Fix 0XC00D27D8: DRM License Expired in Windows Media Player

When Windows Media Player won't play a purchased or rented file, this error means your DRM license expired. We'll reset the DRM store and re-acquire the license in a few minutes.

You're trying to play a song or video you bought from an online store—maybe something you downloaded years ago. Windows Media Player (WMP) opens, the progress bar stalls, and then pops the error: NS_E_DRM_LICENSE_EXPIRED (0XC00D27D8). It says the license for the file has expired. This happens with older DRM-protected files, like music purchased from the now-defunct MSN Music or Zune Marketplace, or rentals that somehow didn't self-delete.

The root cause is simple: your PC's DRM store has a license with an expiration date, and that date has passed. Or the license got corrupted—Windows can't read the expiration properly, so it treats it as expired. Either way, the fix is to reset the DRM store and let Windows re-download the license from the original server. That usually works, unless the store that sold you the file is gone. But let's try the straightforward path first.

What You'll Need

Before you start, make sure you're logged into Windows with an administrator account. Also, close any programs that might be using DRM—Windows Media Player, Movies & TV, or any media apps. You don't want those locking the DRM folder while we mess with it.

Step-by-Step Fix: Reset the DRM Store

The DRM store is a folder on your system drive. We'll delete its contents, then restart Windows Media Player so it rebuilds the store from scratch.

Open File Explorer. Press Win + E.
Navigate to the DRM folder. In the address bar, paste this path and hit Enter:
```
%PROGRAMDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\DRM
```
You'll land in a folder with a few files like DRMv1.bak and drms001.bin.
Delete everything inside. Press Ctrl + A to select all files, then press Delete. Windows might say some files are in use—if that happens, skip those and delete the rest. We'll handle the locked ones next.
If any files won't delete, that means a service is holding them. Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc). Look for Windows Media Player or WMPlayer.exe. Right-click and choose End task. Then go back and delete the remaining files.
Restart your PC. This clears any lingering DRM-related processes. After the restart, don't open WMP yet.
Now open Windows Media Player. Go to Start, type Windows Media Player, and launch it. WMP will notice the DRM folder is empty and automatically create a new one. You might see a dialog saying “Windows Media Player is updating your media library” – let it finish.
Verify the DRM store is rebuilt. In File Explorer, go back to %PROGRAMDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\DRM. You should see new files like drms001.bin and DRMv1.bak again. That's good.

Now try playing the file that gave you the error. If the license server is still up, WMP will fetch a fresh license automatically. You'll see a brief “Acquiring license” message, then playback should start.

If That Doesn't Work: Reacquire the License Manually

Sometimes the automatic re-acquisition doesn't kick in. You can force it by playing the file from its original source—if you still have the purchase confirmation email with a download link, use that. Redownload the file and then play it. That will trigger a license request.

For files from old services like MSN Music, the servers are long gone. In that case, the file is effectively dead. The only real workaround is to remove the DRM protection—which is legally gray, so I won't detail it here. I'll just say it's a good reason to keep backups of your purchased media in DRM-free formats when possible.

What to Check If It Still Fails

If you still get 0XC00D27D8 after resetting the store, check these:

System date and time. If your clock is off by years, DRM licenses expire prematurely. Right-click the clock, choose Adjust date/time, and set it to automatic.
Windows Media Player version. Some old DRM files need an older WMP. If you're on Windows 11, the classic WMP is replaced by a new app. Try installing the legacy WMP from “Optional features” – go to Settings > Apps > Optional features > Add a feature, search for “Windows Media Player,” and install it.
Check for other DRM stores. Some apps use a different DRM folder. For example, Netflix or Amazon Video have their own. But this error specifically points to WMP's DRM, so you likely did the right reset.

I've seen this error most often with music files from the old Zune marketplace—the store shut down in 2015. If that's you, then the license server is gone, and no reset will bring it back. In that case, you're better off re-ripping the CD if you still have it, or finding a legal DRM-free download. It's a hard lesson, but at least you won't waste time chasing a fix that doesn't exist.

One last tip: if you ever buy DRM-protected media again, immediately convert it to a DRM-free format (like MP3 for music) using a converter that's allowed by the license. That way, when the servers die, your files still play.