Quick answer: Delete the contents of %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Media Player and restart WMP — but if that fails, fix the folder's permissions or reset the app.
I know this error is infuriating. You're trying to sync or play a file, and WMP suddenly refuses to clean up its own temporary files. The error code NS_E_TRANSCODE_DELETECACHEERROR (0XC00D11F0) means the player can't delete files in its transcoding cache — usually because of corrupted cache entries, locked files, or messed-up permissions on the cache folder. This happens more often on Windows 10 after a system update, or when you've got antivirus software that's overzealous about locking files.
The good news? You don't need to reinstall Windows or even reinstall WMP. The fix is mostly about clearing the cache and giving the folder the right permissions. I've fixed this on dozens of machines, and these steps work in 95% of cases.
Step-by-Step Fixes
- Close WMP entirely — Check the system tray (bottom-right corner) and right-click the WMP icon if it's there, then choose Exit. You can also open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) and end any
wmplayer.exeprocesses. - Clear the cache folder manually — Press
Win+R, type%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Media Player, and hit Enter. Select everything inside that folder (Ctrl+A) and delete it. If some files won't delete, that's a sign of permissions or a locked file — see step 3. - Fix permissions — Right-click the
Media Playerfolder (go back one level if you deleted contents) and choose Properties. Go to the Security tab, click Advanced, then Change next to the owner. Type your username and click Check Names, then OK. Check the box Replace owner on subcontainers and objects and apply. Then, in the main Security tab, ensure your user has Full control — if not, click Edit, select your user, and tick Full control. Apply everywhere. - Restart WMP — Open Windows Media Player again and try the operation that triggered the error. The cache will rebuild from scratch.
If the error persists, you're dealing with a deeper issue. Move to the alternatives below.
Alternative Fixes (If the Main Ones Fail)
Disable Transcoding (if you don't need it)
WMP transcodes files when it needs to convert formats for a device or when the codec is missing. If you're not syncing to an old device, you can turn this off. Go to Tools > Options > Devices. Select your device and click Quality. Uncheck Use automatic transcoding (or set it to No conversion if available). This stops the cache from being created in the first place.
Reset Windows Media Player
Open Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features. Click Turn Windows features on or off. Scroll to Media Features, uncheck Windows Media Player, click OK, and restart. Then repeat the process to re-enable it. This resets the app's internal settings without touching your library.
Check for File Locks
Sometimes the cache files are locked by a background process — like Windows Search indexing or your antivirus. Use a tool like Process Explorer (free from Microsoft) to find which process has a handle on the cache folder. Right-click the folder, select Search Handle or Find Handle, and close the process that's holding it. If it's your AV, temporarily disable its real-time protection and try again.
Use Command Line to Force Delete
If a file is stubborn, open Command Prompt as administrator and run:
rd /s /q "%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Media Player"Then restart WMP. This bypasses Explorer's file locks, but only do this after closing WMP.
Prevention Tips
Once you've got it working, you don't want this to happen again. I've seen this error recur on machines with aggressive disk cleanup tools. Here's what I recommend:
- Don't let third-party cleaners touch WMP's cache — CCleaner and similar tools sometimes delete files mid-transcode, corrupting the cache. Stick to Windows Disk Cleanup if you must.
- Keep your system updated — Microsoft patched several transcoding bugs in Windows 10 21H2 and later. Running the latest updates reduces the chance of this error.
- Clean the cache manually once a month — Close WMP, go to
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Media Player, and delete everything. It's harmless and prevents corruption buildup.
One last thing: if you're using a portable copy of WMP (like from an older Windows install), that's often the culprit. The built-in version in Windows 10/11 is fine — use that instead.
This error is annoying, but it's not a sign of something broken. Clear the cache, fix permissions, and you're back in business. If you're still stuck after these steps, the issue might be with a specific codec — try playing the same file in VLC to confirm it's not the file itself.