# Is there any way to uninstall Windows Media Player? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 17, 2004, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-uninstall-windows-media-player/280242 "2004-12-17T00:43:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-uninstall-windows-media-player/280242/1 "2004-12-17T00:43:57Z")
I have a problem with Windows Media Player, it’s been acting wonky lately. At least half of the time instead of playing the files I want to see, it states that it’s encountered a problem and closes. For files hosted on my computer, that’s no big deal, I just use Zoom Player. No problem. It’s files embedded in webpages that are giving my problems. I even went into the preferences of Firefox to try and get Firefox to use Zoom Player when it encountered an Avi or a Mpeg or Wmv, but that didn’t work either, I’m guessing maybe Zoom Player can’t work with Firefox. Finally, I figure that I’ll just uninstall Windows Media player, and then reinstall it fresh and clean. One Problem: I can’t figure out how to get rid of this program. It’s not offered on the add/remove programs menu, and even under add/remove windows components, all it does is remove it from the start menu. I have Win XP home on this computer. Can anyone help me either fix the problem or tell me how to uninstall this program so i can reinstall it fresh? ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-uninstall-windows-media-player/280242/2 "2004-12-17T01:28:52Z")
Which WMP do you have? Googling up “uninstalling windows media player” turns up several articles about the fact that WMP 9 can’t be removed under ME or XP. They say users have to use the system restore feature to roll back to a point before they installed it. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![galt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@galt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galt)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-uninstall-windows-media-player/280242/3 "2004-12-17T01:42:00Z")
Well, I just did it. Went into the Add/Remove Programs control panel, chose “Add/Remove Windows Components”, unchecked Windows Media Player, and hit Next. wmplayer.exe is no more. It left a bunch of stuff in the Windows Media Player directory under Program Files (including what looks like a setup program in case I want to put it back), but the program itself is gone. This is XP Pro with Service Pack 2. ---
**Author:** ![galt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@galt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galt)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-uninstall-windows-media-player/280242/4 "2004-12-17T01:45:40Z")
Whoops, spoke too soon. wmplayer.exe isn’t gone, it’s just hidden now. Hmm. Good one, Bill. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-uninstall-windows-media-player/280242/5 "2004-12-17T02:07:55Z")
> [@Weirddave](#): > > No problem. It’s files embedded in webpages that are giving my problems. I even went into the preferences of Firefox to try and get Firefox to use Zoom Player when it encountered an Avi or a Mpeg or Wmv, but that didn’t work either, I’m guessing maybe Zoom Player can’t work with Firefox. Have you tried **Folder Options-\>File Types-\>Change** to make WMV files open with a different application? ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-uninstall-windows-media-player/280242/6 "2004-12-17T02:44:22Z")
> [@Peter Morris](#): > > Have you tried **Folder Options-\>File Types-\>Change** to make WMV files open with a different application? Yes, that’s what I did, but nothing happened when I went to a page with a movie file on it. ---
**Author:** ![King\_Friday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/43a26b/32.png) [@King\_Friday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Friday)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-uninstall-windows-media-player/280242/7 "2004-12-17T02:59:07Z")
How about installing [Real Player](http://www.real.com) and during installation, choosing to use Real Player to open all media applications. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-uninstall-windows-media-player/280242/8 "2004-12-17T03:11:10Z")
Pretty sure you can simply go to Microsoft’s website and download Windows Media Player 10 and install it over top of your existing utility. Just make sure you direct it to the same folder that contains the WMP you have at present. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-uninstall-windows-media-player/280242/9 "2004-12-17T03:18:37Z")
> [@King Friday](#): > > How about installing [Real Player](http://www.real.com) and during installation, choosing to use Real Player to open all media applications. I wouldn’t install Real Player. It keeps bugging you to update to the cost version. I haven’t had it for a while, but I think there were other reasons I didn’t like it. If some website needs Real Player for a movie, I just skip it. ---
