topic Re: Degrading of WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER by Microsoft [WMP] in Tech Help - Software/Hardware etc

Degrading of WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER by Microsoft [WMP]

Gel — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 06:12:31 GMT

Those of us with PC's running Windows 10 or earlier may well use WMP on a regular basis.

However I've discovered that the useful feature whereby your CD's meta data/images could

be updated on M/S's servers is no more; they closed them down quietly at start if year...with ZERO publicity.

I accidentally stumbled across the downgrade as I saw one album in my WMP library had dupe

tracks, so I simply deleted album from WMP.

Previously you'd just go to to your MUSIC folder, right click to ADD TO WMP, and bingo it appeared

in your WMP Folder of albums.

No more- that functionality has also been removed.

A solution is to use i tunes, which has all the original features of WMP, even for those of

us not using Apple products. Trying to establish an Apple id; tried 4 times so far!

Re: Degrading of WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER by Microsoft [WMP]

PhilipHeyes — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 06:31:10 GMT

Microsoft are not alone in this.

I have a Sony Blu-ray Player, when new used the Gradenote service to display CD album track names and data,
an automated firmware update came some years ago and boom track info was gone for ever, now tracks just have numbers.

Last time I ripped CDs using iTunes it did recover album & track names but album cover images I had to do that manually.

Re: Degrading of WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER by Microsoft [WMP]

Mav — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 17:40:26 GMT

I think VLC Player may do what you require?

Re: Degrading of WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER by Microsoft [WMP]

Mav — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 17:44:51 GMT

Moderator's note(s):

Thread moved from Everything Else to Tech Help.

Re: Degrading of WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER by Microsoft [WMP]

Gel — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 12:30:22 GMT

Already use VLC, but i tunes seems best; still failing to establish an Apple id.

Re: Degrading of WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER by Microsoft [WMP]

paul_blitz — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 16:38:56 GMT

Purely for ripping CDs (and importing the relevant metadata) I can recommend Exact Audio Copy ( https://www.exactaudiocopy.de/)

Re: Degrading of WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER by Microsoft [WMP]

Gel — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 19:45:47 GMT

Thanks; I see that M/S Publisher is being dropped soon too.

Re: Degrading of WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER by Microsoft [WMP]

Penny — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 21:32:47 GMT

@Gel wrote:
I see that M/S Publisher is being dropped soon

Unable to fathom why on earth they would do this. MS Publisher has/had so many features that MS Word just isn't capable of.

I have Publisher files here dating back to about 1993 (kids' school stuff and much else) and when I started building the HappyChild site, Microsoft kindly donated MS Publisher 1997.

I dug the disk out recently, to re-access lots of files via a Windows7 PC (separate from main desktop) and discovered that I could access files from quite a large range of years - up to early 2000s I think - though it wouldn't read files after that, which had to be accessed via whatever version of Publisher is in MS Office 365 (on main desktop).

I'm guessing that MS Publisher 97 will continue to work for the early stuff (on the Windows7 PC), but now wondering if a *disk* version of Publisher would still work for the later files. Something to be explored later, maybe

Re: Degrading of WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER by Microsoft [WMP]

shutter — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 08:43:21 GMT

@Penny (and others who used MSPUB ) I still use MSPUB for some of the features that are not available.. you can get Publisher 98 CD on ebay.. and maybe at car boot sale....

It is possible to "read" .pub files ( MSPUB documents) using LIBRE OFFICE which is compatible with Windows 11.

No conversion needed.

It will open the original .pub file, as a "drawing" and will save it is a .odg file

It is possible to edit .pub files before saving. ( as .odg )

It is possible to edit the .odg file after saving, and re-opening, as a normal text edit

e.g. myhome description.pub saved in Libre Office as myhome description.odg is an example of how a document would appear in your document folder. ....

to save it as a text file.and you can, by adding .odt after the file title myhome description.odt

when you "save as " the file that has been saved, will appear in your folder as myhome description.odt.odg

then delete the .odg from the file name listing ....

Does not make any real difference... just mentioning that it can be done !.

Either version will be fully editable in Libre Office.

https://www.libreoffice.org/download/

For those who don`t know libreoffice... it is full suite of office apps similar to MS office and others.

I am not sure if Open office will do the same thing...

Re: Degrading of WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER by Microsoft [WMP]

Penny — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 16:25:58 GMT

@paul_blitz wrote:

Purely for ripping CDs (and importing the relevant metadata) I can recommend Exact Audio Copy ( https://www.exactaudiocopy.de/)

@paul_blitz I looked at that page - (quote)

Exact Audio Copy is a so called audio grabber for audio CDs using standard CD and DVD-ROM drives. The main differences between EAC and most other audio grabbers are :

It is free (for non-commercial purposes)
It works with a technology, which reads audio CDs almost perfectly. If there are any errors that can't be corrected, it will tell you on which time position the (possible) distortion occurred, so you could easily control it with e.g. the media player

(/unquote)

However the https://www.exactaudiocopy.de/ page is so full of graphics/adverts - all saying 'download' - that I wasn't sure which link would actually download the Exact Audio Copy software.

