11. Configuring Copy Options
In field Music copy folderthe path to the directory is displayed where the music files will be copied in the mode Rip from CD... To change the value of this parameter, press the button Edit- this will display a window Browse folders, in which, according to the usual Windows rules, you need to select the required path. Under the button File nameyou can customize the format of the music file name. The necessary actions are performed in the window that is displayed when you click this button (Fig. 8.12).
Figure: 8.12. Setting the file name format
Specifically, by checking the appropriate boxes, you can specify the information included in the filename ( Track number, Executorand others), and also in the drop-down list select the type of separator between them. Using the buttons Upand Downthe order of the elements of the file name is determined. For example, you can set following formats music file name: 01-Song-Artist. WMA, or Artist_Album_Song_01.WMA, etc. (in this case 01 Is the track number).
In field File format(see figure 8.11) contains a list of music file formats in which tracks from a CD can be ripped.
If the checkbox is checked Copy-protected music, licensed music copied to this computer from the Windows Media format CD cannot be played on other computers. This mechanism is designed to prevent infringement of performers' copyright and to combat the illegal distribution of musical works.
Using the slider Music ripping qualityyou can specify the optimal compression ratio for music files when copying them in Windows Media format from CD to computer. The more the music file is compressed, the less space on the hard disk it requires, but the sound quality will decrease accordingly.
8.7.3. Configuring the devices used for playback and copying
As you know, playback and copying of files is impossible without the use of appropriate devices: CD- or DVD-drive, speakers or headphones, etc. The parameters of the devices used are configured on the tab Devices, the contents of which are shown in Fig. 8.13.
Figure: 8.13. Configuring device settings
On this tab in the field Devicesa list of the devices in use (CD / DVD drives, portable devices, etc.) connected to the computer is displayed. To go to viewing and editing the parameters of a device, select it with the cursor and press the button Properties.
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Button Refreshis intended for updating the list of devices - when you click on it, the computer searches for new devices.
8.7.4. Setting performance parameters
Windows Media Player performance is configured on the tab Speed, which is shown in Fig. 8.14.
Figure: 8.14. Setting performance parameters
By switch Connection speedyou can specify the optimal speed of the modem (internet connection). When set value Determine your connection speed (recommended)Windows Media Player automatically detects the current connection speed (this mode is offered by default). If the value is selected Connection speed is, then a field opens for editing, in which a suitable modem speed is selected from the drop-down list.
Switch position Network bufferingdefines the required buffering method. Possible values:
Buffer for… sec. - when this value is selected in the field that opens, use the counter buttons or from the keyboard to specify the required buffering time in seconds. It should be borne in mind that the maximum possible value is 60 seconds.
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Using the button Additionallythe transition to the mode of setting additional parameters of video acceleration. When you click this button, a window opens on the screen in which the digital video acceleration setting, mixing settings, etc. are performed. The default values \u200b\u200bof the parameters of this window depend on the position of the slider Video acceleration.
8.7.5. Configuring Media Library Options
We have already discussed what a multimedia library in Windows Media Player is and what it is for. However, this element of the player can be customized - this is the tab Media Library (Fig. 8.15).
Figure: 8.15. Media Library tab
If this tab is checked Add purchased music to my librarythen downloaded media files from the Internet are automatically placed in the Media Library. This option is enabled by default.
You can also enable the setting under which objects deleted from the media library will be automatically deleted from the computer as well - for this you need to select the checkbox Remove item from computer when removed from media library.
8.7.6. Setting up visualizations
We have already mentioned above that Windows Media Player implements the ability to use visual images when playing music files. In the program settings mode on the tab Plugins(fig. 8.16) you can add, change or remove visualizations.
Figure: 8.16. Setting up visualizations
Here in the field Categoryyou need to select a position by clicking the mouse Visual images- as a result, a list of the collections of visual images available in the program will appear on the right. The information field immediately below this list displays short description collection visual imagewhere the cursor is in the list.
