Windows Components › Windows Media Player
Prevent Media Sharing
Supported on Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP or Windows Media Player 11 for Windows Vista or later.
What it does
This policy setting allows you to prevent media sharing from Windows Media Player. If you enable this policy setting, any user on this computer is prevented from sharing digital media content from Windows Media Player with other computers and devices that are on the same network. Media sharing is disabled from Windows Media Player or from programs that depend on the Player's media sharing feature. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, anyone using Windows Media Player can turn media sharing on or off.
What it writes
- Hive
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
- Registry key
Software\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsMediaPlayer- Value name
PreventLibrarySharing- When enabled
- DWORD 1
- When disabled
- DWORD 0
In Intune
Native Intune setting: Yes — Policy CSP
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_WindowsMediaPlayer/PreventLibrarySharingADMX_WindowsMediaPlayer on Microsoft LearnADMX-backed: Windows ships this template, so it is set with the template's own values, without an import.Windows builds listed: 10.0.22000, 10.0.19043.1202, 10.0.19042.1202, 10.0.19041.1202.
From Microsoft's Policy CSP DDF files (DDF v2 Files, February 2026), read 18 Oct 2026.
Configure and deploy
Choose a state; the output below is generated from the template for exactly that.
Enabled · Computer · template defaults
Registry file (.reg)
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsMediaPlayer]
"PreventLibrarySharing"=dword:00000001
PowerShell
$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
function Set-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $PropertyType,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Value
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
New-Item -Path $Path -Force | Out-Null
}
New-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -PropertyType $PropertyType -Value $Value -Force | Out-Null
}
function Remove-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
)
if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path) {
Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
function Clear-RegistryKeyValues {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
return
}
foreach ($propertyName in (Get-Item -LiteralPath $Path).Property) {
Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
# Policy: Prevent Media Sharing
# Name: PreventLibrarySharing
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: windowsmediaplayer.admx
Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsMediaPlayer' -Name 'PreventLibrarySharing' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1
These deployment candidates come from the ADMX template; they are separate from the native CSP mapping above.
- The OMA-URI is an inferred ADMX-backed Policy CSP candidate derived from the source ADMX file name and policy name.
- Some Microsoft policies use built-in Policy CSP pages whose area names don't match the ADMX file name, so verify the candidate against Microsoft Learn before deployment.
ADMX profile candidate (OMA-URI)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_windowsmediaplayer/PreventLibrarySharingADMX SyncML candidate
<SyncML xmlns="SYNCML:SYNCML1.2">
<SyncBody>
<Replace>
<CmdID>1</CmdID>
<Item>
<Meta>
<Format>chr</Format>
<Type>text/plain</Type>
</Meta>
<Target>
<LocURI>./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_windowsmediaplayer/PreventLibrarySharing</LocURI>
</Target>
<Data><enabled/></Data>
</Item>
</Replace>
<Final/>
</SyncBody>
</SyncML>Intune remediation scripts
Detection
$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
$reasons = [System.Collections.Generic.List[string]]::new()
function Test-RegistryValueExists {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
return $false
}
return $null -ne (Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)
}
function Test-RegistryValueEquals {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Kind,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Expected
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
return $false
}
$valueObject = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
if ($null -eq $valueObject) {
return $false
}
$actual = $valueObject.$Name
switch ($Kind) {
'String' { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
'ExpandString' { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
'DWord' { return [uint32]$actual -eq [uint32]$Expected }
'QWord' { return [uint64]$actual -eq [uint64]$Expected }
'MultiString' {
$actualArray = @($actual)
$expectedArray = @($Expected)
if ($actualArray.Count -ne $expectedArray.Count) { return $false }
for ($index = 0; $index -lt $actualArray.Count; $index++) {
if ([string]$actualArray[$index] -cne [string]$expectedArray[$index]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
'Binary' {
$actualArray = [byte[]]$actual
$expectedArray = [byte[]]$Expected
if ($actualArray.Length -ne $expectedArray.Length) { return $false }
for ($index = 0; $index -lt $actualArray.Length; $index++) {
if ($actualArray[$index] -ne $expectedArray[$index]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
default { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
}
}
# Policy: Prevent Media Sharing
# Name: PreventLibrarySharing
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: windowsmediaplayer.admx
$isMatch = Test-RegistryValueEquals -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsMediaPlayer' -Name 'PreventLibrarySharing' -Kind 'DWord' -Expected 1
if (-not $isMatch) {
$reasons.Add('Value mismatch: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsMediaPlayer\PreventLibrarySharing') | Out-Null
}
if ($reasons.Count -eq 0) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
$reasons | ForEach-Object { Write-Output $_ }
exit 1
Remediation
$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
function Set-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $PropertyType,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Value
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
New-Item -Path $Path -Force | Out-Null
}
New-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -PropertyType $PropertyType -Value $Value -Force | Out-Null
}
function Remove-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
)
if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path) {
Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
function Clear-RegistryKeyValues {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
return
}
foreach ($propertyName in (Get-Item -LiteralPath $Path).Property) {
Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
# Policy: Prevent Media Sharing
# Name: PreventLibrarySharing
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: windowsmediaplayer.admx
Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsMediaPlayer' -Name 'PreventLibrarySharing' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1
History 5 retained releases
- 24H2 · 1.030 Sep 2024
- Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
- 22H2 · 1.015 Jul 2024
- Already present in the first release ChangeIntel keeps.
