Use Windows Media Plaeyer 64-bit by default

Question

My goal is to enable the use of 64-bit version of Windows Media Player (WMP) by default. Apparently, this process involves more than just changing the shortcuts in desktop, start menu and taskbar to reference mplayer2.exe in Programs Files directory, the location of 64-bit WMP, and not Program Files (x86), location of 32-bit WMP. I am comfortable with editing the registry and backup regularly. Windows 10 x64 Education v20H2.

After an internet search, I found two solutions to switch to the 64-bit Windows Media Player: (1) Install Local Subtitles for WMP (https://sourceforge.net/projects/wmpsub/) which has an option during installation to launch 64-bit WMP by default and (2) a more manual guide (https://www.mydigitallife.net/how-to-set-64-bit-windows-media-player-12-wmp12-as-default-player/) which involves a %WinDir%\system32\unregmp2.exe /SwapTo:64 command followed by some registry key modifications. These key modifications involve switching several WMP related key paths from Program Files (x86) to Program Files. The keys in question are:

HKLM\Software\CLASSES\CLSID{cdc32574-7521-4124-90c3-8d5605a34933}\LocalServer32
HKLM\Software\CLASSES\CLSID{45597c98-80f6-4549-84ff-752cf55e2d29}\LocalServer32
HKLM\Software\CLASSES\CLSID{ed1d0fdf-4414-470a-a56d-cfb68623fc58}\LocalServer32

However, after a search for "mplayer2.exe" in the registry, not all keys related to WMP point to Program Files in the path, some still point to Program Files (x86).

Soooo, my three questions are, for these remaining keys (see below) with the path still pointing to Program Files (x86)....

(1) What do the keys do?
(2) Do the paths need to be changed from Program Files (x86) to Program Files?
(3) Do the keys that show up in the WOW6432Node in particular need the paths changed from Program Files (x86) to Program Files?

I am very sure these two keys need to be changed. I believe these keys involve launching WMP from the Run box using an alias (i.e., mplayer2), right?
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\mplayer2.exe
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\mplayer2.exe

I am fairly sure these keys need to be modified as well since they are file type/web protocol associations, right?
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DLNA-PLAYSINGLE\shell\open\command
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MMS\shell\open\command
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\WMP11.AssocProtocol.DLNA-PLAYSINGLE\shell\open\command
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\WMP11.AssocProtocol.MMS\shell\open\command

I don't know what these keys do and wonder if they need to be changed too. What do they do and should they be modified?
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\MuiCache
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Setup\CreatedLinks
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Multimedia\DirectXMedia
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Multimedia\DirectXMedia
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Multimedia\WMPlayer
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Multimedia\WMPlayer

Thanks!

Answer 1

Windows 64 bit can run 32 bit software,in WMP/Help/about,look at what version you have.Try the TechNet link for more help.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/search.html?c=&includeChildren=&f=&type=question+OR+idea+OR+kbentry+OR+answer+OR+topic+OR+user&redirect=search%2Fsearch&sort=relevance&q=windows%20media%20player%2064%20bit

Answer 2

Hi,
Per my search, there isn't exact resolution provided by Microsoft when switching WMP 64-bit as default but the experiences shared by users. Please allow me to share some of my findings related to your questions that might not be the exact answers.

(1) What do the keys do?
Most COM classes are registered with the operating system and are identified by a GUID that represents the Class Identifier (CLSID) within the registry (usually under HKLM\Software\Classes\CLSID or HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID).The LocalServer32 key represents a path to an executable (exe) implementation.

LocalServer32
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/com/localserver32
COM Class Objects and CLSIDs
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/com/com-class-objects-and-clsids

(2) Do the paths need to be changed from Program Files (x86) to Program Files?

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_programs/making-windows-media-player-64-bit-default/bd4872b3-75e8-4d81-ae8a-df50798d5113?page=1

(3) Do the keys that show up in the WOW6432Node in particular need the paths changed from Program Files (x86) to Program Files?

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/sysinfo/32-bit-and-64-bit-application-data-in-the-registry

Also found one comment under the second article you shared discussing about WOW6432Node. I thought you could first try the common steps shared and test following if still got errors.

----------

Hope this helps and please help to accept as Answer if the response is useful.

Thanks,
Jenny

Answer 3

Thank you for your reply JennyYan-MSFT. Your reply was helpful but I have a follow-up question...

I don't know what these keys do and wonder if they need to be changed too. What do they do and should they be modified?

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\MuiCache
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Setup\CreatedLinks
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Multimedia\DirectXMedia
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Multimedia\DirectXMedia
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Multimedia\WMPlayer
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Multimedia\WMPlayer

Thanks, Jon

Answer 4

Thank you for your reply @Jenny Yan-MSFT . Your reply was helpful but I have a follow-up question...

I don't know what these keys do and wonder if they need to be changed too. What do they do and should they be modified?

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\MuiCache
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Setup\CreatedLinks
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Multimedia\DirectXMedia
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Multimedia\DirectXMedia
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Multimedia\WMPlayer
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Multimedia\WMPlayer

Thanks, Jon

Answer 5

Can I please get an answer to my follow up questions?