Quick answer: Delete or rename the corrupt playlist .wpl file, then clear Windows Media Player's library cache via %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Media Player.
What's actually happening here
You'll see NS_E_END_OF_PLAYLIST (0XC00D32C8) when Windows Media Player hits the end of a playlist it's trying to play — but the audio or video should continue. The real cause is almost always a corrupted playlist file or a stale library database that's holding onto a deleted or inaccessible entry. This happens when you've moved, renamed, or deleted media files without refreshing the WMP library. It's not a codec problem or a hardware failure; it's a metadata mess.
Fix the error in 4 steps
- Close Windows Media Player completely — check Task Manager for
wmplayer.exeprocesses. Kill any that are lingering. - Delete the offending playlist file. Open File Explorer and go to
%USERPROFILE%\Music\Playlists. Look for the .wpl file that triggered the error. Right-click and delete it. If you're not sure which one, delete them all — you can recreate them later. - Clear the WMP library cache. Press Win+R, type
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Media Player, then hit Enter. Delete everything inside that folder. WMP will rebuild its database from scratch next time it opens. - Restart Windows Media Player. It'll prompt you to re-scan your media folders. Let it finish. This regenerates a clean library with no stale references.
After step 4, try playing the media again. The error should be gone.
If the main fix doesn't work
Sometimes the playlist corruption is embedded in the Windows Media Player database itself, not just in the playlist file. Try these alternatives:
- Reset WMP via Settings: Go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features, find Windows Media Player, click Advanced options, then Reset. This nukes the app's preferences and database.
- Run the WMP troubleshooter: Open Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters and run the Windows Media Player troubleshooter. Microsoft's tool is pretty good at detecting and fixing corrupted library files.
- Manually edit the playlist XML (advanced): Open the .wpl file in Notepad. Look for the
<media>tags that point to missing files. Remove the whole<media>block for any file that no longer exists. Save, then try playing again.
Preventing this from coming back
The root cause is that Windows Media Player doesn't automatically refresh its library when files move. If you're the type who reorganizes folders (I am), always do this: after moving or deleting media, open WMP, go to Organize > Manage libraries > Music (or Videos), and remove then re-add the folder. This forces a full rescan. Also, avoid using WMP's built-in playlist editor for anything critical — it's fragile. Use a text file or a dedicated playlist manager instead.
One more thing: if you're on Windows 10 or 11, consider switching to something like VLC or MPC-HC. They don't maintain a central library database and won't ever throw this error. But if you must use WMP, the steps above will keep you out of trouble.
This error is specific to Windows Media Player and its library architecture. It's not a system-level crash. Fix the database, fix the error.