You can add a new visualization or collection to the list using the button Add to... The path to the visual image (collection) file is indicated in the window that is displayed when this button is pressed.
To remove a visual image or collection from the list, select the corresponding position with the cursor and press the button Delete... Remember that you can only delete visualizations and collections that were created using the button Add to... Otherwise the button Deletenot available.
The transition to the editing mode of the properties of the current visual image (collection) is carried out using the button Properties... When this button is pressed, a window appears on the screen. Properties, in which the screen size and off-screen buffer size are selected from the corresponding drop-down lists. When choosing the required screen size, keep in mind that stretching the image to full screen in some cases may lead to distortion of this image... When choosing the required off-screen buffer size, keep in mind that the larger the screen buffer, the more computer resources are required for high-quality image reproduction. In general, it is not worth changing these parameters without special need.
8.7.7. Selecting the file types that the player opens by default
You can define the media files that Windows Media Player will open by default (that is, when launched by double-clicking). To do this, open the tab File types(fig. 8.17).
Figure: 8.17. Choosing file types
On this tab in the field File typesa list of media file types is displayed, and below it is an information field Description, which provides a brief description of the file type on which the cursor is positioned in the list.
To select the required file type, select the checkbox. By default, some of the selected checkboxes are dimmed - this means that Windows Media Player will be able to play only part of the files this format... To provide the player full access to these files, you should click on this checkbox - as a result, it will take its normal form.
By pressing the button Choose allall file types will be selected in this list.
8.7.8. Configuring Networking
If you intend to use the player in local network, you can view and, if necessary, edit the contents of the tab Network(fig. 8.18). Here you define the parameters of the protocols and proxy server that will be used by the player when receiving multimedia files.
Figure: 8.18. Configuring Network Settings
In the selected area Protocolsby selecting the appropriate checkboxes, the Internet protocols that will be used to receive streaming media are indicated. By default, all checkboxes are checked: Multicast, UDP, TCPand NTTR... When checking the box Portsin the right margin to get dataspecifies the port through which streaming content is directed. The use of this mode makes sense only when using the protocol UDPso if the checkbox UDPremoved, parameter Ports for receiving databecomes unavailable. In the highlighted area Setting up a proxy serverthe parameters of interaction of each protocol with the proxy server are determined. When the button is pressed Customizationa window is displayed on the screen Protocol setting, in which the proxy server is configured for the current protocol. The default settings in this window depend on the selected protocol. For example, for the HTTP protocol in this window, the mode is set Web Browser Proxy Settingswhere the player uses the same settings as the Internet browser to access the Internet.
Crashes and failure of the regular Windows media player are not uncommon. To understand why Media Player does not work, you need to understand the reasons for the program's failure. The most common causes of failure are:
- Windows operating system crash;
- Viruses.
It doesn't matter, what exactly is the reason, it most often leads to the deletion of keys in the registry and Windows libraries. This can happen either through the fault of the user who installed incorrect or malicious software, or through the fault Operating system Windows.
As a result, we receive a refusal to launch and operate the media player, which can be corrected in 3 ways. I would like to note right away that these solutions for restoring the operation of Windows Media Player are the same for different editions of Windows: Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 8-8.1 and Windows 10.
I think it's not worth cluttering the article with screenshots from all available Windows, since only the interface changes in the process.
3 ways to repair windows media player
Since the reasons are different, then not every solution presented is capable of fixing the performance of the media player. Therefore, perform each of the methods sequentially, checking whether the Media Player is working or not.
Restarting media components
The easiest way to solve the problem with a non-working player is to reboot it, for this you need to perform a number of simple steps.
Go to the "Start" menu and select the "Control Panel" section
Now we are looking for the section "Programs and components / Removing or changing programs", go to:
Go to the section "Turn Windows features on or off"
We are waiting for a few seconds to load and we see in front of us a small window in which we need to find the line "Components for working with multimedia", our task is to uncheck this line and apply the settings. Be careful, you will be prompted to restart your computer, this must be done.
