Microsoft is deprecating Legacy DRM services - these clients are affected
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.
Windows 8: Silverlight and more
Windows 8 machines won't be able to play protected content anymore as well once the change lands.
Microsoft mentions Silverlight clients and also Windows 8 clients as affected. The effect is the same as on Windows 7: any attempt to play protected content in a Microsoft tool or a player that uses Microsoft technology is blocked once Microsoft removes the functionality.
This also affects streaming from a Silverlight or Windows 8 client to Microsoft's Xbox 360.
Windows 7 and 8 are not supported anymore
Both operating systems that Microsoft mentions are not supported anymore (apart from select non-Consumer versions). Both ran out of support in early 2023, which means that Microsoft is not creating updates for the systems anymore.
While most Windows users have upgraded their devices to newer versions of Windows, a sizeable percentage of users is still using devices with these operating systems.
Statcounter estimates that about 3 percent of Windows users are still on Windows 7 or Windows 8. With more than a billion Windows devices, that is still a sizeable number of users.
Closing Words
Microsoft released a new Windows Media Player in the meantime for newer versions of Windows. This player does not appear fully compatible with DRM media files created on Windows 7 using legacy DRM systems.
You may try the tool mentioned above to remove DRM, but it may not work in all cases. You can check out the latest deprecated features on Microsoft's website.
Are you affected by Microsoft's decision? Did you use Windows Media Player or Silverlight in the past? Feel free to leave a comment down below.
OS Name: Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate
OS Version: 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Build 7601
Original Install Date: 21/11/2013, 5:14:02 ??
System Boot Time: 28/9/2024, 6:09:10 ??
—————————————————————
Output from systeminfo.exe, no comment !
I also dual boot Linux, Ubuntu btw.
Good to know! As Microsoft phases out legacy DRM services, businesses need to be proactive in finding alternatives. This change will affect a lot of users, so planning ahead is key.
I’m not gonna use piece of trash Windows 11
I don’t use Adobe Font’s, the DVD writer was removed and replaced with a plastic dust screen for more airflow and Microsoft hasn’t connected to my Win7 in years.
The WinAmp and AIMP players work great for all my Radio Station/Podcast Needs…
Do I still need to worry about Microsoft ‘Attacking’ My beloved ol’ Machine?
Nice heads up.
There are a lot of devices that run win7, embedded or not, that are not things where you can just decide to stick in a USB drive and upgrade to 10 or 11.
That have hard needs to drive or be driven by “protected” protected content, as much as to prevent uploads of “unprotected” content from e.g. taking over a touchscreen system. Much hospital equipment has been notorious for this. Almost sure my dentist is guilty on that account as well and that screen is probably on the same network as their reception and office.
Maybe the local library will have trouble as well, serving up ‘protected’ audiobooks and kids media on old hardware, with content stuck in old formats from the first digitalization phase.
Doesn’t affect me because I never use Windows for DRM playback. I have a high end stereo system and the quality of sound it produces can’t be replicated by any Windows machine and certainly not on my Win 8.1 laptop.
Same goes for DVDs for which I have a dedicated DVD player and a Sony Bravia TV. You can’t beat Sony’s colour reproduction and the TV I bought cost a small fortune back when I bought it, but they’ve come down a lot in price now I believe.
Microsoft is not creating updates for Windows 7 and 8, but they will deprecate anything on these operating systems that they choose. Yes. Okay. Got it.
@Kalmly,
No they won’t, they can only discontinue stuff like “network checks” for DRM enforcement because that is done at their end anyway, they can’t touch a thing on the actual PC because Windows 7 comes from a time before forced updates were a thing. So unlike Windows 10 or Windows 11, they don’t “own” your Windows 7 PC.
Where’s the issue ? Anyone still running long out-of-service OSs like W7 or W8 hopefully don’t connect them to the internet anyhow. This means MS won’t be able to remove anything. So there is no problem at all.
The only people who might have a problem are those, still using these old systems AND connecting these systems to the internet. But honestly people like that can’t be helped anyhow and they have much bigger problems, than just DRM-loss.
@Anonymous,
You’re just showing that either A) you’re an irresponsible internet user who can’t go a week without seeing a self-induced smartscreen, or B) you’ve never tried to do the thing you’re claiming is so risky, which makes you completely unqualified to comment on it in the first place.
I’m still using Windows 7 at home since 2012 on the same PC, no problems or anything, and to top it off I probably have less intrusive processes and PUPs than you do… and all of my programs are actual programs, not a single web-wrapper in sight.
There is literally no risk unless you’re really moronic and don’t know basic internet safety.
People yapping about how unsafe Windows 7 is, whilst being on a different OS (and having switched that OS before EOL for Windows 7) amuses me because it just sounds like you’re making internal justifications for allowing yourself to be forced off an operating system by big scary boogeyman warnings.
I implore anyone to dig up an older piece of hardware, laptop/desktop, I can link you to an ISO on archive.org of a mostly updated Windows 7 image, put Windows 7 on that thing, and I’m not saying “do banking” (I do…), but just do some normal stuff on there, get Firefox ESR or something, do some browsing, watch some youtube, (or download some videos using yt-dlp), maybe get some games going, some sort of office suite.
Miraculously, nothing will happen to your computer, hackers won’t immediately infiltrate every point of entry, spreading to your network and exploding all your power supplies – no, nothing will happen. If you’re still unsure, conduct the experiment for a couple of weeks, maybe a month, and still nothing will happen to your PC – maybe then you’ll realise you’re just spreading FUD like everyone else.
I tried WMP back on W7. It was a nice featured packed media program. I liked thumbnails, album covers, playlists, and the ripping and burning capabilities.
Then I realized it was sending M.$ a list of all the files on my pc.
I’ve been using VLC and Winamp since then.
Note: I have the last licensed version of Winamp Pro (Winamp 5.623) and it it still burns CD’s just fine.
I found out a few years ago that WMP (from Windows 7) is still the king for DVD playback, it handles de-interlacing on the fly better than VLC somehow, in terms of both performance and looks, and can detect when there’s interlaced content better than VLC. it also supports the dolby loudness profiles that are available to AC3 audio.
So for all it’s problems and proprietary nonsense, it at least had that going for it.
Show must go on… They don’t know how to kill W7/8/8.1/10…
They don’t know how to obligue us to use the infamous W11.
Thanks for the article! :]
A. The purpose of _digital restrictions malware_ is to prevent purchased content from playing unless some scumbag on the other side of the planet approves of the current state of the client’s system, and more disgustingly) still feels like even allowing the media to play, as if it is any of their business in the first place. People do not have this problem at all with FM radio, DVDs, or mkv files, proving that it is a 100% artificial construct, designed to screw the consumer. Big Tech: “Hey consumer, you don’t want to upgrade your computer to our latest invasive trash-fire of an operating system with ads and dark patterns everywhere? Ha, then we’ll render all your purchased digital media unplayable; that’ll teach you.”
B. This is just another reason to be glad I didn’t walk into a relationship that works like the above. I trust big tech less than the seediest motel in town, precisely because of reasons like the above. My media files will play whether I want to use Debian 12 or Debian 6.
C. One would think that after something like this happens to the average Joe five times, they would get a clue.
I used to and still pirate mist things like music, movies, games when I want them. The only times I bought games was when I couldn’t pirate them, like B2P MMORPGs.
It’s better this way. I have bought Neverwinter Nights Enhanced Edition on Steam, but I play a pirated one from GOG instead.
And Turtle WoW is the best way to play World of Warcraft completely for free and get content better than the official option.
I second that!
exactly this