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Media Streaming not Working on Windows 10/11: How to Fix it
Restarting the necessary services should fix this
4 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
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Key notes
Many users prioritize the Windows Media Streaming feature before third-party streaming solutions. That’s an obvious choice if you instead trust built-in Windows features. However, it seems Media Streaming isn’t working for some users in Windows 10.
Supposedly, some of them encountered grayed-out features and could not start it. We prepared a few solutions that should help you substantially to address that. Make sure to check them out below.
What can I do if Media Streaming isn’t working in Windows 10/11?
1. Enable automatic play
First things first, in order to cast or stream any multimedia file via Windows Media Player, you’ll need to enable automatic play. This procedure is simple, and you should be able to make it work quickly.
2. Turn on Search Indexing
A few knowledgeable users were reminded that Media Streaming is connected to Windows Search Indexing and, thus, can be affected. If you disabled Windows Search Indexing, we advise you to re-enable it.
This will, hopefully, resolve issues with Media Streaming.
3. Change the Local Group Policy
Local Group Policy is there for configuring and managing various permissions within a system. Now, there are some protective permission settings with the main purpose of preventing unauthorized streaming.
Therefore, you’ll probably want that setting disabled to fix the Media Streaming error. For that, you’ll need Administrative permission on your PC.
4. Check the related services
Like every other Windows component, Media Sharing has more than a few related services that govern everything. Now, by default, once you’ve enabled Media Streaming, they should change status to Active. However, it seems that some of them are, for no apparent reason, permanently disabled.
That occurrence will, consequently, prevent Media Streaming from commencing. Luckily, you can start them manually in a few simple steps.
5. Replace the Media Player cache folder
Windows Media Player stores cache and configuration data in the AppData directory. These files can get corrupted or incomplete and thus provoke a lot of issues with Windows Media Player or, in this distinctive occurrence, Media Streaming through Media Player.
You can delete this folder or its content, but we advise you to rename it and continue your life. The next time you start Windows Media Player, the system will re-create the Media Player folder so you can start from scratch.
That should do it. We certainly do hope you managed to overcome issues with Media Streaming and finally make it work. And once done, learn how toenable DLNA in Windowsand stream data across compatible devices on the network.
In the same vein, if you are dealing withVideo streaming problems on your PC, check our guide to fix it.
Don’t forget to share your experience with Media Streaming issues with other readers. You can do so in the comments section below.
Aleksandar Ognjanovic
Aleksandar’s main passion is technology. With a solid writing background, he is determined to bring the bleeding edge to the common user. With a keen eye, he always spots the next big thing surrounding Microsoft and the Windows OS.
Focused on Windows errors and how to solve them, he also writes about the OS’s latest features as well as its interface.
In his free time, he likes to read, listen to music, and enjoy the nature. Hiking is one of his newly found passions.
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