You're stuck with a file that won't play
You click to play a song or video, and instead you get that error. It's annoying because the file is right there on your drive. I've seen this with old iTunes purchases, some rented movies, or even corporate training videos. The fix isn't complicated once you know what's going on.
The fix: Delete and reacquire the license
Windows Media Player uses a folder to store DRM licenses. When a license expires, the player can't play the file. The quickest fix is to delete that license folder and let the player rebuild it when you next open the protected file.
- Close Windows Media Player completely.
- Open File Explorer and type this into the address bar:
%userprofile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Media Player - You'll see a folder named DRM. Delete the entire DRM folder. Don't worry—Windows will recreate it.
- Reboot your PC.
- Open Windows Media Player again. Try to play the file. It'll likely prompt you to get a new license online. Accept it.
Had a client last month whose entire training video library stopped working after a Windows update. This same step fixed all of them. The player just needed a fresh license cache.
Why this works
Digital Rights Management (DRM) licenses are tied to your PC's hardware and the media player's internal state. Over time, those license files can get corrupted or the expiration date gets misread. Deleting the DRM folder forces the player to start from scratch. When you play the file again, it contacts the license server and downloads a fresh one—assuming the license is still valid server-side. If it's truly expired (like a rental movie that ran out), you're out of luck unless you buy it again.
Less common variations of this issue
License server unreachable
Sometimes the error shows up even when the license isn't expired. It's a different error code (0xC00D11B6), but I've seen people confuse them. Check your internet connection. If you're offline, Windows Media Player can't verify the license. Plug into a network and try again.
Windows Media Player version mismatch
If you're running an older version of WMP on Windows 10 (like version 12.0.10586, common on early builds), you might need to update Windows. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and install any pending updates. I've seen this fix it for a client using a 2015 build of Windows 10.
File corruption
Not every media file that throws this error is actually DRM-protected. If the file's metadata is damaged, it might look like a licensing issue. Try playing the file in VLC Media Player. If VLC plays it fine, the file isn't damaged—it's a licensing issue. If VLC also fails, you're dealing with a corrupted file. Re-download it.
Multiple user accounts
On a shared PC, each user account has its own DRM folder. If you signed in as one user, then switched accounts, the license might not transfer. Log into the original account where the file was first played, then delete the DRM folder there.
Prevention – Stop it before it happens again
This isn't something you can fully prevent because it's tied to how DRM works. But you can minimize the pain:
- Keep Windows updated. Microsoft occasionally releases DRM-related patches. Don't skip those updates.
- Back up your license cache. If you have a lot of purchased content, back up the DRM folder manually. Copy
%userprofile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Media Player\DRMto a safe location. If the error returns, restore it. But note: this only works if the license file hasn't itself expired. - Convert protected files to MP3. If you legally own the file and don't need DRM, use a program like Windows Media Player's burn feature to burn the file to a CD, then rip it back as unprotected MP3. This strips the DRM. I've done this for old iTunes purchases from 2008—works like a charm.
- Use streaming services instead. DRM-locked local files are a headache. Modern streaming services like Spotify or Netflix handle licensing on their end. You'll rarely see this error with them.
If none of this works, the file's license server might be dead. I had a client with training videos from a company that went under in 2019. No server to issue new licenses—those files are toast. Sometimes you just have to move on.