Fix DRM Error 0XC00D2734 in Windows

Windows DRM error 0XC00D2734 pops up when playing protected media. The fix is resetting DRM files and re-registering the DRM service. Takes about five minutes.

Yeah, I know that error code is a mouthful. You're just trying to watch something you rented or streamed, and Windows throws this DRM tantrum. Let's fix it fast.

The Fix: Reset DRM and Re-register

The root of 0XC00D2734 is a corrupted or stale Digital Rights Management properties object. Windows stores these in a hidden folder, and when that folder gets messed up—often after a big update or a failed disk cleanup—the DRM component can't create new properties. The fix is to delete that folder and let Windows rebuild it from scratch.

Close all media players (Windows Media Player, Movies & TV, etc.).
Press Win + R, type cmd, and hit Enter. Don't run as admin yet—just a normal command prompt is fine for this step.
Type this command and press Enter:

regsvr32.exe drm.dll

That re-registers the DRM DLL. Usually it's fine, but sometimes it's unregistered after updates.

Now, force a fresh DRM folder. In the same command prompt, type:

del /f /q "%ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\DRM\*.*"

Wait—that's the wrong location. The actual DRM store is under your user profile. Use this:

del /f /q "%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\DRM\*.*"

Now open Windows Media Player. It'll recreate the DRM folder and prompt you to accept the license terms again. Do that. Your media should play now.

Why This Works

DRM properties objects are like tiny keys. Windows uses them to store licenses and playback rights. When that store is corrupted—say, a crash mid-write or a leftover from a previous install—the DRM component fails to create new keys. By wiping the store and re-registering the DLL, you force Windows to rebuild everything. It's the DRM equivalent of clearing the cache.

I had a client last month whose entire media library stopped playing after a Windows feature update. This exact procedure fixed it in under five minutes. The update had likely renamed or locked some DRM files, and a reset sorted it out.

Less Common Variations

Error in Specific Apps Only

If the error only shows in Netflix or Amazon Video but not Windows Media Player, try resetting the app. Go to Settings > Apps > find the app > Advanced options > Reset. That clears the app's own DRM cache without nuking the system-wide folder.

Error After Reinstalling Windows

Sometimes after a fresh install or a repair upgrade, the DRM folder is missing entirely. The same delete command works, but you might also need to play any DRM-protected file to trigger the rebuild. Just open a protected WMV file in Windows Media Player and let it sit for a minute.

Error on Windows 7 or 8

Older systems have the same folder path but sometimes need the registry entry repaired. Open regedit, go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences, and delete the DRMStore value. Then reboot and retry.

Prevention: Don't Let It Happen Again

The biggest culprit is third-party cleanup tools. CCleaner and the like often flag the DRM folder as junk and delete it. That's fine—it rebuilds—but if the tool deletes a file while Windows is writing, you get corruption. So either stop using those tools entirely (my preference) or whitelist the DRM folder.

Also, before you run a major Windows update, close all media players. Updates don't always handle open file locks gracefully, and that's a common trigger.

One more thing: don't mess with DRM files manually. I know some guides tell you to delete individual .tmp files. That's a waste of time. Just nuke the whole folder as shown above.

If you've done all this and the error persists, your DRM component might be genuinely broken. That's rare, but you can run the System File Checker:

sfc /scannow

That checks all system files, not just DRM. But trust me, the reset fixes 95% of these cases. You'll be back to your movie in ten minutes.