Fix NS_E_BKGDOWNLOAD_CALLFUNCFAILED (0XC00D1265) in Windows Media Player

What's the 0XC00D1265 Error?

You're trying to sync music or buy from the Windows Media Player store, and you get the error NS_E_BKGDOWNLOAD_CALLFUNCFAILED (code 0XC00D1265). It translates to "background download call function failed." That's Microsoft-speak for "something blocked the download."

This usually happens after a Windows update, or when you've changed folder permissions without realizing it. I've seen it most often when users try to sync a Zune or an old MP3 player that uses Windows Media Player sync.

Let's walk through the fixes. Start with the quick one — you'll probably be done in 30 seconds.

Quick Fix: Clear the Download Cache (30 seconds)

The simplest fix — and it works about 70% of the time — is to delete the background download cache. Windows Media Player stores temporary files in a hidden folder, and if those get corrupted, this error shows up.

1. Close Windows Media Player completely. Right-click its icon in the taskbar and choose Close window.
2. Press Win + R on your keyboard. The Run dialog appears.
3. Type %userprofile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Media Player and hit Enter. A File Explorer window opens.
4. Inside that folder, look for a subfolder called Background Download. If you don't see it, click View and check Hidden items.
5. Open the Background Download folder. You'll see a file called SyncPlaylist.wpl or similar. Delete everything inside that folder. Don't delete the folder itself, just the files.
6. Restart Windows Media Player. Try the sync or download again.

Expected outcome: After deleting the cache, Windows Media Player rebuilds those files fresh. The error should be gone. If not, move to the moderate fix.

Moderate Fix: Reset Permissions on the Music Folder (5 minutes)

The second most common cause is that your user account lost write permissions to your Music folder or the Media Player library. This happens after a Windows update that resets security settings.

1. Open File Explorer. Navigate to This PC > Music (or wherever your music files are stored).
2. Right-click the Music folder and choose Properties.
3. Go to the Security tab. You'll see a list of users and groups.
4. Click your username (like "Carlos" or whatever your account is). Under Permissions for [your name], check that Full control is allowed. If it's greyed out or shows "Deny," click Edit.
5. In the new window, select your username again. In the Allow column, check Full control. Then click OK.
6. Click Apply, then OK. Close Properties.
7. Now open Windows Media Player again. Go to Organize > Manage libraries > Music. Verify your Music folder is listed. If not, click Add and browse to it.
8. Try the sync again.

Expected outcome: With full control, Windows Media Player can write the downloaded files. If you still see the error, proceed to the advanced fix.

Advanced Fix: Re-register Windows Media Player Components (15+ minutes)

This is the nuclear option. It re-registers all the DLL files Windows Media Player uses for downloads. This fixes corruption from bad updates or other software conflicts.

Warning: This will reset any custom settings you've made in Windows Media Player. Your library and playlists stay intact, though.

1. Press Win + X and choose Windows Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin). If prompted by User Account Control, click Yes.
2. In the command prompt, type the following commands one at a time, pressing Enter after each. Wait for each command to finish before typing the next one:

regsvr32 jscript.dll
regsvr32 vbscript.dll
regsvr32 wmp.dll
regsvr32 wmploc.dll
regsvr32 wmpshell.dll
regsvr32 wmdrmsdk.dll
regsvr32 wmadmod.dll
regsvr32 wmvcore.dll

3. Each command should show a success message: "DllRegisterServer in [filename] succeeded." If you get a failure message, note it — but don't stop.
4. After all commands run, restart your computer. Don't skip the restart — Windows needs to reload the registered DLLs.

Expected outcome: After the restart, Windows Media Player should work without the error. If the error still shows up, there's a chance a third-party program (like antivirus or a media manager) is blocking the download. Temporarily disable any software that might be monitoring network traffic, and test again.

Still Stuck?

If none of these work, the issue might be with the online store itself (if you're buying music) or with your network. Check that your internet is working, and try a different network — sometimes corporate firewalls block Windows Media Player's download ports. If nothing helps, you can use a different media player like VLC or MusicBee for your syncing needs. That error is specific to Windows Media Player's background download service, and it's been flaky since Windows 7 days.