NS_E_PROCESSINGSHOWSYNCWIZARD 0XC00D118B Fix
Windows Media Player throws this when it's stuck trying to start the sync wizard. Close WMP and kill background processes — that's usually it.
Quick Answer for Advanced Users
Kill wmplayer.exe and wmpnetwk.exe in Task Manager, then restart WMP. That's the fix 9 times out of 10.
Why This Happens
You plug in a phone or media device, and Windows Media Player tries to open the Device Setup Wizard. But something goes wrong — maybe you clicked cancel, or another instance of WMP is already doing the same thing. The error code 0XC00D118B pops up and says "already trying to start the Device Setup Wizard." It's a lock. WMP thinks another copy of itself is handling the wizard, but it's not. This is common on Windows 10 version 22H2 and Windows 11 23H2, especially with Android phones or old iPods.
The culprit here is almost always a leftover WMP process. You don't see it because it's hiding in the background. Or the network sharing service holds onto a sync lock.
Fix Steps
- Close Windows Media Player completely. Don't just click the X — that sometimes keeps it running in the background. Use Task Manager.
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. Look under Processes for
Windows Media Player. Right-click it and choose End task. - Also find
Windows Media Player Network Sharing Servicein the Services tab (or the Details tab). End that too. - Now restart WMP. Go to Start, type
Windows Media Player, open it fresh. Plug your device in after WMP is running. - If the error still shows, do a full reboot. Seriously — reboot clears the lock every time.
Alternative Fixes If the Main One Doesn't Work
Reset WMP Library
Sometimes the library is corrupted. Open WMP, press Alt to show the menu, go to Tools > Options > Library. Click Configure sharing and uncheck Share my media. Then close WMP, restart it, and re-enable sharing. This forces WMP to rebuild its sync state.
Disable and Re-Enable the Device
Go to Device Manager (right-click Start > Device Manager). Find your portable device under Portable Devices. Right-click it, choose Disable device. Wait 10 seconds, then enable it. This clears any driver-level lock.
Remove WMP Sync Cache
This is deeper. Open File Explorer and go to %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Media Player. Delete everything in that folder while WMP is closed. Don't worry — WMP rebuilds it next time you start it. This nukes any stuck sync data.
Use the Microsoft Fix It Tool
Microsoft has a tool that resets WMP settings. Search for Microsoft Fix it for Windows Media Player on Microsoft's site. Run it. It's old but still works on Windows 10 and 11.
Prevention Tips
Don't plug your device into the PC while WMP is already loading or scanning. Wait for WMP to fully load first. Also avoid clicking the sync wizard's cancel button repeatedly — it can trigger this lock.
If you use WMP a lot with devices, set the sync wizard to never pop up automatically. In WMP, go to Tools > Options > Devices, select your device, click Properties, and check Start sync when device is connected to off. This stops the wizard from starting at all, so you won't see error 0XC00D118B.
One more thing — update Windows regularly. Microsoft patched this bug in cumulative updates. On Windows 10, make sure you're on 22H2 build 19045.3803 or later. On Windows 11, 23H2 build 22631.2861 or later. This error was more common in older builds.
That's it. Kill the processes, reboot if needed, and you're done. Don't overthink it.
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