MediaElement Class
[ This article is for Windows Phone 8 developers. If you’re developing for Windows 10, see the latest documentation. ]
Represents an object that contains audio, video, or both.
System::Object
System.Windows::DependencyObject
System.Windows::UIElement
System.Windows::FrameworkElement
System.Windows.Controls::MediaElement
System.Windows::DependencyObject
System.Windows::UIElement
System.Windows::FrameworkElement
System.Windows.Controls::MediaElement
Assembly: System.Windows (in System.Windows.dll)
XMLNS for XAML: Not mapped to an xmlns.
The MediaElement type exposes the following members.
| Name | Description | |
|---|---|---|
 | ActualHeight | Gets the rendered height of a FrameworkElement. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| ActualWidth | Gets the rendered width of a FrameworkElement. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| AllowDrop | Gets or sets a value that determines whether this UIElement can be a drop target for purposes of drag-and-drop operations. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| AudioStreamCount | Gets the number of audio streams available in the current media file. |
| AudioStreamIndex | Gets or sets the index of the audio stream that plays along with the video component. The collection of audio streams is composed at run time and represents all audio streams available within the media file. |
| AutoPlay | Gets or sets a value that indicates whether media will begin playback automatically when the Source property is set. |
| Balance | Gets or sets a ratio of volume across stereo speakers. |
| BufferingProgress | Gets a value that indicates the current buffering progress. |
| BufferingTime | Gets or sets the amount of time to buffer. The value of this property is ignored on Windows Phone OS 7.1 and Windows Phone OS 8.0. |
| CacheMode | Gets or sets a value that indicates that rendered content should be cached when possible. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| CanPause | Gets a value indicating if media can be paused if the Pause method is called. |
| CanSeek | Gets a value indicating if media can be repositioned by setting the value of the Position property. |
| Clip | Gets or sets the Geometry used to define the outline of the contents of a UIElement. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| CurrentState | Gets the status of the MediaElement. |
| Cursor | Infrastructure. Gets or sets the cursor image that displays while the pointer is over a FrameworkElement. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| DataContext | Gets or sets the data context for a FrameworkElement when it participates in data binding. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| DesiredSize | Gets the size that this UIElement computed during the measure pass of the layout process. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| Dispatcher | Gets the Dispatcher this object is associated with. (Inherited from DependencyObject.) |
| DownloadProgress | Gets a percentage value indicating the amount of download completed for content located on a remote server. |
| DownloadProgressOffset | Gets the offset of the download progress. |
| DroppedFramesPerSecond | Gets the number of frames per second being dropped by the media. |
| FlowDirection | Gets or sets the direction that text and other user interface elements flow within any parent element that controls their layout. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| Height | Gets or sets the suggested height of a FrameworkElement. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| HorizontalAlignment | Gets or sets the horizontal alignment characteristics that are applied to a FrameworkElement when it is composed in a layout parent, such as a panel or items control. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| IsHitTestVisible | Gets or sets whether the contained area of this UIElement can return true values for hit testing. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| IsMuted | Gets or sets a value indicating whether the audio is muted. |
| Language | Gets or sets localization/globalization language information that applies to a FrameworkElement. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| LicenseAcquirer | Gets or sets the LicenseAcquirer associated with the MediaElement. The LicenseAcquirer handles acquiring licenses for DRM encrypted content. |
| Margin | Gets or sets the outer margin of a FrameworkElement. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| Markers | Gets the collection of timeline markers associated with the currently loaded media file. |
| MaxHeight | Gets or sets the maximum height constraint of a FrameworkElement. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| MaxWidth | Gets or sets the maximum width constraint of a FrameworkElement. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| MinHeight | Gets or sets the minimum height constraint of a FrameworkElement. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| MinWidth | Gets or sets the minimum width constraint of a FrameworkElement. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| Name | Gets or sets the identifying name of the object. When a XAML processor creates the object tree from XAML markup, run-time code can refer to the XAML-declared object by this name. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| NaturalDuration | Gets the duration of the media file currently opened. |
| NaturalVideoHeight | Gets the height of the video associated with the media. |
| NaturalVideoWidth | Gets the width of the video associated with the media. |
