Installing Media Player in Windows N

If you live in EU it is very likely that you have Windows without media player (so called N edition).

You may ask: Why should I ever install Media Player when there is great VLC?

And the answer is simple: To successfully access MTP Device (including Android Phones and Tablets) connected to USB you need so called Media Feature Pack which contains both MTP Drivers and Media Player.

Install Media Player in Windows 10 N

There is only one but very serious thing:

Installed Media Feature Pack must match build version of your Windows (see the text bellow).

To get build version of your Windows enter in CMD (or in Command line of TotalCmd followed by Shift-ENTER) simple command ver, for example:

ver

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.15063]

In above example this Windows Build Number is 15063 (it seems that this number has always 5 digits but I'm not sure).

NOTE: You can also use PowerShell to get more detailed info - please see https://stackoverflow.com/a/7330368 for example.

Then go to official Media Feature Pack list for Windows N editions and lookup in table your Windows version and build number.

Click on proper link of Media Feature Pack, in above case it is Media Feature Pack for N edition of Windows 10 Version 1703 (April 2017).

Then installation is as usual - download proper file (remember to use correct architecture 32-bit or 64-bit). Double click on downloaded file. You should be asked for Windows restart at the end of installation. After restart you can try to connect your MTP Device to PC - it should be properly found and accessible.

WARNING! Sometimes even after Media Pack installation you need to open Device Manager and right-click on MTP Device (with question mark) and click on Update Driver.

Notes

When reinstall is needed

It seems that when Windows Update changes build number of Windows than you need to repeat above procedure (download and install proper Media Feature Pack)

Detecting wrong Feature Pack version

If you attempt to install wrong version of Media Feature Pack there are two possible outcomes:

1. when you run installer for older windows version than you get properly error message (that this package is not usable for this windows version)
2. when you run installer for more recent windows version than you have - then you get no error message, however no Media Feature Pack will be installed (and thus not working)!