NS_E_DRM_LICENSE_STORE_ERROR (0XC00D2712): DRM License Storage Corrupted

Quick answer

Run regsvr32 drmupd.dll and regsvr32 mfplat.dll as admin, then delete the contents of %PROGRAMDATA%\Microsoft\PlayReady and %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\PlayReady, then reboot. That clears the corrupted DRM license store.

Why this happens

This error pops up when the DRM license store—the hidden folder where Windows keeps your PlayReady licenses for protected content like purchased movies, music, or TV shows—gets corrupted. What's actually happening here is that Windows Media Player or Media Center tries to read a license file that's either partially written, from a previous Windows version, or just plain scrambled. Real-world trigger: watching a rented movie from the Windows Store, then uninstalling and reinstalling Windows Media Player, or switching user accounts. The license store doesn't migrate cleanly, and boom—error 0xC00D2712.

The core problem: PlayReady licenses are stored per-user and per-machine in those PlayReady folders. If any file inside them gets truncated or fails a checksum, the DRM subsystem refuses to work. Rebooting alone won't fix it because Windows doesn't auto-repair that store.

Fix steps

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator

   Hit Win+X, select “Windows Terminal (Admin)” (or “Command Prompt (Admin)” on older builds). You'll see the UAC prompt—click Yes.

2. Reregister the DRM DLLs

   regsvr32 drmupd.dll
   regsvr32 mfplat.dll

   These two DLLs handle the actual PlayReady license processing and media foundation pipeline. Reregistering them reinitializes the COM components without nuking your data. The reason step 3 works is that Windows won't let you delete the folders if these DLLs are holding file locks—reregistering releases them.

3. Stop Windows Media Player and Media Center processes

   taskkill /f /im wmplayer.exe
   taskkill /f /im ehshell.exe

   If Media Center is running, also kill ehrecvr.exe and ehtray.exe. Stale processes keep file handles open on the license store.

4. Delete the PlayReady license stores

   rmdir /s /q "%PROGRAMDATA%\Microsoft\PlayReady"
   rmdir /s /q "%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\PlayReady"

   This removes all corrupted license files. Don't worry—Windows will recreate these folders with fresh, empty stores on next boot. If you get “access denied”, you didn't run as admin, or a process still holds a lock. Go back to step 2 and 3.

5. Reboot and test

   Restart your PC. Open Windows Media Player and try playing the protected content again. The first time, it'll download new licenses from the provider (like the Windows Store). This is normal.

Alternative fixes if the main one fails

• Use the DRM individualization tool

  Microsoft used to offer a DRM individualization tool for Windows Media Player 11 and earlier. On Windows 10/11, try running rundll32.exe %WINDIR%\system32\Drmupd.dll,DRMUpdate from an admin prompt. It forces a fresh license retrieval from the server.

• Check for corrupted system files

  Run sfc /scannow and DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth. Corrupt system files can mess with the DRM subsystem. I've seen this fix the error when the PlayReady folders look fine but the DLLs themselves are toast.

• Create a new user account

  If the license store keeps corrupting, try creating a fresh Windows user account. Sometimes a user profile's registry hive for DRM (under HKCU\Software\Microsoft\DRM) gets corrupted and deleting it manually is risky. A new account sidesteps the problem entirely.

Prevention tip

Never manually delete or edit files inside %PROGRAMDATA%\Microsoft\PlayReady or %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\PlayReady. Also, avoid running disk cleanup tools that claim to “clean DRM licenses”—they often delete the folder without telling you, and the next time you play protected content, boom. If you must clean, use the official steps above. And keep Windows Media Player up to date via Windows Update—older versions have buggy DRM code that corrupts the store faster.