Windows Media Player 12: How to permanently display the list pane

There is no way to get or save the "list pane" in Windows Media Player 12. You must create a playlist to see your play list pane.

I've been playing around with this for hours trying to get the same thing your tyring to get.  Microsoft has changed alot in version Windows Media Player 12. The last version of windows media player 11 is the only version that can show the playing list pane.

GO OPTIONS > PLAYER > UNCHECK AUTOHIDE

Click "Organize Layout Show List". It displayed the list and came back after opening and closing WMP. Hope that helps. @ samitches , yes, and when you start playback? 

Does your WMP12 not switch from the 'Library'-mode to the 'Now Playing'-mode? Is the list still there when you fire up a video switch between videos for instance? If you close WMP in the 'Now Playing'-mode, does it not start up in 'Library' again (unless you applied the '/prefetch:1 - /Task NowPlaying' on your shortcuts)?

Of course, my list is also constantly present - in the 'Library'-mode. But that's not the issue since the application switches to the 'Now Playing'-mode with no mercy as soon as you start playback. And that's the place where most of us actually use WMP it's also there we want to see the list without having to clickety-click it up again or go 'Library' between every damn switch.

--- A few personal notes

List needs to be configurable in the 'Now Playing'-mode ( pinned/unpinned/autohide/hover) . It's so simple, clear, usable obvious I'm having a hard time figuring why it was at all removed/forgotten in WMP12 in the first place? The 'list' is a very prominent area that many people use often, in an application that is used often. There should be options to it. I want the raw, basic stuff of a player to work well - to be able to do fast simple playback + tracking, throw in files from wherever, with as few distractions (clicks) in between switches as possible

Agreed, where I disagree is the spiel on Library Mode and managing of media. No one is forcing anyone to use the feature and I'm sure many other people enjoy it.

Library Mode makes sorting/organizing music much easier for individuals (like myself) who have 6,000+ songs. It makes making playlists based on genre and contributing artist much easier. The addition of new abilities and features is NO excuse to take away basic features however.

Personally I need the ability to watch videos and utilize the List Pane at the same time!

It was extremely disappointing to me when I came upon this thread and realized that this was impossible...

Add this to my other three disappointments with Windows Media Player and it's a losing product...

1. Library constantly updates, slowing down my computer drastically- though there is a solution (thank God some genius figured it out) un-check "Maintain my ratings as Global Ratings" in Library options (what the heck does that option even DO?) and if that's not enough you can also un-check retrieve additional information from the internet (but honestly it only stopped after the Global Ratings thing so I'm sure that's the real problem).

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-sound/windows-media-player-constantly-updating-media/67ac2992-e76e-408a-90a8-0fa173885a6e

2. The Inability to add to the Library Tree on the right hand side (sure you can add Genre, contributing artist, and parental ratings... but why make columns like "subgenre" if you can't fully utilize them???

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_programs/in-wmp-12-how-can-i-group-songs-by-subgenre/eb4d02b5-291a-44d6-8635-56c443b5071f

3. Speaking of "subgenre" the column is totally useless as is. It needs to be able to recongnize semicolons (;) used to separate subgenres. The Contributing Artist column can, so why can't others?

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_programs/in-wmp-12-how-can-i-group-songs-by-subgenre/eb4d02b5-291a-44d6-8635-56c443b5071f

Hi guys, I have a lot of music in my PC! Regularly, over the years, I am updating my Hard and Software! Now, using Windows 7 Prof. ! I do have as well WMP 12! Why have my music files always again after each reboot to come back in the library, sometimes with forced help? Why it does not remain there permanently, once the computer is ready to work with, like in previous version of WMP? It takes always an eternity for updating and to have a complete vision again of what I have! I repeat, before it was always directly available and better for my own taste! Would be nice to receive an explanation about that if possible! Thank you!

I switched to VLC media player. The list pane pops up in a new window (View -> Playlist). Yay! :-)