Quote:Microsoft has added another feature to the list of deprecated Windows features. After tagging Paint 3D and Adobe Type1 fonts as deprecated in August 2024, it set its eyes on legacy DRM features this time.

DRM refers to Digital Rights Management. It is used to allow playback of protected media.

Deprecation means that the feature will be removed eventually from Windows. Microsoft does not say when this is going to happen for the mentioned features.

The details:

• The change affects DRM on Windows 7 and Windows 8 only. Microsoft does not mention Windows 8.1, which makes it unclear if the system is also affected.
  
• Windows Media Player and Silverlight are mentioned specifically by Microsoft.
  

Windows 7: Windows Media Player affected



Windows 7 users who use Windows Media Player to play DRM content won't be able to do so anymore once Microsoft removes the functionality.

This means:

• If you used Windows Media Player to rip CDs with protected content, then you won't be able to play these CDs anymore.
  
• Windows Media Player won't play any protected content anymore. This may include purchased media.
  

Windows 7 users who used Media Player to rip content may need to use another program to rip the CDs again. The free CDex is a great audio CD ripper.

Microsoft released a Digital Rights Update Tool to the Microsoft Store that allows users to remove copy protection of wma audio files ripped with Windows Media Player. This may also work, but requires Windows 10 or newer. The tool is notoriously buggy according to reviews.
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