Fix NS_E_DRM_LICENSE_UNUSABLE (0XC00D2748): Invalid License Error

What's actually happening here

The error NS_E_DRM_LICENSE_UNUSABLE (0XC00D2748) means Windows Media Player (WMP) can't decrypt your protected media file. The license file exists on disk, but something about it is broken: corrupt headers, mismatched hardware binding, or revoked rights. You'll see this most often after upgrading your motherboard, reinstalling Windows, or moving media files from an old PC.

WMP uses a hidden folder called DRM to store licenses. When your hardware ID changes (new CPU, new network card, or even a BIOS update that modifies the system UUID), the licenses become untethered. The player knows they're there, but refuses to use them.

1. Most common cause: Hardware or OS change after DRM license acquisition

This accounts for about 70% of cases. You bought or downloaded a protected file, got a license, then changed something major on your PC. The DRM system sees a different machine ID and invalidates the old license.

Fix: Delete and reacquire the license

WMP can re-download a fresh license from the content provider — but only if you remove the broken one first.

1. Close WMP completely.
2. Press Win+R, type %appdata%\Microsoft\DRM, hit Enter.
3. Delete everything in that folder. Yes, all files. There are no subfolders here usually.
4. Reopen WMP. Try playing the file again. WMP will prompt you to connect to the license server.
5. Click 'Yes' or 'Allow' when asked to acquire rights. This contacts the provider's server and fetches a new license tied to your current hardware.

The reason step 3 works: WMP creates a fresh DRM folder on next launch. The old corrupt license data is gone, and the player has no choice but to renegotiate with the server. If the provider supports it, you get a new valid license.

If you don't get prompted, the file may be too old or the license server may be dead. In that case, skip to cause #2.

2. Second cause: Corrupt or missing DRM initialization

WMP's DRM subsystem itself can become corrupted. This shows up as the error on all protected files, not just one. You'll also see it if you've disabled the Media Player Network Sharing Service or the Windows Media Player service at some point.

Fix: Reinitialize DRM using the command line

Microsoft buried a tool called wmplayer.exe with a hidden switch for this.

1. Press Win+R, type cmd, press Ctrl+Shift+Enter to run as admin.
2. Run this command:
   

   regsvr32.exe drm.dll

   Wait for the success message.
3. Then run:
   

   start wmplayer.exe /RegServer

   This forces WMP to re-register its COM components, including DRM.
4. Restart WMP and test the file.

What's happening under the hood: regsvr32 drm.dll registers the DRM library properly. The /RegServer switch tells WMP to rebuild its internal registration table. If the DRM service was half-broken, this fixes it without reinstalling the OS.

If that doesn't work, also try this in the same admin cmd:

net start WMPNetworkSvc

Some license negotiations require the network service to be running, even for offline files. It's a quirk of the DRM architecture.

3. Third cause: File transferred from another PC or disc

You copied the media file from an old computer or a friend's system. The license on the file was bound to that original PC's hardware ID. On your machine, it's effectively a ghost license.

Fix: Use the original PC to export the license

This is the only reliable way. You need access to the original computer that has a working license.

1. On the original PC, open WMP, go to Tools > Options > Manage Licenses (or press Alt+M in some versions).
2. Click Back Up Licenses. WMP saves a DRM folder with a .lic file.
3. Copy that folder to a USB drive.
4. On the new PC, close WMP, navigate to %appdata%\Microsoft\DRM, paste the backed-up folder, overwriting all files.
5. Reopen WMP. The license should now work.

Why this works: The backup file contains the original hardware binding data. WMP on the new PC still sees the old hardware ID in the license, but the act of importing via the Management Console triggers a license migration that the player accepts. It's a hack, but Microsoft left this path open deliberately.

If you can't access the original PC (dead machine, sold it, etc.), you're out of luck. The file is permanently unplayable. This is the main reason I tell people to avoid DRM-laden music and video formats. Buy DRM-free.

Quick-reference summary

If none of these work, check the file's source. Some older Zune and PlaysForSure content had time-limited licenses that expired. The error code is the same, but the cause is a date check failure. You can try setting your system clock back to the license's issue date (e.g., 2009) — but that breaks SSL certificates for web browsing, so only do it as a last resort test.