Synchronizing Music to Your Device
Troubleshoot problems you encounter while synchronizing files from Windows Media Player 10 to your portable music players and other devices.
Answers refer to Windows Media Player 10, unless otherwise noted.
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How can I tell if my device works with Windows Media Player 10?
For a complete list of devices that you can synchronize content to in Windows Media Player 10, see the PlaysForSure Web site. If your device doesn't currently appear in the list, check back frequently because many device manufacturers are creating updated device drivers and firmware to add support for Windows Media Player 10.
If you determine that your device doesn't support Windows Media Player 10, you can "roll back" Windows Media Player 10 to the previous version of the Player that was on your computer. For more information, see "How do I uninstall Windows Media Player 9 Series or later?" in the Windows Media Player FAQ.
How can I tell if my device can play WMA files?
The PlaysForSure Web site displays a list of devices that can play Windows Media Audio (WMA) files and use the Sync feature in Windows Media Player 10. Many other devices that are not on the list can also play WMA files, but may require an earlier version of Windows Media Player or other software in order to copy the files from your computer to the device. To determine your device's playback capabilities and software requirements, see your device documentation or your device manufacturer's Web site.
Why doesn't the Player detect my device?
Either your device isn't supported by your version of the Player, or you need to upgrade your device's firmware and/or drivers so that the Player can detect it. Follow the procedure in the next question to get the latest firmware, drivers, and software applications that allow your device to work with Windows Media Player.
How can I get the latest firmware and drivers for my device?
To get the latest firmware and drivers, try the following procedures.
If you use Windows Media Player 10
1. | Check the PlaysForSure Web site to see if your device is a PlaysForSure device. If your device doesn't currently appear in the list, see the first question in this article for more information. |
2. | Click the link to the device manufacturer's Web site. Your device manufacturer's Web page will be displayed so that you can search for and install the latest firmware, software drivers, and any other applications that are required for Windows Media Player. |
If you use Windows Media Player 9 Series
1. | Check the PlaysForSure Web site to see if your device is a PlaysForSure device. If it is, consider upgrading your Player to Windows Media Player 10. If your device doesn't currently appear in the list, see the first question for more information. |
2. | If your device is not a PlaysForSure device, or you don't want to upgrade your Player, visit your device manufacturer's Web site to acquire the latest firmware, software drivers, and any other applications that are required for Windows Media Player. |
Why can't I play a protected file that I synchronized to my device?
Before you synchronize a file in your library in Windows Media Player 10 to your portable device, the Player detects your device's capabilities. If the file has a quality level (bit rate) setting or is in a file format (for example, DVR-MS) that is not supported by the device, the Player can convert a copy of the file to a quality level and/or file format that your device supports. The converted copy is then synchronized to your device.
However, if the original file is protected by a license, the Player can't convert a copy of that file and it will synchronize the original (protected) file to the device instead. This means that if the protected file doesn't have a quality level setting and file format that your device supports, the device may fail to play the file.
To resolve the problem, review your device documentation to determine its capabilities, and then try one of the following:
| • | Obtain a copy of the file that the Player can convert (for example, a copy of the file that is not protected). If the file is a track that you ripped from an audio CD, rip the track again, but turn off copy protection during the rip process. For more information, see "Setting options for ripping CDs" in Windows Media Player Help. |
| • | Obtain a copy of the file that doesn't need to be converted (for example, a copy that has a lower bit rate that is supported by your device). If the file is a track that you ripped from an audio CD, rip the track again, but select options (file format and quality level) that are supported by your device during the rip process. For more information, see "Setting options for ripping CDs" in Windows Media Player Help. You can verify the quality levels (bit rates) supported by your device by reviewing the device documentation. |
| • | Check your device manufacturer's Web site to see if a firmware upgrade is available that will enable your device to play files in additional file formats or quality levels (bit rates). For more information about upgrading firmware, see the previous question. |
Why can't I synchronize a protected file to my device?
You might not be able to synchronize a protected file to a portable device because:
| • | You need to install a security upgrade on your computer before you can synchronize the file. To resolve the problem, play the file in Windows Media Player 10 and then, when prompted, follow the steps on the screen to upgrade the security components of the Player. (Alternatively, you can install the upgrade by visiting the Security component upgrade Web page.) To determine whether a file is protected, see "How do I tell whether a file is protected?" in the Windows Media Player FAQ. |
| • | You used the Player to rip tracks from an audio CD to your computer. When the tracks were ripped, the Player was set to rip the songs in either the Windows Media Audio Variable Bit Rate (VBR) format or the Windows Media Audio Lossless format. In addition, the Player was set to copy-protect the files as the tracks were ripped from the CD. In some cases, it is not possible to synchronize files properly that have been ripped with this combination of options. To solve the problem, rip the track again, but make sure to select options that are supported by your device during the rip process, especially the file format and quality level. For more information, see "Setting options for ripping CDs" in Windows Media Player Help. You can verify the quality levels (bit rates) supported by your device by reviewing the device documentation. |
| • | If the license for the file includes an expiration date, the Player can't synchronize the protected files to a device if it doesn't contain an internal clock. You can see if the license contains an expiration date by reviewing the license details. For more information, see "To view license details" in Windows Media Player Help. To determine if your device contains an internal clock, see your device documentation. |
| • | The license associated with the file doesn't allow the file to be copied to a device. Check with the content provider to see if you can obtain a copy of the file without this limitation. |
Why do I get the error "The media is write-protected" when I try to synchronize to my device?
The storage area on your device is set to read-only to prevent files from being overwritten. For most devices, write-protection is turned on by a switch (hardware on the device) or by software installed on the device. To turn off write-protection on the device, review your device documentation.
Where can I get more information about synchronizing content from Windows Media Player 10 to my device?
For simple, step-by-step instructions, see the Take Your Music and Video with You Web page.
If you encounter problems while synchronizing content to your device, see "Synchronizing to Portable Devices" in the Windows Media Player FAQ and "Synchronization issues" and "Device troubleshooting" in the Windows Media Player 10 Readme Web page.
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.