# How to make Windows Media Player 9.0 the default?



## grandpaw7 (Aug 19, 2000)

I just installed a program call Internet Call Manager (ICM). It calls for me to make Windows Media Player the default. It says to set the media player as default I got to the Tools>Options>Formats>Audio File. There is also one of these MicroSoft Knowledge Base articles (271949) that says much the same thing. 

But I don't see any Tools tab in either Windows 6 or 9, both of which I have. So what in the devil do I do?

Also, is there some general way to find out which programs are the default programs? Not just for media player but for other programs?

Thanks, grandpaw7


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

You might be viewing the WMP9 in its skin mode. Maximise it it get the full set of options - it might be best to switch back to the defualt skin if you've applied some fancy skin to change its appearance. Once you do that you should get the File/Tools/View/Tools/Help.

Make sure you also go into the player thats the current default and tell it not to be the default player for the selected formats the ICM needs WMP to be the default player.

In XP you can restore some defaults back to the original Windows components by going to Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs -> Set Program Access and Defaults and modify those settings. There not very comprehensive but work for the browser, email, and media player. Service Pack 1 is required for this.


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## grandpaw7 (Aug 19, 2000)

Triple6 (or anybody), well, I finally got the toolbar. I click Tools and choose Options from the menu. Then, I am supposed to click the Formats tab and scroll down to verify that Audio File is selected. But there isn't a Formats. tab. What to do?

By the way, how can I determine what media player is my default?

Thanks, grandpaw7


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

Instead of Format try the File Types Tab and select the appropriate file type that ICM wants WMP to be used for (probably WAV) - or just select all them.

What other media players to you have? You can have a default player for each and file type, ie WMP for .wmv files, Winamp for .mp3 files, Realone for .RAM files, WinDVD for MPEG files, etc.


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## grandpaw7 (Aug 19, 2000)

Triple6, when I go to Options and option File Types, I get the message to select the file types I want, with a button for selecting all. However, there are no file types listed, and I can't type anything in the box where they should be listed. 

However, I've decided to scrap it all. I rarely use media players and have been messing with Windows because this Internet Call Manager I downloaded says I should use it. But I've decided to scrap ICM. I already have a competitor, CallWave, and thought ICM might be better, but have changed my mind.

Thanks very much for your input. I'm just glad that ICM and Windows Media Player are software items rather than hardware. If they were hardware, they'd be dust on my floor by now. What they say about old dogs and new tricks is only too true. 

grandpaw7


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## NotSoSmart1 (Oct 14, 2007)

Does the same apply to me. I bought a Creative Zen microphoto mp3 player and wen i downloaded the driver disk, there was a media player program on that, Creative media source to b exact. I have WMP 10 and that was my default player, which was fine. Until 1 day i played some music thru the Creative media source and all of a sudden Creative is my default player. All my music files have the creative icon beside them instead of the WMP icon. What is going on? I had a similar problem with Real player. But i uninstalled Real Player and WMP returned to the default. I tried uninstalling Creative Media Source but it didnt work. It is still my default player. The only reason i bought the Creative mp3 was because of the fact that it was compatible with WMP. Any ideas?

Im using XP SP2.

Thanks


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

I'd update to Windows Media Player 11, it works better and during the installation I believe it will ask what types of files to associate with it. Associations can also be set within WMP but going to Tools, Options, and File Types(I think, I'm on a Vista machine which is a little different).


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