How to listen to music in Windows Media Center

Most people think of watching and recording TV when they think of Windows Media Center, but it is also a great way to listen to music.

You can use Windows Media Center to:

1. Find and play your favorite songs

2. Rate and play your favorite music

3. View / Edit / Save song lists

4. Delete music from your computer

5. Display pictures while music plays

6. Display visualizations while music plays

7. Display visualizations always when music starts

To find and play music

Windows Media Center is best experienced using a compatible Windows Media Center remote control. If you don't have one, you can scroll left or right through your digital media collection by moving the mouse to the edge of the screen or by using the left and right arrow keys on your keyboard.

To find the song, album, or playlist you want to play:

1. Click the Start button, click All Programs, and then click Windows Media Center

2. On the Windows Media Center start screen, scroll to Music, and then click Music library

3. Click a grouping (such as Albums or Artists), and then click the music that you want to listen to.

4. Find the song, album, or playlist that you want to play, and then click Play

If you already have music playing:

1. Right-click the item, and then click Add to Song List

2. You can add a song, album, or playlist to the song list (queue).

To search your Media Center music library from:

1. From the Windows Media Center start screen, scroll to Music

2. Scroll to the right, click Search, and then enter your search criteria.

To rate and play your favorite music

You can rate individual songs so you can keep track of your favorites, and then play only your favorite music.

1. Click the Start button, click All Programs, and then click Windows Media Center

2. On the Windows Media Center start screen, scroll to Music, and then click Music library

3. Click Songs, right-click a song that you want to rate, and then click the Rating button (five stars in a row) multiple times until it displays the desired rating.

4. Click the green Start button to return to the Windows Media Center start screen, scroll to Music, and then click Play favorites

   By default, Windows Media Center uses ratings to determine which songs are your favorites. To change the Favorite Music settings, from the start screen, scroll to Tasks, click Settings, click Music, click Favorite Music, make any adjustments you like, and then click Save

To view, edit, and save song lists (queue)

When music is playing, and you want to edit what is slated to play next:

1. Go to the Windows Media Center start screen, scroll to Now Playing, and then click the icon.

2. Click View Song List, click Edit List, and then do one of the following:

   • Click the Up arrow or Down arrow to move a song up or down in the list.

   • To Click the Delete button to remove a song from the list.

3. Then click Done

To save the song list (queue) as a playlist:

You can save the songs that are queued in your song list as a permanent playlist to play again. Playlists are a great way to customize your listening experience. By creating a playlist, you can group any combination of songs into a list that you can then quickly play or burn to a CD.

1. After adding music to your song list, on the Windows Media Center start screen, scroll to Now Playing, and then click the icon.

2. Click View List, and then click Save As Playlist.

3. Type a name for the playlist, and then click Save

When you save the song list (queue) as a playlist, it's added to your permanent set of playlists. You can access your playlists in the Music library under Playlists.

Learn more: Burn a CDs and DVDs

To delete music from your computer

If you delete a song, album, or playlist from within Windows Media Center, it is deleted from the Music library and the computer permanently.

1. Click the Start button, click All Programs, and then click Windows Media Center

2. On the Windows Media Center start screen, scroll to Music, and then click Music library

3. Click Album, Song, or Playlist, right-click a title or name, and then click Delete

4. Click Yes to confirm the deletion.

To display your favorite pictures while playing music

You can create a special presentation of your favorite pictures to display when your music is playing.

1. 1. When music is playing, on the Windows Media Center start screen, scroll to Now Playing, and then click the icon.

2. 2. Click Play Pictures to start the presentation of your favorite pictures.

By default, Media Center determines which pictures are your favorites by each picture's rating. To change the rating for a picture, or to change the Favorite Pictures settings, see Viewing your photos.

To turn on visualizations while playing music

1. While music is playing, on the Windows Media Center start screen, scroll to Now Playing, and then click the icon.

2. Click Visualize

3. You can cycle through the various visualizations using the left and right arrow keys on the keyboard.

To have a visualization always start when music plays

1. Click the Start button, click All Programs, and then click Windows Media Center

2. On the Windows Media Center start screen, scroll to Tasks, click Settings, and then click Music

3. Click Now Playing Options, and then select the Start visualizations automatically check box.

4. Under Show song information during visualizations, select an option, and then click Save