Ripping CDs in Windows Media Player
Learn tips for ripping CDs in Windows Media Player.
Answers refer to Windows Media Player 10, unless otherwise noted.
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How can I rip an audio CD automatically in Windows Media Player when I insert it into the CD drive?
To automatically rip an audio CD
1. | Start Windows Media Player. |
2. | On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Rip Music tab. |
3. | Select the Rip CD when inserted check box, and then click OK. |
4. | Insert a music CD in the CD-ROM drive. |
For best results, make sure that you start the Player before you insert a CD that you want to rip.
Why does the Player try to rip my audio CD when I put it in the CD drive? I just want to play the CD.
Some people prefer that audio CDs be automatically ripped when they are inserted into the CD drive. To turn off this feature in Windows Media Player, complete the following procedure.
To turn off automatic ripping in Windows Media Player
1. | In Windows Media Player, on the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Rip Music tab. |
2. | Make sure that the Rip CD when inserted check box is cleared, and then click the OK button. |
If audio CDs still automatically rip when they are inserted into the CD drive, you must configure additional properties for your CD drive to turn off the feature by completing the following procedure.
To turn off automatic ripping for the CD drive
1. | Click Start, and then click My Computer. | ||||
2. | Right-click the CD drive that you use, and then click Properties. | ||||
3. | In the Properties dialog box for the CD drive, click the AutoPlay tab. | ||||
4. | In the list of content types at the top of the dialog box, click Music CD. | ||||
5. | In the Actions area, do one of the following:
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How can I rip audio CDs to MP3-formatted files in my library?
In Windows Media Player 10, MP3-encoding support is included at no extra cost; therefore, you can rip songs from an audio CD to .mp3 files in your library.
To select MP3 format for ripping
1. | In Windows Media Player, on the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Rip Music tab. |
2. | In the Format list, under Rip settings, click mp3, and then click OK. |
For detailed information on how to rip songs in Windows Media Player 10, see Quickly Rip CDs to Your Computer.
In Windows Media Player 9 Series or earlier, you must purchase and install an MP3 Creation plug-in to make the MP3 format option available for ripping.
How can I rip tracks from my audio CD at different bit rates without overwriting my previously ripped tracks?
You can set options in Windows Media Player so that it automatically names ripped tracks according to their song titles and bit rates. This makes it easy for you to differentiate among versions of the same song that were ripped at different bit rates. For more information, see Change How Files Are Named When You Rip (Copy) Music.
If you have many files, an easier approach might be to convert the ripped tracks on your computer all at once by using Plus! Audio Converter.
Can I rip a song from an audio CD to a small enough size so that I can send it in e-mail?
It depends. E-mail programs and Internet service providers typically put a limit on the file size of attachments. The good news is that in many cases, this limit is increasing, so you might be able to send a song in e-mail. To change your rip settings in Windows Media Player so that ripped tracks are the smallest possible size, perform the following procedure.
To rip songs to the smallest size
1. | In Windows Media Player, on the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Rip Music tab. |
2. | In the Rip Settings area, select the Windows Media Audio format. Windows Media Audio (WMA) files are approximately half the size of MP3 files for the same content at similar bit rates. |
3. | Move the Audio Quality slider to the Smallest Size setting. |
If you ripped the song from a CD before, make sure the ripped track doesn't overwrite any previous versions of the file. See the previous question to learn how to re-rip tracks without overwriting existing versions.
For more information about changing the audio quality (bit rate) for the songs that you rip, see Save Space on Your Hard Disk When Ripping.
NoteYou can also use Plus! Audio Converter to convert a file to a different format at a different bit rate.
Why can't I rip music files on a data CD to my library?
Windows Media Player can't rip data CDs; it can only rip audio CDs (like the CDs you purchase at a store). To add music files (for example, MP3- or WMA-formatted files) on a data CD to your library, perform the following procedure.
To copy music files from a data CD
1. | Insert the CD in your CD drive. |
2. | Click Start, and then click My Computer. |
3. | Under Devices with Removable Storage, click the CD drive, and then on the File menu, click Open. |
4. | Select the music files on the CD that you want to copy to your library, and then on the Edit menu, click Copy. |
5. | Open a folder on your computer (for example, the My Music folder), and then on the Edit menu, click Paste. The files you selected on the CD should be copied to the folder. |
6. | Use the Add to Library By Searching Computer dialog box in Windows Media Player to locate the music files on your computer and add them to your library. For more information, see "Adding items to your library" in Windows Media Player Help. |
What do the different audio formats for ripping sound like?
In Windows Media Player 10, you can rip music to any of the following formats:
| • | Windows Media Audio. The most common format, it provides the widest range of quality and size choices. |
| • | Windows Media Audio (variable bit rate): This choice provides overall higher quality than Windows Media Audio format, but the size will vary according to the complexity of the audio. |
| • | Windows Media Audio Lossless. Select this option if you want the audio quality to be as close as possible to the original. Size savings will be the least of the three formats, and will vary according to the complexity of the audio. |
| • | MP3 format. |
The best format depends on what you like and how you plan to listen to music. For example, some portable music players may not support all of the formats. If you aren't sure which format to pick, listen to the audio quality demos to see how the formats sound. Or, try ripping some songs with different formats and sizes until you find the combination that works best for you. For more information, see Save Space on Your Hard Disk When Ripping.
If you don't find the answer to your question in this column, be sure to check the Archive. Media Advice is not an official Microsoft Support channel. If you need immediate help for an urgent problem, we recommend that you visit Microsoft Help and Support.