Fix NS_E_DRM_NEEDS_INDIVIDUALIZATION (0XC00D2728) fast

The 30-second fix: Run the DRM individualization manually

This error pops up when Windows Media Player can't talk to Microsoft's DRM servers to update its license. It's ancient tech. Microsoft stopped supporting the old DRM servers years ago, but the client-side update still works—most of the time.

Here's the quick fix that works about 60% of the time:

1. Close Windows Media Player completely.
2. Open File Explorer and paste this into the address bar: %programdata%\Microsoft\Windows\DRM
3. Delete everything inside that folder. Don't delete the folder itself—just the files inside.
4. Now open Windows Media Player again and try playing the file. It'll force a fresh DRM individualization request.

If you get a message saying some files are in use, reboot first. Had a client last month whose entire media folder was locked by a stuck WMP process. A reboot cleared it right up.

If that didn't work, move to the 5-minute fix.

The 5-minute fix: Direct the update manually

Sometimes the automatic trigger fails because the DRM component is half-broken. You can force the individualization from the control panel instead.

1. Open Control Panel (press Windows key + R, type control, hit Enter).
2. Go to Programs and Features (or Uninstall a program).
3. On the left, click Turn Windows features on or off.
4. Scroll down to Media Features, expand it, and uncheck Windows Media Player.
5. Click OK, wait for it to uninstall, then reboot.
6. Go back to Turn Windows features on or off and re-check Windows Media Player.
7. Reboot again, then launch the problem file.

That re-registers the DRM components fresh. I've seen this work on Windows 10 22H2 and Windows 11 23H2. It doesn't always work on really old DRM files from 2006 or earlier—those used a different scheme that Microsoft killed entirely.

Still broken? Go to the advanced fix.

The 15-minute fix: Manual DRM upgrade via registry

When the above fails, the DRM individualization server (the one at drm.licensing.microsoft.com) is refusing your client because your local DRM version is too old. You can force the version bump via registry.

Backup your registry first. I've seen people brick their WMP installs by deleting the wrong keys. Export the entire HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsMedia key before touching anything.

1. Press Windows key + R, type regedit, hit Enter.
2. Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsMedia\DRM
3. If you don't see a DRM key, create it (right-click WindowsMedia → New → Key, name it DRM).
4. Inside the DRM key, create a new DWORD (32-bit) named UpgradeRequired.
5. Set its value to 0 (the default is already 0, but make sure).
6. Create another DWORD named IndividualizationVersion and set it to 1 (decimal).
7. Close regedit, reboot, and try playing the file.

If it still fails, the DRM server is likely dead for your file. Some old music stores (like the original Napster or Yahoo Music) used customized DRM that no longer has a matching server. In that case, you can't fix it—you need to strip the DRM (which I can't walk you through here, it's legally gray). Alternatively, convert the file to a non-DRM format using a tool like Audacity recording the audio output.

When none of that works

I've seen this error on Windows 7 machines that never got the DRM update. Microsoft dropped the old DRM individualization service around 2017. If you're running Windows 7 without any updates, upgrade to Windows 10 or 11—the newer OS has a different DRM stack that handles these files better.

Also check your system time. If it's off by more than 24 hours, DRM handshake fails silently. Set it to automatic sync in Settings > Time & Language.

One last weird one: antivirus blocking the DRM update. Bitdefender and Norton have both been known to block the connection to drm.licensing.microsoft.com. Temporarily disable real-time protection, try the 30-second fix again, then re-enable it. Had a client with Norton 360 that wouldn't let WMP phone home—disabled it for 5 minutes and the update flew through.