Windows Media Player sync: frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions about syncing a device in Windows Media Player. What devices can I sync to? What kinds of files can I sync? How do I know which files will sync to my device with automatic sync? Can I copy a file from my device to my computer? What happens if I delete files from my Player Library or the device? Can I stop the Player from starting to sync when I connect my device?

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Set up a device to sync in Windows Media Player
You can use Windows Media Player to copy music, videos, and pictures from your Player Library to a portable device, such as a compatible MP3 player. This process is called syncing.

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Media information in Windows Media Player: frequently asked questions
Here are some answers to common questions about media information. How does album cover art relate to media information? Does the Player support ID3 tags? How do I tell the Player to automatically fix the media information in my files? How do I prevent the Player from overwriting the media information in my files? When media information is updated in the library, how do I tell the Player to update the item's file name? When media information is updated in the library, how do I tell the Player to move the files to the appropriate artist and album folders on my computer? How do I make sure my ratings aren't overwritten by other people who use my computer?

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Windows Media Player Library
The Player Library is the location in Windows Media Player where you can manage all of your favorite music, videos, and pictures on your computer. It lets you easily find and play your digital media files, as well as choose content that you want to burn to a CD or sync to a portable device. To learn more about using the Player Library, click one of the following links:

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Play an audio or video file: frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions about playing audio or video files in Windows Media Player. What can I do about audio problems, such as popping, crackling, or sound that plays too fast or too slow? What can I do about video problems, such as lines appearing in the video, flickering or choppy video, and so on? Why does the Player display a visualization instead of the video (or display an error message) when I play a video file? How do I make Windows Media Player the default player for a file type? Why do I get an error when I try to play streams from certain servers? Why does Windows Media Player frequently become unresponsive or close unexpectedly? How do I prevent videos from automatically playing in full-screen mode?

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Sync manually in Windows Media Player
If you have a large music collection in your Windows Media Player Library or limited storage capacity on your portable device, it might make sense to sync your device manually. Each time you want to update the media on your device, you need to create a list of files and playlists to sync. If you want to create a random selection of songs, you can shuffle the list before you sync. Previously synced items will stay on your device until you delete each of them manually, or you can use the format feature to remove all previously synced data.

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Getting started with Windows Media Player
Windows Media Player provides an intuitive, easy-to-use interface to play digital media files, organize your digital media collection, burn CDs of your favorite music, rip music from CDs, sync digital media files to a portable device, and shop for digital media content from online stores.

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Create or change a regular playlist in Windows Media Player
A playlist is a list of digital media items that you create and save yourself. Playlists are a great way to group items that you like to listen to or view frequently. You can also use playlists to group items that you want to burn to a CD or sync to a portable device. There are two types of playlists in Windows Media Player: auto playlists and regular playlists. An auto playlist is a list that continuously updates automatically based on what music is in the Player Library and includes any changes in media information. Watch this video to learn how to create or change a regular playlist in Windows Media Player.

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Create or change an auto playlist in Windows Media Player
An auto playlist in Windows Media Player is a type of playlist that automatically changes according to criteria you've specified. It also updates itself each time you open it. For example, if there is a certain artist you like to listen to, you can create an auto playlist that will automatically add new music by that artist when it appears in the Player Library. You can use auto playlists to play different combinations of music in your Player Library, burn grouped items to a CD, or sync to a portable device. You can create your own auto playlists, as well as regular playlists, in the Player Library. Watch this video to learn how to create or change an auto playlist in Windows Media Player (1:45).

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Stream your media to devices and computers using Windows Media Player
If you have a home network, you can use Windows Media Player to stream media to computers and media devices in your home. For example, if you have a networked digital media receiver connected to your home stereo system, you can use Windows Media Player to stream music, pictures, and videos from your computer to your stereo. This allows you to enjoy the contents of your Player Library anywhere in your homeeven in rooms that don't have a computer .

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Speaker settings in Windows Media Player
Use the Speaker Properties dialog box in Windows Media Player to select the audio device you want to use and change speaker settings.

