If you want to use WMP to play a media occasionally, right-click the file and select Open With and then the media player you want to use from the list of installed programs or apps.

Then double click the file you want to play and enjoy the show. Now when you open your Videos or Music folders, you’ll see Windows Media Player is set to play them by default. Then on the right, click “Set this program as default” or select the second option if you want to specify which WMP opens media file types by default. On the next screen, scroll down your list of installed programs in the left pane and select Windows Media Player.

From the menu, click the “Set your default programs” link. The Default Programs window will open on your desktop. Set Windows Media Player as Default in Windows 8 / 8.1įrom the Start screen, type: default programs and select it from the results. It’s still version 12, which is the same version in Windows 7 If you haven’t seen WMP yet, here’s how to find it and get it set up.

Here, I’m demonstrating how to make WMP your default in Windows 8.1, but the process is virtually the same in Windows 8 – the interface is just a bit different.

How to change default video player