How to Fix ‘Media Player Not Working’ issue on Windows 11/10

Do you know how to Fix ‘Media Player Not Working’ issue on Windows 11/10? There has never been a better way for a Windows computer to play music and videos than through the use of the Windows Media Player. This application is simple to use and is compatible with a wide variety of file formats. The error message “Windows Media Player Not Working” is no longer included in the package.

There are times when we experience issues with our computers, such as when Windows Media Player is not functioning properly, and we are befuddled as to how to resolve the issue. Because the issues are brought on by a variety of factors, it is not simple to locate the solution that is suitable for us, despite the fact that there are a great number of helpful answers available online from people who use the internet.

To ensure that you do not have to spend a significant amount of time searching for answers, this article has compiled a number of common scenarios that the majority of people have encountered, and each of these scenarios has a satisfactory response. Come check to see if there is such a thing as a suitable option for you. here are the ways how to Fix ‘Media Player Not Working’ issue on Windows 11/10.

Causes of the ‘Media Player Not Working’ issue on Windows 11/10

1. Corrupted Media Player Installation: A corrupted installation of Windows Media Player can lead to malfunctions. Ensure that the player is installed correctly.
2. Outdated or Incompatible Codecs: If the media files require codecs that are outdated or not compatible with Windows Media Player, it may fail to play the content.
3. Corrupted Media Files: Damaged or corrupted media files might cause the player to crash or not function properly.
4. Driver Issues: Outdated or incompatible audio and video drivers can affect the performance of Windows Media Player.
5. Windows Updates: Sometimes, a lack of important system updates can lead to compatibility issues with Windows Media Player.
6. Third-Party Software Interference: Conflicts with third-party software or applications can impact the functioning of the media player.
7. Registry Errors: Issues in the Windows Registry related to Windows Media Player settings can result in malfunctions.
8. Firewall or Security Software: Overly restrictive firewall or security settings may prevent Windows Media Player from accessing necessary resources.

How to Fix ‘Media Player Not Working’ issue on Windows 11/10

Run Windows Media Player Troubleshooter

1. Press the Win + R keys at the same time to open the Run box.
2. Type msdt.exe -id WindowsMediaPlayerConfigurationDiagnostic in the box and then click OK to open the troubleshooting wizard. Click Next to run the Troubleshooter.
3. Click Apply this fix to reset WMP to default settings

Delete the Windows Media Player Library

1. Open the Run box, type services.msc in the box and then click OK to open Services.
2. Find Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service, right-click it to choose Stop.
3. Press the Win + E keys at the same time to open File Explorer, and then navigate to C:\Users\Default\AppData\Local\Microsoft.
4.  Double-click Media Player to open it, and then delete all the Windows Media Library (.wmdb) types of files inside the folder.
5. Try to open WMP again, then the “Windows Media Player not working” issue should be fixed.

Reinstall Windows Media Player

1. Type control panel in the Search bar, and then click the best match one to open it.
2. Set View by: Small icons and then click Programs and Features.
3.  Click Turn Windows features on or off in the left panel. In the newly pop-out window, expand Media Features and uncheck the box next to Windows Media Player. Read the message, click Yes and OK.
4. Restart your computer and then go back to check the box next to Windows Media Player. Reboot your computer again. Then your system will install WMP automatically.

Re-register Some DLL Files

1.  Open the search bar and then type “cmd.” Now, right-click on “Command Prompt” to select Run as “administrator.”
2. The next step is to type the commands mentioned below one at a time and press Enter after typing each command.
   • regsvr32 vbscript.dll
   • regsvr32 jscript.dll
   • regsvr32 wmp.dll
3. Once done, exit Command Prompt and restart your system. You can see now if the “WMP not working” issue has been fixed or not.

Update Audio Drivers

1. Right-click the Start menu and select Device Manager.
2. Expand the Sound, video and game controllers section.
3. Right-click the audio device and select Update driver.
4.  Select the Search automatically for drivers option to download and install the latest audio drivers.
5. Update any other audio devices within the expanded section.

Update Video Drivers

1. Expand the Display Adapters section within the Device Manager.
2. Right-click the video device and select Update driver.
3. Select the Search automatically for drivers option to download and install the latest video drivers.
4. Repeat for any other video devices under Display Adapters.

Conclusion

Does the Windows Media Player on your Windows 10 computer no longer function properly, or does it no longer play formats such as MP4 and DVD files? Here are some of the most frequently encountered problems with the Windows Media Player that have been reported by a large number of Windows 10 users. However, the good news is that there are a few solutions that can be implemented to resolve problems of this nature. Let’s take a look at how.

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