**Author:** ![Toddly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/22d042/32.png) [@Toddly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toddly)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-uninstall-windows-media-player/280242/10 "2004-12-17T04:42:21Z")
I don’t think they make it so you can uninstall WMP real neat. I would recommmend that you just install the same version over the one that you currently have on your system. If you want to take a chance and get rid of it there is a command line option on [this](http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winme/1086631917) page that seems to do the trick. I will not vouch for its effectiveness so make a restore point before you try it. ---
**Author:** ![rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/919ad9/32.png) [@rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rabbit)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-uninstall-windows-media-player/280242/11 "2004-12-17T05:21:29Z")
while I can’t personally vouch for it you can get a program called PClite that lets you deactivate or uninstall pretty much everything thats embeded within windows. Website: [http://www.litepc.com/](http://www.litepc.com/) Supposed to be quite flexible and thorough. But again, ive not used it. (was recommended via the fred langa newsletter) ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-uninstall-windows-media-player/280242/12 "2004-12-17T07:08:35Z")
I still have Windows Media Player on my computer, but i haven’t used it in ages. I now play all my files using the following setup: [Media Player Classic](http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=82303&package_id=84358) [ffdshow](http://sourceforge.net/projects/ffdshow) [RealAlternative](http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Real_Alternative.htm) [QuicktimeAlternative](http://www.free-codecs.com/download/QuickTime_Alternative.htm) This is a compltely open source, free setup. Media Player Classic is a great player, and the ffdshow codec library will let you play just about any video or audio you’re likely to encounter, either from files on your local computer, or from streaming sites. The RealAlternative and QuicktimeAlternative programs allow you to view Real and Quicktime files and streams without having the nagging bloated crap that is Real and (to a lesser extent) Quicktime on your computer. MPC will also play DVDs with no problem at all. The only problem i’ve had since installing this setup is, of course, with Microsoft-specific websites, like [msnbc.com](http://msnbc.com), which insists not only that i use Windows Media Player, but also IE6. They can blow me. ---
**Author:** ![galt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@galt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galt)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-uninstall-windows-media-player/280242/13 "2004-12-18T01:31:44Z")
> [@King Friday](#): > > How about installing [Real Player](http://www.real.com) and during installation, choosing to use Real Player to open all media applications. That’s like breaking your legs to distract you from your headache. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![GawnFishin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9bcb4/32.png) [@GawnFishin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GawnFishin)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-uninstall-windows-media-player/280242/14 "2004-12-18T07:27:03Z")
> [@galt](#): > > That’s like breaking your legs to distract you from your headache. 🙂 Fond of understatements are we? 🙂 More like sucking on an Uzi because you got a mild case of acne. Anyone who uses or is considering installing anything from Real Networks should at least read [this](http://www.grc.com/downloaders.htm) and be aware of what they are installing. I’m not saying don’t use their software I’m just saying be aware of what you are getting. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-uninstall-windows-media-player/280242/15 "2004-12-18T13:51:41Z")
Aparently King Friday missed my [concurrent thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=292240&highlight=real). ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-uninstall-windows-media-player/280242/16 "2004-12-18T22:16:17Z")
I suspected as much, which is another reason I no longer use it. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-uninstall-windows-media-player/280242/17 "2004-12-19T07:07:17Z")
Did you try toing into the “Set Program Access and Defaults”, which should be at the top of your START menu (sorry I can’t find it anywhere else in the Program menu - maybe someone else knows?) You can choose your default media player there, too. I would also recommend [updating WMP](http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/mp10/default.aspx) as others have suggested. ---
**Author:** ![King\_Friday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/43a26b/32.png) [@King\_Friday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Friday)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-uninstall-windows-media-player/280242/18 "2004-12-19T08:18:45Z")
> [@Weirddave](#): > > Aparently King Friday missed my [concurrent thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=292240&highlight=real). I’m not exactly sure what you’ve used Real player for, but I’ve never had any problems with it.