How to Delete Files From Windows Media Player in Windows 11

With the advancements in technology and user experience across various platforms, managing how your media is displayed has become essential. Windows 11 Media Player is designed to provide users with quick access to their most recently played songs and videos directly on its Home screen. While this feature is convenient, it can inadvertently expose personal viewing habits when shared on family computers or in professional settings. Thankfully, there are effective ways to manage your privacy while keeping your media library organized and clutter-free. In this guide, we’ll explore various methods for removing media history in Windows 11 Media Player.

1. Delete the MediaPlayer.db-wal File to Block History Recording

To keep your recent activity from being recorded and displayed, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open File Explorer by pressing Windows key + E. Then, type %localappdata%\Packages\Microsoft.ZuneMusic_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState in the address bar and press Enter. This directory contains essential database files for Media Player.

Step 2: Find the MediaPlayer.db-wal file and delete it. This action will clear your current media history.

Step 3: Launch Media Player and play any media item. This will generate a new MediaPlayer.db-wal file, allowing the application to resume tracking recent items.

Step 4: Navigate back to the folder you used previously in File Explorer. Right-click on the newly created MediaPlayer.db-wal file, select Properties.

Step 5: Tick the Read-only checkbox. Click Apply and then OK. By doing this, you prevent the app from updating your recent media history in the future.

This method effectively stops Media Player from tracking recent files, but it may still show cached thumbnails of previously played videos.

2. Remove Items Directly from Recent Media

If you’re looking to selectively manage your recent media list, here’s how you can do it:

Step 1: Launch the Media Player app via the Start menu.

Step 2: Click Home in the left sidebar to view your recent media files.

Step 3: Hover over any thumbnail of the media you wish to remove; a checkbox will appear in the corner. Select each item you want to clear.

Step 4: After selecting items, click the three dots at the top right corner and choose Remove from the dropdown menu. You can also right-click a single item and select Remove from the context menu.

This method allows you to curate your recent history without impacting other files stored on your system.

3. Clear the Transcoded Files Cache Folder

To further eliminate traces of your media activity, clear the transcoded files cache:

Step 1: Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Media Player\Transcoded Files Cache, replacing yourusername with your actual Windows username.

Step 2: Select all files in the Transcoded Files Cache folder, and hit Delete. This act will remove cached references to items recently played.

Regularly wiping this folder is beneficial, especially if you handle sensitive materials and want to avoid leaving a digital footprint.

4. Reset the Media Player App

For a thorough cleanse of your media history and settings:

Step 1: Press Windows key + I to access Windows Settings. Click Apps from the left menu, then select Installed apps or Apps & features.

Step 2: Locate Media Player in the list. Click the three-dot menu next to it and select Advanced options or App settings.

Step 3: Scroll down to the Reset section and click the Reset button. Confirm when prompted. This action deletes all your app data, including playlists, and restores the app to its original state.

Resetting is a comprehensive solution but comes with the trade-off of losing all your customizations.

Additional Options and Privacy Tips

For those looking for advanced control, you can modify the security permissions of the MediaPlayer.db-wal file to deny write access for all user accounts, preventing Media Player from saving history. Note that this requires careful handling of permissions and may lead to unintended app behavior.

• Consider disabling recent media tracking directly within Media Player settings, if available.
• Clear recent file lists in File Explorer’s Quick Access to further cut down on visible media activity.
• Set up separate Windows user accounts for different users to maintain individual media histories.
• Periodically resetting the app can help maintain privacy if you’re managing sensitive media content.

Conclusion

Managing your privacy while using Windows 11 Media Player doesn’t have to be daunting. By utilizing the methods outlined above, you can keep your recent media activities private, maintain an organized library, and create a tailored media experience. Whether you’re deleting files from history or resetting the entire app, these tactics will help you regain control of your digital space, offering peace of mind in both personal and shared environments.

By implementing these strategies, you can ensure that your media consumption remains your personal affair, free from clutter and prying eyes.