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Windows Media DRM Client Extended APIs

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[The feature associated with this page, Windows Media Format 11 SDK, is a legacy feature. It has been superseded by Source Reader and Sink Writer. Source Reader and Sink Writer have been optimized for Windows 10 and Windows 11. Microsoft strongly recommends that new code use Source Reader and Sink Writer instead of Windows Media Format 11 SDK, when possible. Microsoft suggests that existing code that uses the legacy APIs be rewritten to use the new APIs if possible.]

[The Windows Media DRM feature is deprecated and should not be used. Use Microsoft PlayReady instead.]

This documentation describes the Microsoft Windows Media Digital Rights Management (DRM) Client Extended Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). The Windows Media DRM Client Extended APIs include objects that can be used to manage Windows Media Digital Rights Management (DRM) operations on a client computer.

The primary focus of these APIs is the management of licenses for protected digital media content. In addition, the APIs can be used to update the DRM components on the client computer and to create applications that transmit content using Windows Media DRM for Network Devices.

These APIs constitute the client-side counterpart to the Windows Media Rights Manager SDK. Where Windows Media Rights Manager is used to create online services that protect files and issue licenses, the Windows Media DRM Client Extended APIs are used to create applications that consume that content.

This document includes the following sections.

Section Description
About the Windows Media DRM Client Extended APIs Provides overview and background information that you should be familiar with before developing applications that use the APIs.
Programming Guide Provides detailed instructions for performing various client-side DRM operations.
Programming Reference Provides reference information about the interfaces, methods, functions, structures, enumeration types, and constants that are included in the Windows Media DRM Client Extended APIs.