# How To Switch PC's Default Media Players?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-switch-pcs-default-media-players/245359
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [May 16, 2004, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-switch-pcs-default-media-players/245359 "2004-05-16T02:04:25Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)
#### Post date: [May 16, 2004, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-switch-pcs-default-media-players/245359/1 "2004-05-16T02:04:25Z")
When I put a DVD in my PC’s CD-ROM drive, the PC defaults to RealOne player. But, say I prefer to use Windows Media Player as the default? How to tell the PC to switch? BTW, I have Windows 2000.
It must be simple, but not sure where the option is hiding!
Thanks,
- Jinx
---
### Author:  [@RandomLetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandomLetters)
#### Post date: [May 16, 2004, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-switch-pcs-default-media-players/245359/2 "2004-05-16T07:32:18Z")
First, you will have to go into spy^h I mean Real Player, go to the Tool \> Preferences \> Content \> Media Type, and unselect every type of file you don’t want Real Player to play. This will keep Real Player from trying to steal those associations back. To make everything play in scum^h I mean Windows Media Player, go to Tools \> Options \> File types, and select those that you want to play with WMP. Most other media player programs will have those options buried around somewhere.
Also, may I suggest you use [Media Player Classic](http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=82303&package_id=84358) to play your files. It doesn’t try to phone home like WMP or Real, it can play just about every file type - from AVI to MPEG, Real Media files, Quicktime .movs, ect, and also lacks the bloat found in other players. To get MPC to be the default player, go View \> Options \> Player \> Formats, and select the file types.
---
### Author:  [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)
#### Post date: [May 16, 2004, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-switch-pcs-default-media-players/245359/3 "2004-05-16T15:04:01Z")
RandomLetters, thanks for the link to the _Media Player Classic_ viewer. Finally, they’ve seemed to have simplified the whole mess. Previously, we tried launching Media Player and use “Open…” to gain access by either (a) accessing the “D:” drive or (b) Using “Browse”. Long story short, nothing worked to run the DVD.
Also, so far, so good with disabling Real Player…but I won’t have time to really full with it until later. If I have more questions, I’ll post within this thread again… And, oh by the way, I was just wondering if you live in RandomHouse? 🙂
Thanks again, - Jinx