Fix NS_E_INVALID_PLUGIN_LOAD_TYPE_CONFIGURATION (0XC00D1454)

Cause 1: Corrupted registry entry for a plug-in

The most common trigger for this error is a damaged or incomplete registry key under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Plugins. This usually happens after uninstalling a codec pack or if a plug-in installer crashed halfway. You'll see the error when you try to open a video file that tries to load that broken plug-in.

1. Press Windows + R, type regedit, and hit Enter. Click Yes if prompted by UAC.
2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Plugins. You'll see a list of GUIDs (long strings of numbers and letters). Each one represents a plug-in.
3. Look for any entry that has a subkey named LoadType. If the value is missing, set to 0, or invalid, that's your problem.
4. Right-click the problematic GUID and select Export to back it up. Save it somewhere safe, like your Desktop.
5. Now delete that entire GUID key. Right-click it and choose Delete. Confirm.
6. Close Registry Editor and restart Windows Media Player. Try playing the file again.

After deleting the key, Windows Media Player will rebuild the plug-in list on next launch. You should see the error go away. If it doesn't, you may have deleted the wrong key—use your backup to restore it.

Cause 2: Outdated or conflicting codec packs

Codec packs like K-Lite or CCCP often register their own plug-ins. When two packs fight over the same file type, they can leave a plug-in with no valid load type. The fix is to remove all codec packs and reinstall only one.

1. Open Control Panel → Programs and Features (or Settings → Apps).
2. Look for any codec pack (K-Lite, Combined Community Codec Pack, etc.) and uninstall each one. Restart your PC when done.
3. Download a single, well-maintained codec pack—I recommend K-Lite Standard from the official site. Run the installer and choose the default options.
4. After installation, restart your PC again. This clears out any stale plug-in registrations.
5. Launch Windows Media Player and test your video.

Why does this work? Because a fresh codec pack installs its plug-ins with proper load type values (usually 1 for local playback). The old conflicting entries are gone.

Cause 3: Windows Media Player itself is corrupted

Sometimes the problem isn't a plug-in at all—the whole player is broken. This often shows up after a Windows update or when system files get damaged. You'll get the same error with almost every media file.

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator (search "cmd", right-click, Run as administrator).
2. Run this command to check system file integrity:
   

   sfc /scannow

   This will take a few minutes. Let it finish.
3. Then run the Windows Media Player repair tool. Go to Settings → Apps → Optional features (or Windows Features in older versions). Find Media Features and uncheck Windows Media Player. Click OK and restart.
4. After restart, go back, re-check Windows Media Player, and restart again.
5. Try playing your file. If the error persists, the last resort is running the DISM command:
   

   DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

   Then repeat sfc /scannow.

I've seen this fix work when nothing else did. It takes longer, but it addresses the underlying OS corruption.

Quick-reference summary

Start with the registry fix—it's the quickest and most common. If that doesn't do it, move to codec cleanup, then the system repair. Both require a restart, so set aside some time.