| Opacity | Gets or sets the degree of the object's opacity. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| OpacityMask | Gets or sets the brush used to alter the opacity of regions of this object. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| Parent | Gets the parent object of this FrameworkElement in the object tree. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| Position | Gets or sets the current position of progress through the media's playback time. |
| Projection | Gets or sets the perspective projection (3-D effect) to apply when rendering this UIElement. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| RenderedFramesPerSecond | Gets the number of frames per second being rendered by the media. |
| RenderSize | Gets the final render size of a UIElement. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| RenderTransform | Gets or sets transform information that affects the rendering position of a UIElement. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| RenderTransformOrigin | Gets or sets the origin point of any possible render transform declared by RenderTransform, relative to the bounds of the UIElement. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| Resources | Gets the locally defined resource dictionary. In XAML, you can establish resource items as child object elements of a frameworkElement.Resources property element, through XAML implicit collection syntax. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| Source | Gets or sets a media source on the MediaElement. |
| Stretch | Gets or sets a Stretch value that describes how a MediaElement fills the destination rectangle. |
| Style | Gets or sets an instance Style that is applied for this object during rendering. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| Tag | Gets or sets an arbitrary object value that can be used to store custom information about this object. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| Triggers | Gets the collection of triggers for animations that are defined for a FrameworkElement. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| UseLayoutRounding | Gets or sets a value that determines whether rendering for the object and its visual subtree should use rounding behavior that aligns rendering to whole pixels. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| UseOptimizedManipulationRouting | Gets or sets a value that indicates whether the system should handle input events or whether the FrameworkElement should handle input events. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| VerticalAlignment | Gets or sets the vertical alignment characteristics that are applied to a FrameworkElement when it is composed in a parent object such as a panel or items control. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| Visibility | Gets or sets the visibility of a UIElement. A UIElement that is not visible does not render and does not communicate its desired size to layout. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| Volume | Gets or sets the media's volume. |
| Width | Gets or sets the width of a FrameworkElement. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| Name | Description | |
|---|---|---|
 | AddHandler | Adds a routed event handler for a specified routed event, adding the handler to the handler collection on the current element. Specify handledEventsToo as true to have the provided handler be invoked for routed event that had already been marked as handled by another element along the event route. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| Arrange | Positions child objects and determines a size for a UIElement. Parent objects that implement custom layout for their child elements should call this method from their layout override implementations to form a recursive layout update. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
 | ArrangeOverride | Provides the behavior for the Arrange pass of Windows Phone layout. Classes can override this method to define their own Arrange pass behavior. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| CaptureMouse | Sets touch capture to a UIElement. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| CheckAccess | Determines whether the calling thread has access to this object. (Inherited from DependencyObject.) |
| ClearValue | Clears the local value of a dependency property. (Inherited from DependencyObject.) |
| Equals(Object) | Determines whether the specified Object is equal to the current Object. (Inherited from Object.) |
| Finalize | Allows an object to try to free resources and perform other cleanup operations before the Object is reclaimed by garbage collection. (Inherited from Object.) |
| FindName | Retrieves an object that has the specified identifier name. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| GetAnimationBaseValue | Returns any base value established for a Windows Phone dependency property, which would apply in cases where an animation is not active. (Inherited from DependencyObject.) |
| GetBindingExpression | Retrieves the BindingExpression for a dependency property where a binding is established. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| GetHashCode | Serves as a hash function for a particular type. (Inherited from Object.) |
| GetType | Gets the Type of the current instance. (Inherited from Object.) |
| GetValue | Returns the current effective value of a dependency property from a DependencyObject. (Inherited from DependencyObject.) |