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Add or edit media information in Windows Media Player
You might have items in your Windows Media Player Library that have missing or incorrect media information, such as song titles, track numbers, artist names, album titles, or genres. Incorrect information might have been added when you ripped the tracks from the CD or because you used another program to rip your CDs. Whatever the reason, the Player relies on media information to organize the items in your Player Library, so it's beneficial for all items in your Player Library to have accurate and complete media information.

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Change settings for streaming media in Windows Media Player
After you set up media streaming, known as media sharing in earlier versions of Windows Media Player, you can choose which music, videos, and pictures will be available to stream on devices and computers on your network. You can also decide which devices will have access to your media.

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File types supported by Windows Media Center
Windows Media Center can play many different music, video, and picture file types. You can even make Media Center the default player for specific types of files so that they'll open in Media Center when you double-click them.

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Rip music from a CD
You can use Windows Media Player to copy songs from audio CDs to your computer. This process is called ripping. During the ripping process, the Player makes a copy of each song, stores it on your hard disk as a Windows Media Audio (WMA), MP3, or WAV file, and then adds it to your Player Library.

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Play an audio or video file
You can use Windows Media Player to play digital media files that are in your Player Library, on your computer or a network folder, or on a website.

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Change how you display items in the Windows Media Player Library
Windows Media Player automatically organizes files in the Player Library according to the media information available for the files. To ensure your Player Library is well-organized and that you can find items easily, it's important that your files contain complete and accurate media information. If they don't, you can add the information.

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Windows Media Player 12
Designed by media lovers, for media lovers. Windows Media Player 12 plays more music and video than ever-including Flip Video and unprotected songs from your iTunes library!

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Which protocols does Windows Media Player use for streaming?
You can use Windows Media Player to play digital media content that is streamed from the Internet. To ensure that a server running Windows Media Services can establish the best connection to the Player, the Player is configured to receive automatic streams from any of the following streaming protocols (depending on the network environment): User Datagram Protocol (UDP), Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), and Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). UDP and TCP are basic networking protocols that are used in combination with the Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) to manage the high-level exchange of data. The Player can also receive a multicast stream.

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Stream your media over the Internet using Windows Media Player
You can use Windows Media Player to stream media from a home computer that stores digital media files to another computer connected to the Internet so you can access your media anywhere. Internet access to home media, or remote media streaming, frees you from having to transport large media files on your laptop or digital media player if you want to play them on the go. Remote media streaming also allows you to use a laptop with limited storage capacity to access a potentially large media collection on a desktop computer or home server.

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Burn a CD or DVD in Windows Media Player: frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions about burning CDs or DVDs in Windows Media Player. What types of CDs or DVDs can I burn? What is a data disc? Is that the same as an MP3 disc? Can I burn the contents of one disc, such as a music CD, a data CD, or a data DVD, directly to another disc using the Player? How do I burn music to a portable music player device? How can I burn movies to a DVD? How do I add or remove gaps between songs on the audio CDs that I burn?

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Master your devices with Device Stage
You don't have to be a gadget geek to know that it can be hard to get a mobile phone, music player, or other device to work smoothly with your computer. How do you sync contacts and appointments to your mobile phone? How do you get music onto your portable music player? Where do you find the manual for your device, software updates, and help? The list can go on and on, depending on the device. Enter Device Stage. This new feature in Windows 7 solves these problems by gathering everything you can do with your device into a single window, making tasks easier to find and complete.

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Windows Media Player Library: frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions about the Windows Media Player Library. What is the Player Library and how do I view it? How do I view the pictures, videos, or TV shows in my Player Library? How do I add content to the Player Library? How is the Player Library different from the Music, Videos, or Pictures libraries in Windows? How do I move my Player Library from one computer to another computer?

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Play a CD or DVD in Windows Media Player
In Windows Media Player, you can play audio CDs, data CDs, and data DVDs that contain music or video files (also known as media CDs). You can also play video CDs (VCDs), which are similar to DVDs, although the video quality isn't as high. If you have a DVD drive and a compatible DVD decoder installed on your computer, you can use Windows Media Player to play a DVD-Video disc-this is the type of DVD that movies are distributed on. If you encounter an error indicating that you are missing a DVD decoder, click Web Help on the error message dialog box to determine how to obtain a decoder. Watch this video to learn how to play a CD or DVD in Windows Media Player.

