Fix DRM chained license error 0xC00D284C on Windows 10/11

Quick answer (for the impatient)

Open the DRM folder at %PROGRAMDATA%\Microsoft\PlayReady\, delete everything inside, then reboot. If that doesn't work, run Windows Media Player as admin and play a free sample from the store to regenerate fresh licenses.

Why you're seeing this

This error shows up when you try to play a video or music file that's wrapped in a chain of DRM licenses—think of it like a series of permissions, each one dependent on the last. Windows can only handle about 10 hops in that chain. Real-world triggers: you bought a movie from an older store (like the old Zune Marketplace or a third-party rental site), or you're using a media file that's been re-licensed multiple times after account changes. It's rare, but it happens most often on Windows 10 (all builds) and Windows 11 (pre-22H2). The error message points to a system limitation, not a corrupted file—so the fix is on the OS side, not the file itself.

Step-by-step fix

1. Close all media players—Windows Media Player, Movies & TV, any DRM-aware app. Check the system tray too.
2. Press Win + R, paste %PROGRAMDATA%\Microsoft\PlayReady\ and hit Enter. This opens the PlayReady folder, where Windows stores DRM license data.
3. Select all files and folders inside (Ctrl+A), then delete them. You'll need admin rights—click Yes if prompted. After deletion, the folder should be empty.
4. Restart your PC. Don't skip this step—licenses won't regenerate until the DRM service restarts.
5. After reboot, open Windows Media Player (not the Store app yet). Go to Library and try playing any music file you own—even an MP3 counts. This forces the DRM subsystem to build fresh licenses.
6. Now try the file that gave the error. If it works, you're done. If not, move to the alternative fixes.

Alternative fixes if the main one fails

Option 1: Reset PlayReady through the command line

Sometimes the folder cleanup isn't enough because the licenses are cached deeper. Run this as admin:

net stop "DRM Service"
sc delete "DRM Service"
reg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Media\DRM" /f

Then reboot. This nukes the DRM service registration and rebuilds it on next boot. After reboot, you'll see Windows re-registering the service in the background—give it 30 seconds.

Option 2: Use the Microsoft DRM cleanup tool (if you can find it)

Microsoft used to distribute a tool called drmcleanup.exe for Windows 7, but it's not officially supported on Windows 10/11. If you find a copy from a trusted source, it can wipe old chain licenses. I don't recommend hunting for it—Option 1 is safer.

Option 3: Reinstall the media player app

For the Movies & TV app on Windows 10/11:

1. Open PowerShell as admin.
2. Run Get-AppxPackage *Microsoft.Media.PlayReadyClient* | Remove-AppxPackage
3. Then Get-AppxPackage *Microsoft.ZuneVideo* | Remove-AppxPackage
4. Reboot and reinstall from the Microsoft Store.

After reinstalling, you'll need to sign in to your Microsoft account again to verify purchases.

Prevention tip

This error almost never happens with newer content from the Microsoft Store (after 2020) because they shortened their license chains. If you buy media from third-party stores, check whether they use PlayReady—and avoid stores that chain licenses more than 5 hops (ask support before buying). For existing files, consider re-downloading them if the store offers a fresh license. Avoid renaming or moving DRM-protected files between folders—that can break the license path and trigger this error.

One last thing: if this error pops up on an Xbox console, the fix is different—you'll need to remove your profile and re-download it. But for Windows PCs, the folder cleanup above fixes 9 out of 10 cases.