After you have applied the new settings and rebooted the computer, we return once more to this menu and put the check mark that was removed in place, after that we try to start the windows media player. If the problem persists, then do not despair, just go to the next method and everything will definitely work out.
Re-registering system libraries
This is a rather complicated process from the technical point of view, but in practice it is very easy to carry out and thousands of users use their player in normal mode in a minute, I wish you good luck too. Our task is to put things in order in the system libraries, for this we just click the "Start" menu and write the command right in the search bar: regsvr32 jscript.dll
Next, we enter two more commands:
regsvr32 vbscript.dll
regsvr32 wmp.dll
It turned out three commands, which you applied in turn, the main thing is not to skip more than one, just registered, applied and the same with the next and the next. And when finished we try to turn on our not working windows media player.
As a result? Has the problem been resolved? I think that after that almost all users are happy with the player without any problems, but if you are still suffering, because you have some special problem, then it's time to switch to "heavy artillery".
Auto Repair Media Playera
At this stage, everything is incredibly simple, our task is to go to the official website microsoft support and find there free utility, which should automatically test a number of problem cases related to the windows media player and fix them immediately.
Agree, this is very cool and incredibly simple, the main thing is to help. And for this we proceed to action.
And now we download the same program to your computer:
After you have downloaded the utility, just run it and follow the clear instructions:
For those who still doubt their abilities a little or are worried that they will make a mistake. I have already foreseen this and prepared for you detailed video with practical examples, where I myself go through each step before your eyes. All that remains is to look and repeat on your computer. Happy viewing.
Watch video: Windows Media Player does not work, there is a solution!
Hope we helped fix your Media Player. But there is always the relevance of failures for a reason virus programs, so always use an antivirus - it will increase not only windows securitybut also the security of your personal data.
Before choosing and installing an antivirus software we recommend that you familiarize yourself with.
A new version WindowsPlayer 3.9
- Updated codecs
- Fixed hardware decoding with new video card drivers
Program update
- Added support for new file types (.avcs, .heifs, .heif, .avci, etc.)
- Added support for AV1 codec
- Updated codecs
- Bugs fixed
Program update
- Updated codecs
- Bugs fixed
New version of WindowsPlayer 3.6
- Now the sound on your laptop is even louder! - new algorithm for increasing the volume
- Codec update
New version of WindowsPlayer 3.5
- Codec update
- Fixed crash when opening damaged files
New version of WindowsPlayer 3.2
- Updates for H.265 and VP9 decoders
- Fixed player crash with some versions of NVIDIA drivers
New version of WindowsPlayer 3.1.1
- Resolved conflict with some antivirus software (Error 412)
New version of WindowsPlayer 3.1
- Optimization of video codecs. Drastically reduced resource consumption on some systems.
- Optimization of memory consumption for nVIDIA graphics cards
- Fixes in displaying 10-bit video
- Fixed work of DXVA acceleration on some video cards
New version of WindowsPlayer 3.0.2
- Fixed a bug causing an error on AMD video cards.
New version of WindowsPlayer 3.0
- Added hardware decoder HTS-HD
- Optimization of hardware decoders WEBM and HEVC
- Fixed incorrect display of vremini when playing blu-ray streams
- Accelerated rewinding on files with broken indexes
WindowsPlayer update
- Updated audio codecs for Opus, ATRAC, Nellymoser and others
- Support for Opus audio tracks in video
- Optimized decoding of 4K video H.265 and VP9
- Added support for HEVC Main10
- improved playlist playback
WindowsPlayer 2.9.4 update
- Fixed annoying bug with mute
- Fixed incorrect work with NVIDIA and AMD video processors
- Many minor fixes based on your feedback
- Support for URL types: rtspu, rtspm, rtspt and rtsph for RTSP protocol
New version of WindowsPlayer 2.9
- Playing 4K video now requires half the resources!
