Windows Media Player 12 - Enable Taskbar Toolbar

How to Add Windows Media Player Taskbar Toolbar in Windows 7 and Windows 8​

   Information

This tutorial will show you how to add back the old taskbar toolbar from Windows Media Player 11 (WMP 11) to use with Windows Media Player 12 (WMP 12) in Windows 7 and Windows 8.

:warn: This will not work in Windows 8.1.

You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do the steps in this tutorial.

   Note

The N and KN editions of Windows 7 and Windows 8 have all the features that normally come with each individual Windows edition, except for Windows Media Player 12 and related programs, such as Windows Media Center or Windows DVD Maker.

The N editions of Windows allow you to choose your own media player and software required to manage and play CDs, DVDs, and other digital media files. If you choose to use Windows Media Player 12, downloading it, along with related software, is free.

(Windows 7 N/KN)
Download Media Feature Pack for Windows 7 N with Service Pack 1 and Windows 7 KN with Service Pack 1 (KB968211) from Official Microsoft Download Center

(Windows 8 N/KN)
Download Media Feature Pack for N and KN versions of Windows 8 from Official Microsoft Download Center

Here's How:
1. Click on the Download button below to download the same 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) version of the zipped wmpband.dll file as your 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) version of Windows that you have installed, and save it to your desktop.
32-bit (x86) wmpband.dll

Download



64-bit (x64) wmpband.dll

Download


2. Open the downloaded ZIP, extract (drag and drop) the wmpband.dll file to the desktop, and unblock the wmpband.dll file.

3. Copy the extracted and unblocked wmpband.dll file into the folder below. If prompted, click on Continue and Yes to approve the copy.
C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player
4. Open an elevated command prompt (run as administrator).



5. In the elevated command prompt, copy and paste the commands below one at a time and press Enter after each one. (see screenshot below)

• net stop WMPNetworkSvc
• regsvr32 "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Media Player\wmpband.dll"
• net start WMPNetworkSvc

6. When finished, click/tap on OK, and close the elevated command prompt. (see screenshot below and above)

7. Open Windows Media Player 12 (wmplayer.exe) and minimize it. (see screenshot below)

8. Right click on the taskbar, select Toolbars, and click/tap on Windows Media Player to check it. (see screenshot below)

9. If you like, you could unlock the taskbar, drag the Windows Media Player toolbar to where you like on the taskbar, and lock the taskbar.

   Tip

If the Windows Media Player toolbar disappears on you, say on reboot, then right click on the taskbar, select Toolbars, and click on Windows Media Player to uncheck it. Next repeat steps 7 and 8 to have it back.

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Add Windows Media Player 11 Taskbar Toolbar Back in Windows 7
• How to Use Taskbar Toolbars in Windows 7 and Vista
• How to Add or Remove Toolbars on the Taskbar in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Install Media Feature Pack for N and KN Editions of Windows 8 and 8.1

 

[Brink]

Tutorial has been updated and refreshed.

 

[NoN]

Might be that fresh wmpband.dll that had makes it work again on mine! Thanks Shawn!

 

[xxxdannyxxx]

Ive been using this for a while now but could never get the visualizations to show in the mini window
Any tips Shawn

Danny

Its also disappearing on re-boot and I have to uncheck it from the toolbars re-open media player and check it again.

 

[NoN]

I do have only Artists names & Titles displayed when i hover the WMP taskband.

 

[Brink]

Ive been using this for a while now but could never get the visualizations to show in the mini window
Any tips Shawn

Danny

Its also disappearing on re-boot and I have to uncheck it from the toolbars re-open media player and check it again.

Hello Danny,

Yeah, it's not a perfect WMP 12 toolbar workaround unfortunately. There doesn't seem to be anyway to avoid this on reboot.

The "Show Video and Visualization" window option does not work for it. It will only be solid black instead.

 

[xxxdannyxxx]

Ive been using this for a while now but could never get the visualizations to show in the mini window
Any tips Shawn

Danny

Its also disappearing on re-boot and I have to uncheck it from the toolbars re-open media player and check it again.

Hello Danny,

Yeah, it's not a perfect WMP 12 toolbar workaround unfortunately. There doesn't seem to be anyway to avoid this on reboot.

The "Show Video and Visualization" window option does not work for it. It will only be solid black instead.

Hi Shawn

Don't know if theres anything in this but -
I put the .dll into program files(x86) instead because if I right click any media player shorcut and open file location that's where it opens. (Not sure if this is right but I remember reading somewhere x64 media player is off by default and had to be turned on)Anyway I checked in services and the WMPNetworkSvc is set to manual and wasn't running so I missed that part out and just registered the .dll in the program files (x86).Then set the WMPNetworkSvc to automatic delayed start.
Now it stays on the taskbar even after re-boot.Or has done up to now 4 restarts later.
Still no visualisation but its getting better

Danny

EDIT - No its gone again. Great while it lasted

 

[andrew129260]

OH MY GOSH! THANK YOU BRINK!!!!

I have been looking for this forever. Thank you!!!!

EDIT: Hey brink, You might want to add (that for me anyway) 64 bit systems need both downloads and need them in both windows media player folder for this to work. Both x86 programs files and the regular program files. You then must register both dll's in the respective places.

I had a weird issue with it being there on the toolbar, but it was opening 2 windows media players and wasn't working correctly.

As soon as I downloaded both dlls for (32bit and 64bit) and added them both to their respective folders, and registered both dlls; everything worked correctly. It stays on the toolbar after a restart as well. This might have been the issue.

 

[Brink]

Hello Andrew,

I tested this again in 64-bit Windows 7, and it made no difference for me to use and have both .dll files registered. After I logged out or restarted, the WMP toolbar was gone. I had to repeat steps 7 and 8 to get it to return.

Not sure about the 2 WMPs opening. I have not had that happen.

Good news is that this works in Windows 8/8.1 as well.

 

[ElLoboSolitario]

I tried this for Win 7 x64 Home Premium SP1 and nothing happened. Furthermore I get this error message when I attempt to call Microsoft's server for album information:

 

[Brink]

I tried this for Win 7 x64 Home Premium SP1 and nothing happened. Furthermore I get this error message when I attempt to call Microsoft's server for album information:

Hello ElLobo, and welcome to Seven Forums.

I'm sorry to hear that you may have had trouble with this.

As a test, use the commands below at step 5 instead to unregister the wmpband.dll file to see if that stops the error you posted. This will undo the tutorial. If it doesn't help, then this was not responsible, and something else is causing it that we'll need to track down.

net stop WMPNetworkSvc

regsvr32 /u "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Media Player\wmpband.dll"

net start WMPNetworkSvc

 

[ElLoboSolitario]

Yep, it was the Media Player Tool bar .dll that was interfering with calls to Microsoft's server for album info. As soon as I unregistered it, everything was back to normal. Not sure if this has any bearing on how the trick works, but my set up is Win 7 x64 premium edition INCLUDING Media Center. I depend on MC as the foundation for Media Browser, which is a an XML browser for my movies/television shows/concerts collection. Would have been nice to restore the tool bar, but considering I can also manipulate Media Player via a multimedia keyboard or a Soundgraph remote control, I'm really not sacrificing any functionality. Thanks again for the tip.

 

[Brink]

I'll have to do some more testing, but it may be an update that caused it to no longer work.

 

[sheru]

WMP Toolbar

hi there brink, hope u get this message, i am a total beginner in all this, i followed the steps you have mentioned until i get to the command prompt steps, and when i press enter to the first command, i get an access is denied message, where as i am running as the administrator, there are no other accounts.
any ideas or other way round this?
all i want is to be able to skip tracks easily whilst im working as my WMP will be visible in the task bar like the old windows use to do.

many thanks in advance for any help or support u can provide, and thumbs up for the tutorial u have posted already.

 

[Brink]

Hello Sheru, and welcome to Seven Forums.

It sounds like you didn't open an elevated command prompt (right click on cmd.exe file and click on "Run as administrator").

 

[sheru]

thank you very much for the warm welcome

Thank god i mentioned that i am a total beginner at this, because i didnt have clue what was meant by elevated command, i had just opened command prompt, and u hit the nail straight on the head!

its working A class now, thank you ever so much!!

and i am really greatful for your quick response, i honestly thought no one would reply!

stay cool and even more cool brink! thanks!

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Sheru. I'm happy to hear that you got it working now.

 

[mapcec]

Thank you a lot Brink, it works but I need help to resize it because the bar is to small, can you help me? (picture attached).

 

[Brink]

Hello mapcec, and welcome to Seven Forums.

I'm afraid that there's really no way to resize it.

You could increase your DPI scaling level to make everything appear larger though.

:ar: DPI Display Size Settings - Change - Windows 7 Help Forums

 

[Collin2011]

Me again Brink, funny thing. I got a hold of a 7 Ultimate key and I am dual-booting Windows 10 and 7. This worked like a charm in 7. Was an ultimate PITA for Windows 10 had to find an alternate method there.