NS_E_WMX_ITEM_UNSETTABLE (0XC00D1073) Playlist Error Fix

About this error

You're seeing error NS_E_WMX_ITEM_UNSETTABLE (0XC00D1073) when you try to add or modify a song, video, or other media item in a playlist. The message says "The specified item cannot be set in the current playlist." This is a Windows Media Center or Windows Media Player error — it's not a file corruption problem. It means the player can't write the change to the playlist file or library.

In my years running a help desk, I've seen this mostly on Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 machines running Windows Media Center. It also pops up on Windows 10 if you've installed the old Windows Media Player add-on.

Cause 1 — The playlist file is set to read-only

This is the most common reason. The playlist file itself — usually a .wpl or .m3u file — has the read-only attribute turned on. Your player can't change it. This happens after you copy a playlist from a CD, a network share, or a backup drive.

How to fix it

1. Close Windows Media Center or Windows Media Player completely. If it's still running in the background, open Task Manager (press Ctrl+Shift+Esc), find ehshell.exe or wmplayer.exe, and end the task.
2. Open File Explorer and go to the folder where your playlist is saved. Common locations:
   
   • C:\Users\[YourUserName]\Music\Playlists
   • C:\Users\[YourUserName]\Videos\Playlists
   • C:\Users\[YourUserName]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Media Player\Playlists
3. Right-click the playlist file and choose Properties.
4. At the bottom of the General tab, look for Attributes. If Read-only has a checkmark, uncheck it. Then click Apply and OK.
5. Now open Windows Media Center or Windows Media Player again and try to edit the playlist. It should work now.

After you uncheck read-only, you should see the file's icon change — sometimes it's subtle. The player will let you add or remove items without throwing the error.

Cause 2 — Another program has the playlist locked

If the playlist file isn't read-only, the next suspect is another app holding onto it. This often happens with media players, tag editors, or even cloud sync software like OneDrive or Dropbox that's trying to sync the file right when you're editing it.

How to fix it

1. First, save your work and close all programs you're not using. That includes web browsers that might be playing music, iTunes, VLC, and any media library tools.
2. Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager. Go to the Processes tab. Look for anything named ehshell.exe, wmplayer.exe, MediaCenter.exe, or MusicLibrary.exe. Right-click each and choose End task.
3. If you use OneDrive or Dropbox, right-click their icons in the system tray (near the clock) and choose Pause syncing or Exit. This stops them from locking your playlist files.
4. Now try to open Windows Media Center and edit the playlist again. If the error's gone, you found the culprit.

If the error comes back after a while, it's likely your sync app. You can set it to exclude playlist folders — do that in the app's settings under "Choose folders" or "Selective sync."

Cause 3 — Corrupted media library database

This one is less common but more annoying. The Windows Media Center or Windows Media Player library database gets corrupted. This happens after a crash, a bad shutdown, or a failed update. The error shows up even when the file permissions are fine and no other app is using the playlist.

How to fix it

1. Close all media player programs (like in Cause 2).
2. Open Windows Media Player (not Media Center). Press Alt to show the classic menu bar if you don't see it.
3. Click Tools > Advanced > Restore Media Library. A confirmation box appears. Click Yes. This rebuilds the library database from scratch — it scans your music and video folders again.
4. Wait for the scan to finish. This can take 5 to 15 minutes depending on your library size. You'll see progress in the status bar at the bottom of the player window.
5. If the error still shows up, you need to delete the database files manually. Go to:
   C:\Users\[YourUserName]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Media Player
6. In that folder, delete everything. Yes, all files. Don't delete the folder itself — just the files inside it.
7. Restart Windows Media Player. It'll rebuild the library from scratch. You'll lose any custom playlists you created inside the player (not saved as separate files). Saved .wpl or .m3u playlists on your hard drive stay safe.

After the rebuild, the error should be gone. This has fixed the problem for about 90% of the callers I've walked through it.

Quick reference