- Removed flickering when resizing the window
- Fixed image recovery after screen lock windows
- Supports Windows MCE multimedia keys and remotes
- Fixed switching audio tracks
- Prevent hitting pause when rewinding
- Fixes and improvements in Internet streaming playback
- Full support hardware acceleration WEBM format
Added support for 3GA files
- The selected program language is saved
- Fixed video output with unavailable DirectX acceleration
- Removed window at startup when DirectX acceleration is not available
New version of WindowsPlayer 2.7
- Work on improving the player engine
WindowsPlayer version 2.6
- Accelerated startup in Windows XP
- HQ does not turn off spontaneously
- Support for "icyx: //" streams
- Aaudio tracks in ATRAC3 + format
- Speed \u200b\u200bup DXVA2 decoding on Intel graphics cards
- Accelerated decoding high resolutions on AMD graphics cards
- Added support for Duck TrueMotion 1/2 video codec
WindowsPlayer version 2.5
- The most correct tracking of new versions.
WindowsPlayer version 2.4
- Even more formats to play video and audio formats
- When you click on the timeline, you can see a screenshot of the current frame for quick viewing
WindowsPlayer version 2.3
- Added video playback in H.265 (HEVC) format with support for hardware decoding
- Added hardware decoding of VP9 video format
- Accelerated detection of streams in a video file
- Fixed DV decoding from some camcorders
WindowsPlayer version 2.2
- Added support for Apple intermediate codec
- Added support for DivX codec version 7
- Added support for HDV, AVCHD video formats
- Added support for M4A audio format
- Accelerated hardware decoding on AMD graphics cards
- Accelerated 4K video playback
- Accelerated file opening from the previous playback position
- Fixed file association
- Bugs fixed
Timeline of WindowsPlayer
WindowsPlayer vs Windows Media Player
Debriefing - why new video WindowsPlayer better windows Media Player?
HQ function
Software improvement of video image quality - richness of colors, saturation and brightness of the picture
In this article, we will consider all the nuances and features that significantly increase the WindowsPlayer program in the rating over Windows Media Player. Let's not "pull the cat by the balls" let's get down to business!
Interface
Let's start with the interface windows programs Media Player. It's boring and what's more, it hasn't changed for more than four years. If you pay attention to the panel quick access at the very top of the program, we can notice a lot of tabs such as "Now Playing", "Library", "Copy from Disc", "Burn".
As shown by my survey among my friends and acquaintances, no one has any idea why they are and never use them. In WindowsPlayer, the developers did not implement this decision into the shell of the program, which significantly colors the interface of the program, it becomes simpler and more functional.
Full screen view
Now let's take a look at the full screen interface of the two programs.
In Windows Media Player, the bottom bar doesn't seem to have changed. It is as big and uncomfortable as it was and remains, only stretches over the entire length of the screen.
Please note that in WindowsPlayer, the borders of the interface window are beautifully minimized, and the bottom panel becomes modified into a convenient translucent panel, with good and convenient dimensions.
The technical side
WindowsPlayer provides such wonderful and useful functions like "video enhancements" and "sound quality enhancements"
Next to the above buttons in WindowsPlayer, we see a shortcut button for the program's equalizer. (on the bottom playback panel). The equalizer is convenient and beautiful. Quickly called and closed. The color is translucent, which makes the interface multimedia and the quality of the developers' work.
The equalizer is convenient and beautiful. Quickly called and closed. The color is translucent, which makes the interface multimedia and the quality of the developers' work.
In Windows Media Player, the search for the equalizer took about seven minutes.
And yet I found it. We see a complex graphic equalizer with incomprehensible numbers and arrows. Probably created for people with ten years of experience in audio studios. \u003d))
Context menu
Little nuance: as we usually know, by pressing the second mouse button, we can call context menu, for further settings or selection of functions.