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Find items in the Windows Media Player Library
You can use Windows Media Player to quickly find and play your music, video, and picture files. You can also find where media files are stored in your computer's media libraries or jump to music in the same album.

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Unable to view Video in VLC Media Player problem
VLC Media Player which is one of the widely used media player as it can play a plethora of audio and video formats, may not display video when played in Windows 7. However this can be fixed via simple setting.

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Getting started with media streaming
Like many people, you probably have a lot of music, video, and picture files in your Windows Media Player Library. There might be times, however, when you want to enjoy your songs, videos, or pictures when you're not sitting at the computer. For example, you might want to listen to your music from another computer in your kitchen or view your pictures on a digital picture frame in your living room. Media streaming, called media sharing in earlier versions of Windows Media Player, makes these experiences possible.

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Windows Media Player keyboard shortcuts
Most features and buttons in Windows Media Player are also accessible using the keyboard. The Player provides a variety of keyboard shortcuts for the more commonly used commands and buttons for controlling the Player. The following table shows the various keyboard shortcuts for the Player.

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Add items to the Windows Media Player Library
You can use the Windows Media Player Library to organize your entire digital media collection on your computer, including music, video, and pictures. After you add files to your Player Library, you can play the files, burn mix CDs, create playlists, sync the files to portable music and video players, and stream the files to other devices on your home network. There are several methods you can use to add files to your Player Library:

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Burn a CD or DVD in Windows Media Player
You can use Windows Media Player to copy music, pictures, and videos on your computer to a blank CD or DVD. This process is called burning.

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Change volume settings in Windows Media Player
You have several options for controlling volume in Windows Media Player, including adjusting the volume level, muting, or reducing volume differences either within a song or between songs. Note that other software and hardware controls can affect the volume and audio effects settings in the Player.

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Windows Media Player DRM: frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions about digital rights management (DRM), media usage rights, and protected Windows Media files. What is DRM? What are media usage rights? How does the Player use media usage rights? How do I download media usage rights? How do I restore my media usage rights?

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Windows Media Player frequently asked questions
For answers to some common questions about using Windows Media Player, see the following topics.

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Remote Media Streaming
Ever wished you could enjoy the music, videos, and pictures on your home PC while you're away? Now you can. Windows 7 introduces Remote Media Streaming, which provides easy access to your Windows Media Player 12 library over the Internet. Remote Media Streaming is available only in the Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions of Windows 7.

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Add or change album art in Windows Media Player
Windows Media Player can display the album cover artwork associated with the songs in your Player Library. Where does album art come from? Why is album art missing sometimes? Where can you view album art?

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Using the Play To feature to stream media
You can use the Play To feature to stream video, music, or picture files stored on your computer to a separate playback device on your home network. That device could be another computer, TV, or stereo connected to your network. You can use the Play To feature in Window Media Player or anywhere you store media files on your computer.

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Remove items from the Windows Media Player Library
This topic describes how to remove files and devices from your Windows Media Player Library.

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Shuffle and repeat items in Windows Media Player
In Windows Media Player, items that you play appear in the list pane in Now Playing mode and in the Player Library. You can change the order in which the items play by turning on shuffle, which will make items play in a random order. You can also choose to play the items repeatedly. When you turn on repeat, all items in the list pane will play once and then begin playing again. You can also turn on both shuffle and repeat at the same time. It's not possible to shuffle or repeat DVDs. Watch this video to learn how to shuffle and repeat in Windows Media Player.

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Windows Media Player playlist: frequently asked questions
Here are some answers to common questions about playlists in Windows Media Player. What is a playlist and why would I want to use one? What's the difference between a regular playlist and an auto playlist? Where are my playlist files stored on my computer? Can I save a playlist in another format? Why are some of the items in my playlist dimmed?

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View a video using the entire screen in Windows Media Player
If you want a video, TV show, DVD, or visualization to fill the entire screen when you play it, switch to full-screen mode in Windows Media Player. When the Player is in full-screen mode, you can control playback with the on-screen controls that appear at the bottom of the video screen.

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