NS_E_DRM_DEVICE_NOT_OPEN (0XC00D28AA) fix: device must be opened
This error means Windows Media Player or a DRM'd app tried to send content to a device that wasn't properly initialized. Re-plugging usually fixes it.
Quick answer: Unplug the device, wait 10 seconds, plug it back in, then restart Windows Media Player. That's the fix 90% of the time.
What's actually happening here
This error shows up when you're trying to sync or stream DRM-protected content — like a purchased song or video — to a portable device (e.g., a Zune, a Windows Phone, or an old MP3 player supported by Windows Media Player). The DRM system expects the device to be in a specific state: opened for media transfer. That's a Windows Media Device Manager (WMDM) handshake. The device didn't complete that handshake before the app tried to send data.
What triggers this? Usually you've just plugged in the device, or you've had it connected for a while and Windows put it to sleep. Maybe you unplugged it and plugged it back too fast. The DRM subsystem is strict about state — it won't send licensed content to a device it hasn't fully authenticated.
Fix steps (in order of likelihood)
- Physically disconnect the device. Pull the USB cable. Wait a full 10 seconds — not 2. The device might need to fully power down its interface.
- Close Windows Media Player completely. Don't just minimize it; kill the process in Task Manager if you have to (
wmplayer.exe). It caches device state and won't retry the handshake otherwise. - Plug the device back in. Wait for Windows to ding and show it in File Explorer. Then reopen Windows Media Player and try the sync again.
- If that fails, restart Windows Media Player's DRM system. Go to the Tools menu (if you don't see it, press Alt) → Options → Privacy tab. Look for the DRM section. Click Reset your DRM licenses (or Renew — exact text varies by version). You'll need internet access; it downloads a fresh DRM client.
- Check the device itself. Some older devices show a prompt on their screen like "Allow access?" or "Select sync mode." If you ignored that, the handshake never finishes. Disconnect, clear the prompt, reconnect, and approve it.
Alternative fixes if the main one fails
Update the device driver
Open Device Manager (devmgmt.msc). Find your device under Portable Devices or Universal Serial Bus controllers. Right-click → Update driver → Search automatically. If that finds nothing, go to the manufacturer's site and grab the latest WDM driver specifically for your OS (Windows 10 vs 11 matters here).
Run the Windows Media Player troubleshooter
Not my preferred tool, but it can fix corrupted DRM store. Open Settings → System → Troubleshoot → Other troubleshooters → Windows Media Player. Let it run. If it says it fixed something, try the sync again.
Delete the DRM store manually
This is nuclear, but sometimes the DRM store itself gets corrupted. Close everything. Open File Explorer and navigate to %PROGRAMDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\DRM. Delete all files in that folder (yes, really). They'll be re-created next time you play DRM content. This forces a fresh device authorization handshake. But note: you'll have to re-authenticate any previously authorized devices.
Prevention tip
Don't unplug the device while Windows Media Player is actively syncing. That's the #1 way to corrupt the DRM handshake. Wait for the sync to finish, then use the Safely Remove Hardware icon in the system tray. Also: keep your device's firmware updated — older firmware versions had broken WMDM implementations that caused this exact error even with a clean handshake.
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