NS_W_FILE_BANDWIDTH_LIMIT (0X800D0004) Fix for Windows Media

You're not crazy — this error makes no sense at first

You're trying to play a video or audio file in Windows Media Player, and instead of playing, you get: NS_W_FILE_BANDWIDTH_LIMIT (0X800D0004) — The maximum bandwidth value specified is less than the maximum file bitrate.

The real fix: bump the streaming bandwidth limit

Skip all the driver updates and codec packs. The root cause is a hidden bandwidth cap in Windows Media Player. The player's default assumption is that you're streaming over a limited connection — but when you're playing a local file with a high bitrate (like a 4K video or a high-quality audio track), it chokes.

Here's the fix I've used on maybe a dozen machines, including a client's media server that kept crashing during playback of 4K drone footage:

1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and hit Enter.
2. Navigate to:

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences

3. Right-click in the right pane, choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
4. Name it MaxBandwidthKBPS.
5. Double-click it, set the Base to Decimal, and enter 100000 (that's 100 Mbps — enough for most local files).
6. Close Registry Editor, restart Windows Media Player, and try your file again.

Still broken? Go higher

If your file's bitrate is insane (think uncompressed HD or audio with insane sampling), try 300000 (300 Mbps). I've only needed that once, for a 4:4:4 video file from a production house.

Why this works

Windows Media Player, by default, assumes a modest bandwidth ceiling — usually around 10 Mbps. This is fine for compressed streaming content, but modern local files can easily exceed that. When the player sees a bitrate above that limit, it throws the NS_W_FILE_BANDWIDTH_LIMIT error rather than trying to play it.

The registry key MaxBandwidthKBPS overrides that assumption. Setting it to 100,000 tells the player it can pull data at 100 Mbps. That covers 99% of consumer media. If you're playing uncompressed files, you know who you are, and you know to set it higher.

Less common variations of the same issue

• Group Policy lock: In corporate environments, an admin may have locked the bandwidth via Group Policy. Check Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Media Player and look for a setting called "Set bandwidth limit for streaming media." If it's enabled, set it to a higher value or disabled.
• Windows 7/8/10 variations: The registry key path is the same across versions, but on Windows 7 you might need to create the entire Preferences key if it doesn't exist. That's fine — just make it.
• Corrupted media library: Rare, but I've seen it. If the registry fix doesn't take, go to WMP's Tools > Options > Library and click Clear library. Then re-add your media folders. Not common, but worth a shot if you're chasing ghosts.

How to keep this from coming back

The registry fix is permanent once set — you won't see this error again unless your bitrate somehow exceeds your new limit (unlikely). Two things to watch:

• Don't set it too low. Keep it at 100,000 or above. Lower values will just trigger the error on normal HD files.
• If you switch to another media player like VLC or MPC-HC, this error won't happen because they don't use the Windows Media Player pipeline. But if you're stuck with WMP (for legacy or corporate reasons), the registry fix is your friend.

Had a client last month whose entire print queue died because of this — well, not exactly, but they had a media server that kept crashing. Same fix. Set it and forget it.