3 later releases left it unchanged.
Template
- Internal name
PreventLibrarySharing- Namespace
Microsoft.Policies.MediaPlayer- Template file
windowsmediaplayer.admx- Release
- Windows 11 25H2 · 1.0 · file set
de4e49983ebd651f…
Definition, editor controls and support
Definition
<policy class="Machine" displayName="$(string.PreventLibrarySharing)" explainText="$(string.PreventLibrarySharingExplain)" key="Software\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsMediaPlayer" name="PreventLibrarySharing" valueName="PreventLibrarySharing" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.MediaPlayer:WMPCat" />
<supportedOn ref="Microsoft.Policies.MediaPlayer:SUPPORTED_WMP11" />
<enabledValue>
<decimal value="1" />
</enabledValue>
<disabledValue>
<decimal value="0" />
</disabledValue>
</policy>Editor controls
Supported platforms and category
Microsoft.Policies.MediaPlayer:category:WMPCat
<category displayName="$(string.WMPCat)" name="WMPCat" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:WindowsComponents" />
</category>
Microsoft.Policies.MediaPlayer:definition:SUPPORTED_WMP11
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_WMP11)" name="SUPPORTED_WMP11" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<or>
<range minVersionIndex="11" ref="Microsoft.Policies.Products:WindowsMediaPlayer" />
</or>
</definition>
Microsoft.Policies.Products:product:WindowsMediaPlayer
sha256:d3dc4d88cb8b8862bc6a34e76f531ff2c831cbda36ab2518e615cfd90227a6be
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:WindowsComponents
<category displayName="$(string.WindowsComponents)" explainText="$(string.WindowsComponents_Help)" name="WindowsComponents" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Microsoft.Policies.MediaPlayer:category:WMPCat
<category displayName="$(string.WMPCat)" name="WMPCat" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:WindowsComponents" />
</category>
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.MediaPlayer:WMPCat">Windows Media Player</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.MediaPlayer:definition:SUPPORTED_WMP11
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_WMP11)" name="SUPPORTED_WMP11" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<or>
<range minVersionIndex="11" ref="Microsoft.Policies.Products:WindowsMediaPlayer" />
</or>
</definition>
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.MediaPlayer:SUPPORTED_WMP11">Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP or Windows Media Player 11 for Windows Vista or later.</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.Products:product:WindowsMediaPlayer
<product displayName="$(string.WindowsMediaPlayer)" name="WindowsMediaPlayer" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<majorVersion displayName="$(string.WindowsMediaPlayer8)" name="WindowsMediaPlayer8" versionIndex="8" />
<majorVersion displayName="$(string.WindowsMediaPlayer9)" name="WindowsMediaPlayer9" versionIndex="9" />
<majorVersion displayName="$(string.WindowsMediaPlayer10)" name="WindowsMediaPlayer10" versionIndex="10" />
<majorVersion displayName="$(string.WindowsMediaPlayer11)" name="WindowsMediaPlayer11" versionIndex="11" />
</product>
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:WindowsMediaPlayer">Windows Media Player</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:WindowsMediaPlayer10">Windows Media Player 10</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:WindowsMediaPlayer11">Windows Media Player 11</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:WindowsMediaPlayer8">Windows Media Player 8</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:WindowsMediaPlayer9">Windows Media Player 9</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:WindowsComponents
<category displayName="$(string.WindowsComponents)" explainText="$(string.WindowsComponents_Help)" name="WindowsComponents" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:WindowsComponents">Windows Components</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:WindowsComponents_Help">Contains settings for operating system components.</string></strings>