How to fix my windows media player

Question

How to fix my windows media player

David Kenady 60

My windows media player is not working properly. I'm also having trouble uninstalling windows media player. What can i do?

Locked Question. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

narrisha goodwin 5 Reputation points

2026-05-08T06:00:35.19+00:00

NO SOUND
Clary-N 15,730 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-05-08T06:40:57.2333333+00:00

Hi narrisha goodwin,

Could you please share a bit more detail about the “no sound” issue? For example, when it started and whether it affects all apps or just specific ones.

This will help me better understand and assist you.
Richard Krucker 5 Reputation points

2026-05-29T14:39:55.51+00:00

I am on win 11 not 10.

the directions say:

C:\Users<your-username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Media Player

how do I add my user name is this

it has been a long while since a had to do this
Clary-N 15,730 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-05-30T04:46:15.31+00:00

Hi Richard Krucker,

You don’t actually need to type your username manually. The quickest way is to press Windows + R, type %localappdata%\Microsoft\Media Player and press Enter. That will take you straight to the correct folder.

If you prefer to navigate manually, open File Explorer, go to C: > Users and open your account folder (that’s your username), then turn on “Hidden items” from the View menu so you can see the AppData folder, and from there go into Local > Microsoft > Media Player.

Hope this helps.
dale farrand 0 Reputation points

2026-07-30T17:57:53.52+00:00

i need help with windows media player leglacy
Clary-N 15,730 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-01T08:23:18.6166667+00:00

Hi dale farrand,

Could you provide a few more details about the issue with Windows Media Player Legacy? For example, are you getting an error message or is a specific feature not working?

Also, have you already tried the guidance that was provided earlier? If so, please let me know the results so I can suggest the next steps.

4 answers

narrisha goodwin 5 Reputation points

2026-05-08T06:00:35.19+00:00

NO SOUND
Clary-N 15,730 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-05-08T06:40:57.2333333+00:00

Hi narrisha goodwin,

Could you please share a bit more detail about the “no sound” issue? For example, when it started and whether it affects all apps or just specific ones.

This will help me better understand and assist you.
Richard Krucker 5 Reputation points

2026-05-29T14:39:55.51+00:00

I am on win 11 not 10.

the directions say:

C:\Users<your-username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Media Player

how do I add my user name is this

it has been a long while since a had to do this
Clary-N 15,730 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-05-30T04:46:15.31+00:00

Hi Richard Krucker,

You don’t actually need to type your username manually. The quickest way is to press Windows + R, type %localappdata%\Microsoft\Media Player and press Enter. That will take you straight to the correct folder.

If you prefer to navigate manually, open File Explorer, go to C: > Users and open your account folder (that’s your username), then turn on “Hidden items” from the View menu so you can see the AppData folder, and from there go into Local > Microsoft > Media Player.

Hope this helps.
dale farrand 0 Reputation points

2026-07-30T17:57:53.52+00:00

i need help with windows media player leglacy
Clary-N 15,730 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-01T08:23:18.6166667+00:00

Hi dale farrand,

Could you provide a few more details about the issue with Windows Media Player Legacy? For example, are you getting an error message or is a specific feature not working?

Also, have you already tried the guidance that was provided earlier? If so, please let me know the results so I can suggest the next steps.

Answer 1

Hi David Kenady,

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A forum. I know it’s really disruptive when something built into Windows just won’t work, even after you’ve tried reinstalling it.

If you’ve worked through the above suggestions but it’s still not sorted, let’s try a few additional steps:

Step 1: Turn Windows Media Player OFF and ON again

This often clears hidden corruption without a full uninstall.

Press Win + R, type optionalfeatures, and press Enter
Expand Media Features
Uncheck Windows Media Player and click OK
Restart the PC
Go back to the same screen, re‑check Windows Media Player, and restart once more

This rebuilds Windows Media Player using Windows system files.

Step 2: Repair system files

If Windows Media Player is stuck or partially broken, system file corruption is common.

Right‑click Start > Command Prompt (Admin)
Run:
```
  sfc /scannow
```
Let it complete, then restart the PC

This checks and repairs Windows components that Windows Media Player depends on.

Step 3: Reset the Windows Media Player library

If Windows Media Player opens but crashes, freezes, or won’t play files:

Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter
Find Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service, right‑click it, and choose Stop
Open File Explorer and go to:

C:\Users<your-username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Media Player
Delete the files inside the folder (don’t delete the folder itself)
Restart the PC and open Windows Media Player again

Please keep me posted on how it goes. I’m here if you need further assistance.

Thank you again for your patience and persistence in troubleshooting this issue.

If you have additional questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

Note: If you want to receive email notifications about this thread, follow the steps in our documentation to enable email notifications.

Clary-N 15,730 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-01-31T07:50:29.41+00:00

Hi David Kenady,

May I know if you have got any chance to check my answer?

I am glad to help if you have any other questions.
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Answer 2

To troubleshoot issues with Windows Media Player, you can try the following steps:

Check for Updates: Ensure that your Windows operating system is up to date, as updates can fix bugs and improve performance.
Reset Windows Media Player: You can reset Windows Media Player settings by going to the Control Panel, selecting "Programs and Features," then clicking on "Turn Windows features on or off." Uncheck Windows Media Player, restart your computer, and then recheck it to reinstall.
Run the Windows Media Player Troubleshooter: Use the built-in troubleshooter to diagnose and fix issues. You can find it in the Settings under "Update & Security" > "Troubleshoot" > "Additional troubleshooters."
Re-register Windows Media Player: Open an elevated command prompt and run the following command to re-register the player: Regsvr32.exe %WINDIR%\system32\wmp.dll for 32-bit systems or Regsvr32.exe %WINDIR%\syswow64\wmp.dll for 64-bit systems.
Unregister wmp.dll: If you want to temporarily disable Windows Media Player, you can unregister the DLL by running the command Regsvr32.exe -u %WINDIR%\system32\wmp.dll (for 32-bit) or Regsvr32.exe -u %WINDIR%\syswow64\wmp.dll (for 64-bit). Note that this will prevent Windows Media Player from playing supported file formats.

If you are having trouble uninstalling Windows Media Player, it is important to note that it is a built-in feature of Windows and cannot be completely uninstalled. However, you can disable it using the same method mentioned above.

References:

Answer 3

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Answer 4

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