# How do I force Win Media Player to notice music? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 7, 2021, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-force-win-media-player-to-notice-music/941601 "2021-05-07T16:25:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2021, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-force-win-media-player-to-notice-music/941601/1 "2021-05-07T16:25:18Z")
I used Audacity to cut down some songs, and exported them as mp3 files, but WMP won’t see them. I can’t find a way to force it to re-examine the Music folder. I put the new versions in the same folder as the old ones, but it just doesn’t admit they’re there. I tried posting on a Windows help forum, but it seems I haven’t had any replies. I don’t really know where else to go to ask, but here. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2021, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-force-win-media-player-to-notice-music/941601/2 "2021-05-07T17:36:24Z")
You need the codec, which I’m pretty sure comes bundled with version 12 or later of WMP. What version are you running? ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2021, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-force-win-media-player-to-notice-music/941601/3 "2021-05-07T17:39:14Z")
I believe that Audacity also allows export to WAV, which should work as well. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2021, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-force-win-media-player-to-notice-music/941601/4 "2021-05-07T18:31:17Z")
> [@Cardinal](#): > > I used Audacity to cut down some songs, and exported them as mp3 files, but WMP won’t see them. I can’t find a way to force it to re-examine the Music folder. I put the new versions in the same folder as the old ones, but it just doesn’t admit they’re there. I tried posting on a Windows help forum, but it seems I haven’t had any replies. I don’t really know where else to go to ask, but here. Thanks! One possibility: did you change the tag information? I believe Audacity will show it when you try to export a project as an MP3. If the tag info is still the same, it’s possible that WMP would still think it’s all the same song. So try changing that. Another thing to try is to mess around with drag and drop, dragging the files from Explorer to the appropriate place in your library. Also try doing this from a different folder (i.e. copy the mp3 files to a different folder, and then drag those into WMP). Edit: It occurred to me that you might have just saved the Audacity project as an MP3. Don’t do that. Make sure you [Export as MP3](https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/export.html). ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2021, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-force-win-media-player-to-notice-music/941601/5 "2021-05-07T21:15:36Z")
I need the codec to do what exactly? I have no idea how to find what version this is, because MS has followed Apple into the idea that users are enemies and should not be given information, or the ability to control the software. Hence, the current problem, also. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2021, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-force-win-media-player-to-notice-music/941601/6 "2021-05-07T21:16:25Z")
I re-exported the tracks, changed the tags, and moved the new versions out of and back into the correct folder. WMP still doesn’t see them. ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2021, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-force-win-media-player-to-notice-music/941601/7 "2021-05-07T21:25:44Z")
Assuming your menu bar is hidden, in Windows Media Player, press CTRL-M. This brings up the menu bar. Now select Help-\>About Windows Media Player. This will show you the version. If it starts with “12.”, then you have something less obvious going on and we can diagnose in that direction. If it is a lower number, I’d personally select Help-\>Check for Updates, which will launch the Windows Updater and help you get things up to date. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2021, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-force-win-media-player-to-notice-music/941601/8 "2021-05-07T21:26:55Z")
I converted the 2 of them to mp4 / mka, and then WMP sees them. I have no idea why that matters. I just seem to have lost one of them now, and it’s not in the recycle bin. I guess I have to torrent this album to replace the one track. Yes, I have the CDs… ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2021, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-force-win-media-player-to-notice-music/941601/9 "2021-05-07T21:38:22Z")
Since another format worked, my first guess is indeed a missing codec. Aside from all of that, if you want a less troublesome application have you ever tried [VLC](https://www.videolan.org/)? I don’t know anyone who has used it and subsequently returned to WMP, as it supports almost everything you need by default, is easy to use, and costs nothing (although donations are appreciated). ---
**Author:** ![erysichthon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@erysichthon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erysichthon)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2021, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-force-win-media-player-to-notice-music/941601/10 "2021-05-07T21:56:30Z")
I had a similar problem a few years ago; my MP3 files were mysteriously vanishing from Windows Media Player, although they were still visible in Explorer. I eventually figured out that I had a corrupted or missing codec somewhere, and solved the issue by installing the [K-Lite Codec Pack](https://codecguide.com/download_kl.htm) (basic version). ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2021, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-force-win-media-player-to-notice-music/941601/11 "2021-05-19T20:24:34Z")
I don’t know what was wrong with the file type. WMP hated the files I had made. I made another version of the edited song from another version of the original song, and exported it as an mp3 from Audacity, and it worked.