NS_E_FILE_WRITE (0XC00D0018) – Can’t write to file

Quick answer for advanced users

Right-click the file or parent folder > Properties > Security > give your user account Full Control. Also check the file isn’t read-only (right-click > Properties > uncheck Read-only).

Why you’re seeing this error

This error code 0XC00D0018 (NS_E_FILE_WRITE) pops up most often in Windows Media Player when you try to rip a CD, save a playlist, or edit media metadata. The core problem is simple: the app tried to write data to a file, but the file system said “no.” That could mean the file’s marked read-only, the folder doesn’t give your user account write permission, or the disk is full. I’ve also seen it when antivirus locks the file mid-write, or when the file is open in another program (like a video editor).

Here’s what you do, in order. Skip straight to the section that matches your situation.

Fix 1: Uncheck the read-only attribute

1. Close the program that showed the error (for example, close Windows Media Player completely).
2. Open File Explorer and navigate to the folder containing the file you were trying to write to. If you don’t know the exact file, go to the Music or Videos folder under your user profile (C:\Users\[YourUsername]\Music).
3. Right-click the file that failed, choose Properties.
4. Look at the bottom of the General tab. If the Read-only checkbox is filled or checked, click it to clear it. After you uncheck it, click Apply. You should see a confirmation window asking if you want to apply this change to just this file or all files in the folder. Pick OK (just the file).
5. Click OK to close Properties.
6. Try your operation again. If it still fails, move to Fix 2.

Fix 2: Give your user account full control of the folder

This is the one that fixes 9 out of 10 cases for me.

1. Right-click the parent folder (the one that holds the file you’re trying to write to). For ripped music, that’s usually Music under your user folder. For videos, Videos.
2. Choose Properties, then go to the Security tab.
3. In the “Group or user names” box, look for your username. If you don’t see it, click Edit (if available) or Advanced. If you clicked Edit: click Add, type your username, click Check Names to validate it, then OK.
4. With your username selected, look in the “Permissions for…” list below. Make sure Full Control is checked under the “Allow” column. If it’s not, check it.
5. Click Apply and then OK. You might see a security warning that applying permissions can take time — that’s normal, let it finish.
6. Close Properties. Retry your original task. If it still fails, reboot and try again. Permissions sometimes need a fresh session to take effect.

Fix 3: Check disk space

This sounds obvious, but I’ve spent 20 minutes on a ticket only to find the drive had 200 MB free. Here’s how to check:

1. Open File Explorer, click This PC (or My Computer on older Windows).
2. Look at the drive where your files are stored. Under the drive letter, you’ll see a bar showing used and free space. If the bar is mostly red (less than 1 GB free), you’re low.
3. Right-click the drive, pick Properties. The General tab shows exact free space. If it’s below 500 MB, free up space by deleting temp files or moving large files to another drive.
4. After cleaning up, try again.

Fix 4: Run Windows Media Player as administrator (temporary workaround)

This isn’t a permanent fix, but it tells you if it’s a permission problem.

1. Close Windows Media Player if it’s open.
2. Right-click the Windows Media Player shortcut (from Start menu or desktop), choose More > Run as administrator.
3. Confirm any UAC prompt.
4. Try your write operation. If it works now, the issue is definitely permissions. Go back to Fix 2 and make sure you’re setting permissions on the correct folder.

Alternative: Use a different program

If the above fixes don’t work, the file itself might be corrupted or locked by a system process. In that case, try writing to a different location. For example, if you’re ripping a CD in Windows Media Player, change the rip music location:

1. Open Windows Media Player.
2. Press Alt to show the menu bar, then click Tools > Options.
3. Go to the Rip Music tab.
4. Click Change next to “Rip music to this location” and pick a new folder, like C:\Temp (create it first).
5. Click OK and try ripping again.

Prevention tip

Set your default media folders (Music, Videos, Pictures) to give your user account Full Control once, and you’ll rarely see this error again. Do it now: right-click your Music folder, Security tab, Edit, select your username, check Full Control, Apply. That’s it. Also, keep at least 10% of your drive free — Windows and media apps need room for temporary files.