| InvalidateArrange | Invalidates the arrange state (layout) for a UIElement. After the invalidation, the UIElement will have its layout updated, which will occur asynchronously. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| InvalidateMeasure | Invalidates the measurement state (layout) for a UIElement. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| Measure | Updates the DesiredSize of a UIElement. Typically, objects that implement custom layout for their layout children call this method from their own MeasureOverride implementations to form a recursive layout update. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| MeasureOverride | Provides the behavior for the Measure pass of Windows Phone layout. Classes can override this method to define their own Measure pass behavior. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| MemberwiseClone | Creates a shallow copy of the current Object. (Inherited from Object.) |
| OnApplyTemplate | When overridden in a derived class, is invoked whenever application code or internal processes (such as a rebuilding layout pass) call ApplyTemplate. In simplest terms, this means the method is called just before a UI element displays in an application. For more information, see Remarks. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| OnCreateAutomationPeer | When implemented in a derived class, returns class-specific AutomationPeer implementations for the Windows Phone automation infrastructure. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| Pause | Pauses media at the current position. |
| Play | Plays media from the current position. |
| ReadLocalValue | Returns the local value of a dependency property, if a local value is set. (Inherited from DependencyObject.) |
| ReleaseMouseCapture | Removes touch capture from a UIElement. After this call, typically no object holds touch capture. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| RemoveHandler | Removes the specified routed event handler from this UIElement. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| RequestLog | Sends a request to generate a log which will then be raised through the LogReady event. |
| SetBinding | Attaches a binding to a FrameworkElement, using the provided binding object, and returns a BindingExpressionBase for possible later use. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| SetSource(MediaStreamSource) | This sets the source of a MediaElement to a subclass of MediaStreamSource. |
| SetSource(Stream) | Sets the Source property using the supplied stream. |
| SetValue | Sets the local value of a dependency property on a DependencyObject. (Inherited from DependencyObject.) |
| Stop | Stops and resets media to be played from the beginning. |
| ToString | Returns a string that represents the current object. (Inherited from Object.) |
| TransformToVisual | Returns a transform object that can be used to transform coordinates from the UIElement to the specified object. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| UpdateLayout | Ensures that all positions of child objects of a UIElement are properly updated for layout. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| Name | Description | |
|---|---|---|
 | BindingValidationError | Occurs when a data validation error is reported by a binding source. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| BufferingProgressChanged | Occurs when the BufferingProgress property changes. |
| CurrentStateChanged | Occurs when the value of the CurrentState property changes. |
| DoubleTap | Occurs when a DoubleTap gesture is committed while over this UIElement. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| DownloadProgressChanged | Occurs when the DownloadProgress property has changed. |
| GotFocus | Occurs when a UIElement receives focus. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| Hold | Occurs when a Hold gesture is committed while over this UIElement. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| KeyDown | Occurs when a keyboard key is pressed while the UIElement has focus. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| KeyUp | Occurs when a keyboard key is released while the UIElement has focus. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| LayoutUpdated | Occurs when the layout of the Windows Phone visual tree changes. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| Loaded | Occurs when a FrameworkElement has been constructed and added to the object tree. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| LogReady | Occurs when the log is ready. |
| LostFocus | Occurs when a UIElement loses focus. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| LostMouseCapture | Occurs when the UIElement loses touch capture. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| ManipulationCompleted | Occurs when a manipulation and inertia on the UIElement is complete. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| ManipulationDelta | Occurs when the input device changes position during a manipulation. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| ManipulationStarted | Occurs when an input device begins a manipulation on the UIElement. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| MarkerReached | Occurs when a timeline marker is encountered during media playback. |
| MediaEnded | Occurs when the MediaElement is no longer playing audio or video. |
| MediaFailed | Occurs when there is an error associated with the media Source. |
| MediaOpened | Occurs when the media stream has been validated and opened, and the file headers have been read. |
