Windows Media Player for Mac
Learn tips for setting up Windows Media Player for Apple Macintosh computers.
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What version of Windows Media Player should I install for my operating system?
You can download and install a version of Windows Media Player for the Mac OS and Mac OS X operating systems. You can also install components for the QuickTime Player (version 6.5.x or later) to enable it to play Windows Media Audio (WMA) and Windows Media Video (WMV) files. For more information, see the following table.
| Operating System | Recommended Windows Media Player/Components |
Mac Intel | Windows Media Components for QuickTime (Flip4Mac WMV) (requires QuickTime version 6.5.x or later) |
Mac OS X version 10.3.9 or later | Flip4Mac WMV (requires QuickTime version 6.5.x or later) or Windows Media Player 9 for Mac OS X |
Mac OS X version 10.1.5 or later (Mac OS X version 10.2.x or later is recommended) | |
Mac OS 8.1 or later (Mac OS 8.6 or later is recommended) |
Where can I get a version of Windows Media Player for Mac that is compatible with Windows Media Rights Manager 7?
Error message: "In order to play this file, you need to upgrade your Media Player to a version compatible with Windows Media Rights Manager V7."
Windows Media Player 9 for Mac OS X can play secure content protected with Microsoft Windows Media Rights Manager version 1.3. Unfortunately, an updated version that supports Windows Media Rights Manager 7 is not available.
Why do I get an error when I try to run Windows Media Player 9 for Mac OS X Setup?
Error message: "Setup file does not appear to be compressed or encoded."
You need a more recent version of StuffIt Expander, which decompresses the file. For more information, see To Download and Install Windows Media Player 9 for Mac OS X.
How do I uninstall Windows Media Player 9 for Mac OS X?
There is no uninstaller for Windows Media Player 9 for Mac OS X; however, you can effectively "uninstall" the Player by dragging files from the following folders to the Trash, and then emptying the Trash:
| • | /Applications/Windows Media Player (Drag the entire folder to the Trash.) |
| • | /Library/Internet Plug-ins/Windows Media Plugin |
| • | /Users/Username/Library/Preferences/Windows Media Player Prefs |
Note that you may receive the following error about locked files when you try to empty the Trash:
Error message: "The operation could not be completed because the item 'item_name' is locked."
To resolve this error, see You can't empty the Trash or move a file to the Trash in Mac OS X.
Is Microsoft going to continue developing Windows Media Player for Mac?
Microsoft will continue to offer Windows Media Player for Mac as a download free of charge, but has no plans to provide future updates or product support.
For answers to your questions about Windows Media Player for Apple Macintosh computers, see the following resources:
| • | The Microsoft-hosted Windows Media Player for Mac discussion group |
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For answers to your questions about Windows Media Components for QuickTime by Flip4Mac, see the following resources:
| • | The Microsoft-hosted Windows Media Player for Mac discussion group |
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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.