Fix NS_E_WMPOCX_NOT_RUNNING_REMOTELY (0xC00D0FD3) in WMP

What triggers this error

You'll see NS_E_WMPOCX_NOT_RUNNING_REMOTELY (0xC00D0FD3) when an application (usually Internet Explorer or an embedded browser control) tries to load the Windows Media Player ActiveX control but the control can't initialize in remote mode. This happens most often after a Windows update or a security tool messes with registry permissions. I had a client last month whose whole inventory management system broke because a security update locked down the WMP keys.

Fix 1: Registry permissions on WMP keys

This is the most common cause. The WMP ActiveX control needs read access to certain registry keys under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MediaPlayer. If permissions get restricted (often by antivirus or group policy), you'll get this error.

1. Open Regedit as Administrator.
2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MediaPlayer.
3. Right-click MediaPlayer, choose Permissions.
4. Make sure Users and TrustedInstaller have Read access. If missing, add them.
5. Click Advanced, check Replace all child object permissions, hit OK.
6. Restart the app that's throwing the error.

If that doesn't work, also check HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\MediaPlayer on 64-bit systems. A lot of people skip that and wonder why the fix didn't stick.

Fix 2: Re-register the WMP DLLs

Sometimes the COM registration gets corrupted. Re-registering the core DLLs is a two-minute fix that solves maybe 20% of these cases.

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
2. Run these commands one by one:
   

   regsvr32 wmp.dll
   regsvr32 wmploc.DLL
   regsvr32 wmpdxm.dll

3. You should see a success message for each. If any fail, take note of which one.
4. If regsvr32 wmp.dll fails, you've got a deeper issue—likely a corrupted system file. Run sfc /scannow next.

Fix 3: Enable the ActiveX control in Internet Options

This one's rare but worth checking if the first two didn't help. The ActiveX control can be disabled in internet security settings.

1. Open Internet Explorer (yes, it's still there).
2. Go to Tools > Internet Options > Security tab.
3. Select Local intranet (or the zone your app uses), click Custom level.
4. Scroll to Run ActiveX controls and plugins and set it to Enable (or at least Prompt).
5. Also check Allow Scriptlets is enabled.
6. Click OK, restart the browser/application.

This is rarely the culprit if you're running a local business app, but I've seen it on locked-down Citrix environments where the admin had disabled all ActiveX by default.

Fix 4: Repair Windows Media Player

If the above fails, the WMP feature itself might be corrupted. Here's how to reset it without reinstalling Windows:

1. Open Control Panel > Programs and Features > Turn Windows features on or off.
2. Uncheck Media Features > Windows Media Player. Click OK and restart.
3. Go back and re-check the same box. Click OK and let it reinstall.
4. After restart, re-run regsvr32 wmp.dll from Fix 2.

This effectively forces a reinstall of WMP without touching your media files. Works on Windows 10 and 11.

Quick-reference summary

Start with Fix 1—it's the most likely culprit. If you're still seeing 0xC00D0FD3 after trying all four, there's a good chance a third-party security app or corporate policy is blocking it. Log the exact application and check with your IT team.