If you could possibly advise the correct link/download address, that would be appreciated, thanks.

Re: Degrading of WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER by Microsoft [WMP]

Protech — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 17:35:34 GMT

https://www.exactaudiocopy.de/download/

Re: Degrading of WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER by Microsoft [WMP]

paul_blitz — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 20:01:17 GMT

It works with a technology, which reads audio CDs almost perfectly. If there are any errors that can't be corrected, it will tell you on which time position the (possible) distortion occurred, so you could easily control it with e.g. the media player

Yes, if it has a problem reading a CD, then it tries it again many times, doing things like changing the spin speed and so on. The fact that it TELLS you is important. Often it's caused by a dirty CD, and works fine after careful cleaning.

Sorry about the adverts, I use an advert blocker, so never see any of the ads!

Re: Degrading of WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER by Microsoft [WMP]

Penny — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 20:31:55 GMT

@Protech wrote:
https://www.exactaudiocopy.de/download/

@Protech Thank you

Re: Degrading of WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER by Microsoft [WMP]

spile — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 06:52:08 GMT

Affinity is much better than MS Publisher and is free. Recommended.

Re: Degrading of WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER by Microsoft [WMP]

Penny — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 13:49:29 GMT

@spile wrote:

Affinity is much better than MS Publisher and is free.

Thanks I was going to ask (a) what it is, (b) where to get it from, but thought I'd first look on duckduckgo.

Found this. https://www.affinity.studio/download

(quote)

Affinity gives you pro-grade photo editing, vector design, illustration, and layout — all in one app, for free.
*
Desktop macOS
Fully optimized for macOS. Runs natively on Apple silicon and Intel.
Desktop Windows
Affinity runs fast even on mid-range machines, but loves a dedicated GPU.
*
Is Affinity really free?
Yes, Affinity really is free. That doesn’t mean you’re getting a watered-down version of the app though. You can use every tool in the Pixel, Vector, and Layout studios, plus all of the customization and export features, as much as you want, with no restrictions or payment needed. The app will also receive free updates with new features and improvements added.
*
Can I import my Adobe files into Affinity?
Yes! It’s easy to import PSDs, AIs, IDMLs, DWGs, and other file types into Affinity, with structure, layers, and creative intent preserved.

(unquote)

... whilst the Adobe-type capabilities looked wonderful, wasn't entirely sure that this software had much in common with MS Publisher. Then saw *this*:

(quote)

What’s new in the ‘all-new’ Affinity?
This is a brand-new product that gives you advanced photo editing, graphic design, and page layout tools under one roof.

(unquote)

@spile So I'm guessing this was the Affinity you were referring to (?)

Just checked out their page https://www.canva.com/newsroom/news/affinity-free/ "Why we made Affinity free, and how we’ll keep it that way". Interesting page for background to how/why originally-chargeable software is now free for everyone.

Seems a pity firms like Microsoft don't just make their outdated software available to everyone for free, rather than removing access to it even from within paid-for packages like Office 365. Or degrading stuff like Windows Media Player.

Though I guess without that, we wouldn't be exploring alternatives.

Seems there's an increasing amount of good/free software out there, just a question of finding it

Re: Degrading of WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER by Microsoft [WMP]

shutter — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 21:06:09 GMT

@spile & @Penny & @Gel

So... Affinity is FREE ??????

so long as you have a CANVA ACCOUNT.. otherwise you cannot get Affinity...

From my quick query about cost of CANVA account it is £13 per month or £100 per year....

( hardly makes Affinity FREE ?????? )

Yes there is a 30 day free trial..but what do you do on day 31???

Libre Office and Open Office, are both FREE.. with NO regulation as to belonging to any external account.

MS publisher can still be bought on Ebay Various options on this search result..

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=Microsoft+Publisher+cd&_sacat=0&_from=R40&_sop=15

once you have bought it.... it is FREE !... and it is still cheaper than CANVA account !.

A good altternative to Windows Media Player is SM Player

Do a search on Google for ... How do I get SM Player for windows.....Some useful info in the result

AI Overview

To get SMPlayer for Windows, download the installer directly from the Official SMPlayer Website or install it via the Microsoft Store. The player is free, open-source, and supports Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11.

Re: Degrading of WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER by Microsoft [WMP]

Penny — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 22:15:03 GMT

@shutter wrote:

@spile & @Penny & @Gel

So... Affinity is FREE ??????

so long as you have a CANVA ACCOUNT.. otherwise you cannot get Affinity...

From my quick query about cost of CANVA account it is £13 per month or £100 per year....

@shutter Not sure I follow your logic, there.

https://www.canva.com/en_gb/pricing/ - FREE. £0/year for one person.

https://www.affinity.studio/download
(quote)
Do I need a Canva account to use Affinity?
Yes. Affinity is now brought to you by Canva, and your Canva account gives you access to Affinity and other Canva products and features.
Do I need Canva Pro or other premium Canva plan to use Affinity?
No. You can access all of Affinity’s vector, layout, and pixel tools for free with just a free Canva account. If you’d like to unlock Canva AI tools within Affinity, however, you will need a premium Canva plan.