Here we see a certain pedantry. Everything is in order and concise, simple and functional! We can select directly from this menu, a file to play, select a video or audio track, if there are several of them.
We are far from being pleased with far from incomprehensible functions. Which you can perfectly see in the screenshot. In turn, I would like to focus on the merits
Conclusion: WindowsPlayer is more pleasing. The interface is very simple and multimedia. Pleases the quality of the graphical shell. Performance on the highest level... The program deserves respect!
About limitations Windows Media Player would not like to emphasize again. The program is outdated and requires urgent repairs and updates from its developers!
If you have been using the operating room for a long time windows systemthen this is probably not the first time you have encountered a problem when Windows Media Player does not play music or video files. The most common error message "Windows Media Player cannot play the file" occurs when you reinstall your system or replace it with a different version. How to make the player work again - I'll tell you about this later in this article.
The error in Windows Media can have various causes:
- The file you are trying to play is damaged.
- The file is not supported by Windows Media Player. For example, VIV files cannot be opened by the player, it does not understand them. Therefore, a similar error will occur.
- In your operating system there is no necessary codec, which is required to play video of this format.
- The file is missing on disk. This sometimes happens, for example, when the shortcut to a file is on the desktop, but the file itself was deleted earlier.
- The player does not support this codec, which is required to play a music or video file.
Among all the reasons listed above, the most common error "Windows Media Player cannot play the file" occurs due to the absence of one or another codec. In order not to install various codec packs and other software blindly, you need to know which formats the player supports. You may be just trying to play an unsupported file format.
Formats and files supported by Windows Media
The player supports the following formats:
- MPE, MPG, M3U, MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group), MPV2, MPA, MP3, M1V.
- The following formats: WAV, WAX, WM, ASF, ASX, WMV, WMA.
- MIDI formats (musical instrument digital interface) RMI, MIDI, MID.
- UNIX formats are SND and AU.
The player does not support AVI files that were created using MPEG4v3. These files are only supported in ASF streaming format. There is only one way to play the file - it is to recode it into one of the supported formats. This can be done using the Windows Media Encoder.
Fixing a player error when playing a video
To make sure the file is not damaged, try playing another file with the same extension. If other files are played, then the file causing the error is damaged. If other files are also causing the Windows Media Player cannot play file error, try reinstalling the player.
If the reinstallation does not work, you will need to install the special codec pack. To do this, go to https://www.codecguide.com/download_kl.htm and select the required package from the list. It is best to download the most complete package of codecs (Full), it weighs about 56 MB. To do this, scroll home page to the very bottom and select the "Download Full" link.
In the next window, select one of the links "Mirror 1" or "Mirror 2" and download the package, and then install it on your PC.
Select one of the links to download the codec pack If you do not want to do this manually, you can set in the player's settings so that it downloads all the necessary codecs from the Internet by itself. To do this, start the player, usually it is in the Start menu, in the All Programs list.
Windows player Media in the list of programs in the Start menu 
What is a codec?
Codec is special program, which knows how to convert signals and data. In order to transmit or encrypt any stream or amount of data, it is encoded using a codec, and for playback or transformation, it is decoded. Most often, codecs are used in the field of digital video and sound.
When converting data in the codec, 2 types of compression can be used - lossless and lossy. Almost all audio and video codecs use a lossy compression method. This makes it possible to reduce the size of the final file, which is a positive point for storing this data. But still, this method leads to loss of quality during playback. Audio codecs have a nice feature - they can be configured in such a way that the loss of quality is practically not recognized by the human ear. You need to know this to fix "Windows Media Player cannot play the file."
If the loss of quality is unacceptable, use another compression method - lossless. This can be used in cases where you plan to edit the file later, otherwise the lossy quality of the original file will deteriorate significantly with each save.
If we talk about codecs simple language - then these are intermediary programs between us and the computer. If you encounter an issue where Windows Media Player will not play files, then first try installing the codec pack.
