NS_E_METADATA_CACHE_DATA_NOT_AVAILABLE Fix for WMP

Getting the NS_E_METADATA_CACHE_DATA_NOT_AVAILABLE error in Windows Media Player is maddening. You just want to play a song or a video, and instead you get a pop-up about cached metadata being unavailable. Let's get rid of it fast.

Fix: Delete the Metadata Cache Folder

This error usually means the metadata cache Windows Media Player uses is corrupt or was partially deleted. The real fix is to nuke that folder and let WMP rebuild it clean.

1. Close Windows Media Player completely. Check the system tray and right-click the WMP icon to exit.
2. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run box.
3. Type %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Media Player\MetadataCache and hit Enter.
4. You'll see a folder named something like "MetadataCache" or a subfolder with a long GUID (like {12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789012}). Delete everything inside that MetadataCache folder. You can select all with Ctrl+A and then press Delete. If Windows says a file is in use, skip it and delete the rest. Then reboot and try again.
5. Restart Windows Media Player. It will create a fresh metadata cache. The error should be gone.

Expected outcome: After rebooting and reopening WMP, the error pop-up won't appear. Your library may take a few minutes to re-download metadata for new files, but playback will work fine.

Why This Works

The metadata cache is a folder where Windows Media Player stores information like album art, song titles, and artist names. When that cache gets corrupted—often due to improper shutdown, disk errors, or a previous failed metadata download—WMP can't read it. Instead of gracefully falling back, it throws the NS_E_METADATA_CACHE_DATA_NOT_AVAILABLE error. Wiping the cache forces WMP to start from scratch, which usually solves the problem. I've seen this fix work on Windows 10, Windows 11, and even Windows 8.1.

Less Common Variations of This Issue

Sometimes deleting the cache alone doesn't cut it. Here are a few tweaks for stubborn cases.

Reset Windows Media Player Settings

Open Windows Media Player. Press Alt to show the menu, then go to Tools > Options. Click the Library tab. Under Media Sharing, uncheck any boxes. Under Library, click Configure Sharing and turn sharing off. Then click Advanced at the bottom. You'll see a button that says Reset Library. Click it. Confirm. This resets the entire database, not just metadata. Note: this will delete your playlists and watch history. Back up anything you care about first.

Check for Corrupted Media Files

If the error appears only when you try to play a specific file, that file might be corrupt. Right-click the file in WMP and choose Properties. If metadata fields show garbage characters or nothing, the file's headers are bad. Try playing it in VLC Media Player. If VLC plays it fine, the metadata is just misformatted. You can use a tool like MP3tag to strip and re-add metadata. If VLC also chokes, the file is damaged. Replace it.

Run System File Checker

In rare cases, a corrupt system file breaks WMP's ability to read metadata. Open Command Prompt as Administrator (search cmd, right-click, Run as administrator). Type sfc /scannow and press Enter. Let it finish. It takes 10-15 minutes. If it finds corrupt files, it'll replace them. Then reboot and test WMP.

Prevention: Keep Metadata Cache Healthy

Once you've fixed it, here's how to avoid the same headache.

• Don't force-close WMP. Always use File > Exit or the X button. If you kill it via Task Manager, the cache can get corrupted.
• Keep Windows updated. Microsoft has patched cache-related bugs over the years. Running the latest updates reduces the odds of corruption.
• Run disk checks monthly. Bad sectors on your hard drive can corrupt the cache file. Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run chkdsk C: /f (replace C: with your drive letter). Restart to let it run.
• Store media on a reliable drive. If you move your media to an external USB drive that gets unplugged randomly, the cache can get out of sync. Always safely eject drives.

That's it. The error NS_E_METADATA_CACHE_DATA_NOT_AVAILABLE is almost always fixable by deleting the MetadataCache folder. Try that first. You'll be back to your music in minutes.