(unquote).

However. Having created a free Canva account, I then went to download Affinity. https://www.affinity.studio/download

Had no idea which of the four Windows options to choose, so went to https://www.affinity.studio/help/windows-installer-types/

(quote)

Press the Windows key on your keyboard and type “Settings”
Open the Settings app.
Go to System > About
Under Device Specifications, find System Type
x64-based processor: Your computer uses a 64-bit Intel or AMD processor
ARM-based processor: Your computer uses an ARM processor (ARM64)

(unquote).

So. x64-based it turned out to be, so I selected the intel/amd version. So far so good.

However it didn't download as a normal file (checked downloads and it looked most odd) and then on the top-right-of-screen download-completed button, there was the following message:

Affinity x64.msix could harm your device. Do you want to keep it anyway?

... so I didn't 😐

The https://www.affinity.studio/help/windows-installer-types/ page didn't then offer much by way of clarity:

(quote)

While you cannot run Windows (ARM) and Enterprise (ARM) installers on X64 versions of Windows, Windows (Intel/AMD) and Enterprise (Intel/AMD) installers are compatible with ARM versions of Windows. However, installing the Windows (Intel/AMD) version of Affinity on an ARM computer will force it to run in emulation, which will negatively affect performance.

(unquote).

So I'm really not sure 😐 maybe I can't do the Affinity side of things. The Canva account itself, though - if it is, genuinely, free longer term, which it looked to be (?) - well maybe could come in useful at some stage.

Re: Degrading of WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER by Microsoft [WMP]

spile — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 06:24:14 GMT

@spile So I'm guessing this was the Affinity you were referring to (?)

Yes

Re: Degrading of WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER by Microsoft [WMP]

TheRoadCrew — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 06:27:49 GMT

@Penny wrote:
[...]

However it didn't download as a normal file (checked downloads and it looked most odd) and then on the top-right-of-screen download-completed button, there was the following message:

Affinity x64.msix could harm your device. Do you want to keep it anyway?

... so I didn't 😐

.

waldo@susie:~/Downloads> file *x64.msix Affinity x64.msix: Zip archive data, at least v4.5 to extract, compression method=deflate

Potentially harmful, I guess; I suspect if that's how Affinity are distributing it and it comes from a trusted source it'll be fine.

Re: Degrading of WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER by Microsoft [WMP]

spile — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 06:37:00 GMT

@Penny wrote:

@shutter wrote:

@spile & @Penny & @Gel

So... Affinity is FREE ??????

so long as you have a CANVA ACCOUNT.. otherwise you cannot get Affinity...

From my quick query about cost of CANVA account it is £13 per month or £100 per year....

@shutter Not sure I follow your logic, there.

https://www.canva.com/en_gb/pricing/ - FREE. £0/year for one person.

https://www.affinity.studio/download
(quote)
Do I need a Canva account to use Affinity?
Yes. Affinity is now brought to you by Canva, and your Canva account gives you access to Affinity and other Canva products and features.
Do I need Canva Pro or other premium Canva plan to use Affinity?
No. You can access all of Affinity’s vector, layout, and pixel tools for free with just a free Canva account. If you’d like to unlock Canva AI tools within Affinity, however, you will need a premium Canva plan.

(unquote).

However. Having created a free Canva account, I then went to download Affinity. https://www.affinity.studio/download

Had no idea which of the four Windows options to choose, so went to https://www.affinity.studio/help/windows-installer-types/

(quote)

Press the Windows key on your keyboard and type “Settings”
Open the Settings app.
Go to System > About
Under Device Specifications, find System Type
x64-based processor: Your computer uses a 64-bit Intel or AMD processor
ARM-based processor: Your computer uses an ARM processor (ARM64)

(unquote).

So. x64-based it turned out to be, so I selected the intel/amd version. So far so good.

However it didn't download as a normal file (checked downloads and it looked most odd) and then on the top-right-of-screen download-completed button, there was the following message:

Affinity x64.msix could harm your device. Do you want to keep it anyway?

... so I didn't 😐

The https://www.affinity.studio/help/windows-installer-types/ page didn't then offer much by way of clarity:

(quote)

While you cannot run Windows (ARM) and Enterprise (ARM) installers on X64 versions of Windows, Windows (Intel/AMD) and Enterprise (Intel/AMD) installers are compatible with ARM versions of Windows. However, installing the Windows (Intel/AMD) version of Affinity on an ARM computer will force it to run in emulation, which will negatively affect performance.

(unquote).

So I'm really not sure 😐 maybe I can't do the Affinity side of things. The Canva account itself, though - if it is, genuinely, free longer term, which it looked to be (?) - well maybe could come in useful at some stage.

.

I have been using Affinity since they were owned by Serif (based in Nottingham) and have continued to use the suite after they were acquired by Canva. No issues running the exe file once you have granted access. There is also a help form where you can open a call “support.affinity.studio”.

There is a subscription option but unless you want AI tools I would not bother and stick with the free version.