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The Right Way to Uninstall or Reinstall Windows Media Player 12

Disable Windows Media Player 12 to 'uninstall' it from your computer

By Mark Harris Mark Harris Writer University of Wolverhampton Mark Harris is a former writer for Lifewire who wrote about the digital music scene and streaming music services in an easy to understand, no-nonsense manner. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on February 4, 2020 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Windows The Ultimate Laptop Buying Guide If Windows Media Player 12 misbehaves and a simple restart — or resetting it to its default configuration — doesn't help, uninstall and reinstall the program from your computer. This procedure should resolve the Windows Media Player errors if they relate to the integrity of core program files. However, unlike other programs you can reinstall, you don't actually need to delete Windows Media Player, nor do you download it from a website when you want to install it. Instead, just disable Windows Media Player within the Windows Features utility to remove it, or enable it to add it back to your computer. The procedure we outline works for all currently supported versions of Windows Media Player and Microsoft Windows. Windows Media Player 11 worked with Windows Vista; neither of which remains actively supported by Microsoft.

How to Disable Windows Media Player

Windows Media Player 12 is included in Windows 10, Windows 8.1, and Windows 7. The process for disabling WMP is identical in each of these versions of Windows. Open the Run dialog box with the Win+R shortcut. Enter the optionalfeatures command. Locate and expand the Media Features folder in the Windows Features window. Remove the checkbox next to Windows Media Player. Click the Yes button to the question prompt about how turning off Windows Media Player might affect other Windows features and programs. Turning off WMP will also disable Windows Media Center (if you have it installed, too). Click OK on the Windows Features window and wait while Windows disables Windows Media Player 12. How long it takes depends primarily on the speed of your computer. Restart your computer. You're not asked to reboot in Windows 10 or Windows 8 but it's still a good habit to get into when disabling Windows features or uninstalling programs.

Enabling Windows Media Player

To install Windows Media Player again, repeat the above steps but put a check in the box next to Windows Media Player in the Windows Features window. If disabling WMP disabled something else, like Windows Media Center, you can re-enable that, too. Remember to restart your computer when you're done installing Windows Media Player. Most Windows 10 computers come with Windows Media Player installed by default, but if your particular build did not, you can download Microsoft's Media Feature Pack to enable it. We've prepared a list of common WMP problems with tips about how to fix them, as well as lists of WMP plug-ins to extend its functionality or alternative media-player programs if you're no longer thrilled with WMP. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Uninstall or Remove Internet Explorer What Is a Service? (Definition of a Windows Service) How to Reinstall Windows Defender in Windows 11 How to List All Music in Windows Media Player Library How to Sync Playlists in Windows Media Player 11 How to Optimize Windows Media Player Video Streaming How to Make a Playlist in Windows Media Player 11 How to Add Music to Windows Media Player 11 How to Uninstall Skype How to Rip Music From CDs Using Windows Media Player 11 How to Fix It When the Cursor Disappears in Windows 10 IObit Uninstaller v12 Review How to Stop Windows Media Player Freezing & Crashing LogiLDA.dll: What It Means and How to Fix It 17 Best Free Uninstaller Programs (October 2022) How to Clean Install Windows (Delete & Reinstall) Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies