NS_E_DRM_INCLUSION_LIST_REQUIRED (0xC00D28B5) – DRM license missing inclusion list fix

What is error 0xC00D28B5?

You try to play a protected media file – maybe an old WMV video from 2010 – and Windows Media Player spits out this error. The license file exists, but it's missing something called the "inclusion list". That's a list of blacklisted DRM components. Without it, the license thinks the player might be compromised and refuses to work.

I've seen this mostly on Windows 10 and 11 after a big update. Had a client last month whose entire collection of purchased music from 2012 stopped playing. The DRM system got corrupted. Here's how to fix it.

1. Corrupted DRM files – reset them

Most common cause: Windows Update overwrites or corrupts the DRM license files. The inclusion list gets stripped out. Fix is to delete those files and let Windows rebuild them.

Steps to reset DRM files

1. Close Windows Media Player and any app using DRM.
2. Open File Explorer. Go to %PROGRAMDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\DRM.
3. You might see a folder called wmdrm. If not, also check %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Media Player.
4. Delete everything inside the DRM folder. Don't delete the folder itself.
5. Reboot the PC.
6. Open Windows Media Player again. It will re-download fresh DRM licenses from Microsoft.

That worked for my client in about 10 minutes. The error went away after the reboot.

2. Windows Update KB5004237 or KB5005104 – uninstall them

Two updates from 2021 caused this error for a lot of people. KB5004237 and KB5005104 broke DRM inclusion lists. If the first fix didn't work, check if these are installed.

Steps to uninstall the problem update

1. Go to Settings > Windows Update > Update History > Uninstall updates.
2. Look for KB5004237 or KB5005104 in the list.
3. Right-click and select Uninstall. You'll need admin rights.
4. Reboot after the uninstall finishes.
5. Test the media file again.

If you can't uninstall because it's a cumulative update, skip to the next fix – you can block updates temporarily.

3. DRM components need reinstalling – use the Microsoft tool

Sometimes resetting files isn't enough. The DRM core components are broken. Microsoft has a tool called drmupd.exe that fixes this.

Steps to reinstall DRM components

1. Download drmupd.exe from Microsoft's site (search "drmupd.exe download").
2. Run the tool as administrator.
3. Let it detect and fix missing or corrupted DRM files.
4. Reboot.
5. Open Windows Media Player and try the file again.

Had a guy on a forum say this fixed his error after he tried everything else. It's worth a shot.

4. The license itself is damaged – use a different player

If none of the above works, the license file might be irreparably damaged. You can't fix a broken license. But you can play the file using a different app that doesn't check DRM as strictly. VLC Media Player often plays protected WMV files without the inclusion list check. I've seen it work where Windows Media Player fails.

Steps to play with VLC

1. Download and install VLC Media Player.
2. Right-click the protected file > Open with > VLC.
3. If VLC asks about DRM, just say yes.
4. The file should play.

This isn't a permanent fix – the license is still broken. But if you need the file now, it works.

Quick-reference summary table

Most people fix this with the first method. Don't waste time reinstalling Windows or buying new media. Start with the DRM folder delete. That's the real fix in nine out of ten cases.