| MouseEnter | Occurs when a screen tap occurs within the bounding area of a UIElement. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| MouseLeave | Occurs when a touch event occurs outside the bounding area of a UIElement. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| MouseLeftButtonDown | Occurs when a UIElement is tapped. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| MouseLeftButtonUp | Occurs when the finger is lifted off of a UIElement (or while a UIElement holds touch capture). (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| MouseMove | Occurs when the coordinate position of the finger on the screen while touching a UIElement (or while a UIElement holds touch capture). (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| MouseWheel | Infrastructure. Occurs when the user rotates the mouse wheel while the mouse pointer is over a UIElement, or the UIElement has focus. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| SizeChanged | Occurs when either the ActualHeight or the ActualWidth properties change value on a FrameworkElement. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| Tap | Occurs when a Tap gesture is committed while over this UIElement. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| TextInput | Occurs when a UI element gets text in a device-independent manner. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| TextInputStart | Occurs when a UI element initially gets text in a device-independent manner. (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| TextInputUpdate | Occurs when text continues to be composed via an input method editor (IME). (Inherited from UIElement.) |
| Unloaded | Occurs when this object is no longer connected to the main object tree. (Inherited from FrameworkElement.) |
| Name | Description | |
|---|---|---|
  | AudioStreamCountProperty | Identifies the AudioStreamCount dependency property. |
| AudioStreamIndexProperty | Identifies the AudioStreamIndex dependency property. |
| AutoPlayProperty | Identifies the AutoPlay dependency property. |
| BalanceProperty | Identifies the Balance dependency property. |
| BufferingProgressProperty | Identifies the BufferingProgress dependency property. |
| BufferingTimeProperty | Identifies the BufferingTime dependency property. |
| CanPauseProperty | Identifies the CanPause dependency property. |
| CanSeekProperty | Identifies the CanSeek dependency property. |
| CurrentStateProperty | Identifies the CurrentState dependency property. |
| DownloadProgressOffsetProperty | Identifies the DownloadProgressOffset dependency property. |
| DownloadProgressProperty | Identifies the DownloadProgress dependency property. |
| DroppedFramesPerSecondProperty | Identifies the DroppedFramesPerSecond dependency property. |
| IsMutedProperty | Identifies the IsMuted dependency property. |
| NaturalDurationProperty | Identifies the NaturalDuration dependency property. |
| NaturalVideoHeightProperty | Identifies the NaturalVideoHeight dependency property. |
| NaturalVideoWidthProperty | Identifies the NaturalVideoWidth dependency property. |
| PositionProperty | Identifies the Position dependency property. |
| RenderedFramesPerSecondProperty | Identifies the RenderedFramesPerSecond dependency property. |
| SourceProperty | Identifies the Source dependency property. |
| StretchProperty | Identifies the Stretch dependency property. |
| VolumeProperty | Identifies the Volume dependency property. |
MediaElement can play a number of different types of audio and video media.
A MediaElement is a rectangular region that can display video on its surface, or play audio (in which case there is no video displayed). Because it is a UIElement, MediaElement supports touch input events. You can specify the height and width of the video display surface using the properties Height and Width. However, for best performance, avoid explicitly setting the width and height of a MediaElement. Instead, leave the values unset. Once you specify a source, the media will display at its natural size, and layout will recalculate the size. If you need to change the size the media displays, it is best to re-encode the media to the desired size using a media encoding tool.
By default, the media that is defined by the Source property plays immediately after the MediaElement object has loaded. To suppress the media from starting automatically, set the AutoPlay property to false.
A MediaElement will have an ActualWidth and ActualHeight of 0, until it starts playing. This can have consequences if you are listening to MouseLeftButtonDown events to trigger the start of your video. One simple solution is to place a Rectangle behind the MediaElement and hook up the mouse events to the Rectangle. Then set the IsHitTestVisible property on the MediaElement to false.
 Note: |
|---|
For better performance, avoid data binding to the Position property to reflect frequent position updates (e.g. progress bar). Instead, use the DispatcherTimer to query the Position property. |
 Caution: |
|---|
Media files with incorrect extensions do not play back. The extension must match the encoded source. |
| Caution: |
|---|
Some media codecs are supported on devices but are not supported on . For a list of supported codecs, see Supported media codecs for Windows Phone 8. |
Capabilities
If you use this API in your app, you must specify the following capabilities in the app manifest. Otherwise, your app might not work correctly or it might exit unexpectedly.
ID_CAP_MEDIALIB_PLAYBACK | Windows Phone 8 |
ID_CAP_MEDIALIB | Windows Phone OS 7.1 |
For more info, see App capabilities and hardware requirements for Windows Phone 8.
The following example demonstrates how to add media to your page. The XAML example references an event handler for the CurrentStateChanged event that must be defined in code and is not shown in the example.
<MediaElement
x:Name="media"
Source="xbox.wmv"
CurrentStateChanged="media_state_changed"
Width="300" Height="300"/>
Show: