Windows Media Player (Desktop) Missing after Windows 10 1511 Update

Just an update.   I found the Windows Media Player folder in the Program Files directory.   The 1511 update appears to have removed all of the files.  The subfolders are still there, but they now are empty too.  I backup my system a few times per week, so I was able to open up one of my backup sets and compare what I have now with what existed only a few days ago.  A few days ago, before the 1511 update,  the Windows Media Player folder contained all of the WMP related files.  So it's clear that the Windows 1511 update removed them.  It also seems now that the Windows 10N Media Feature pack, although claiming that it installs WMP, is now not doing so, at least not with the 1511 version of Win 10.   It may be installing other media related files, but it clearly isn't installing WMP like the MS (Windows 10N) web page says it should.

So now I know why WMP is missing ... because it *is missing*.   As I said above, VLC is OK, but it doesn't play MIDI files (which I have a lot of), and it's missing the thumbnail preview that WMP has.   So I'm really hoping to find a way to get WMP reinstalled and working on my system.

Hi Tom,

Thank you for posting your query in Microsoft Community and showing your interest in Windows 10.

I suggest you to press Windows key + S, type Windows Media Player and check if you are able to find Windows Media Player.

If you are still unable to find Media Player, follow the steps to enable it:

1. Open Control Panel -> Programs and Features.
2. Click "Turn Windows features on or off" in the left pane.
3. Expand "Media Features", check box "Windows Media Player" and Restart.
4. Check if you are able to find Media Player.

Hope this information is helpful. Please do let us know if you need further assistance, we’ll be glad to assist you.

Thanks for the reply.

Unfortunately, searching for Windows Media player does *not* find it.  Furthermore, in my "Turn Windows Features On Or Off" section, there is no section named "Media Features".   I believe that's due to the fact that I'm running Windows 10 Pro N, which doesn't natively include the media features.  As I mentioned in my original post,  when I first upgraded from Windows 7 Ultimate (N) to Windows 10 Pro N, I had to download the Windows 10 N Media Feature Pack and install it.  That provided me with Windows Media Player.  However, it seems that the 1511 Windows update has removed it.  I tried downloading the feature media pack again and it claims it installed, but as I said in my follow-up message above, WMP is still missing.  The Windows Media Player folder is empty.

What should I do?

After upgrading to version 1511, the "Media features" in "Turn Windows Features on or off" disappeared. I tried to install the package from following link :

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=48231

It installed successfully but still the "Media Features" is not visible. If I try again to install the package it says "Package already installed."

I have the same trouble as reported by TT and SU.

Since upgrade to 1511 teh media player is gone.

Reinstall of "media feature pack" doesn't help. 

Beside the problem with media player, the program "Smart Switch" from SAMSUNG doesn't work either.

Reinstall of "Smart Switch" ends with "You need to install, or re-install, the Windows Media Feature Pack".

I tryed again to install the feature pack, which ends in "package already installed".

Hey Folks!

I updated another thread but forgot to update this one.   I found a solution that works for me.   It seems that the 1511 Windows update *does* remove the Media Feature Pack if you have it installed.  That's because the version that most of us had installed for Windows 10 N is no longer compatible with the 1511 release.   Unfortunately, MS didn't make that clear.  I found the updated Media Feature Pack ( KB3099229_x64.msu ) at the following link:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=49919

If you try installing the original Media Feature Pack for Windows 10 N ( Windows10-KB3010081-x64.msu ) it will appear as if it installed correctly (and will claim that it did so), but in reality, it will have installed nothing.  

Once I installed KB3099229_x64.msu, WMP reappeared, and a few other dependent applications of mine started working again too!

Hope this helps.

I read somewhere (on another forum) that supposedly Microsoft has since updated the information on their website regarding the Media Feature Pack, but I haven't confirmed that.   From what I now understand, they had the new version of the Feature Pack ready for the 1511 release, but things just weren't coordinated enough to get the message out properly.  So apparently, many of us 'N' and 'K' users who adopted 1511 early, have had to find out the hard way.  I've now since also seen one post on a forum from someone who claims  'KB3099229_x64.msu' isn't even working for them.  So who really knows what's going on?  All I can say is that it worked for me, and a few others that have posted success as well.

Good Luck to All!

Thanks so much, this helped me after i could find *nothing* at all online. What also annoys me is some of the boiler plate answers from MS support staff. I honestly seems to be the norm around here.

Thanks again.

Hey Folks!

I updated another thread but forgot to update this one.   I found a solution that works for me.   It seems that the 1511 Windows update *does* remove the Media Feature Pack if you have it installed.  That's because the version that most of us had installed for Windows 10 N is no longer compatible with the 1511 release.   Unfortunately, MS didn't make that clear.  I found the updated Media Feature Pack ( KB3099229_x64.msu ) at the following link:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=49919

If you try installing the original Media Feature Pack for Windows 10 N ( Windows10-KB3010081-x64.msu ) it will appear as if it installed correctly (and will claim that it did so), but in reality, it will have installed nothing.  

Once I installed KB3099229_x64.msu, WMP reappeared, and a few other dependent applications of mine started working again too!

Hope this helps.

I have exactly the same sympoms since upgrading from WIndows 7 to WIndows 10 N Pro - Windows Media Player directories empty and as expected no Media Features to activate.  Installed Media Feature Pack KB3010081 but despite successful installation no WMP.   Unfortunately the above link to another Media Feature Pack KB3099229 appears to be broken - does anyone have the latest link?