Windows Media Center

Windows Media Center
Developer(s)	Microsoft
Operating system	Included with: Windows XP Media Center Edition; Windows Vista (Home Premium and Ultimate editions); Windows 7 (Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate and Enterprise editions); Also available for: Windows 8 (Pro edition); Windows 8.1 (Pro edition);
Predecessor	DVD Player (Windows)
Successor	Windows DVD Player (Windows 10)
Type	Digital video recorder and media player
Website	Last archive.org copy of defunct full site; Current support.microsoft.com article;

Windows Media Center is a discontinued video recorder that was developed by the Microsoft Corporation and released for Windows XP Media Center Edition, also known as the Media Center Update. It can be used in Windows Vista in Home Premium and Ultimate edition and Windows 7 in Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate and Enterprise edition.

In 2012, Microsoft launched Windows Media Center for Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 from the Pro edition. After Microsoft's Windows 10 release on July 29, 2015, Microsoft discontinued Windows Media Center because Microsoft no longer installs Windows Media Center for Windows 10. Still, users can download a modified Windows Media Center application from an unofficial source for the Windows 10 operating system.

Operating systems

Windows XP Media Center Edition

Microsoft included Windows Media Center in Windows XP in Media Center Edition when it was announced on 2002. After releasing Windows XP Media Center Edition, the first software in Windows XP changed when it officially released. In Service Pack 1, new updates allowed users to use Windows Media Center to choose a CD-DVD Drive in Windows Media Player, instead of including a Windows DVD Player app.

Windows Vista

Microsoft launched Windows Vista with Windows Media Center in Home Premium and Ultimate edition. In 2006, Microsoft developed a Windows Media Center Update on Windows Vista RTM version. Windows Media Center Update allowed users to choose like Media Center 2002 and 2005 in Home Premium edition for Windows Vista, also like changed Windows Media Player and Windows DVD Maker.

Windows 7

Microsoft launched Windows Media Center for Windows 7 for all editions except Starter and Home Basic.

Windows 8 and Windows 8.1

In the Windows 8 and 8.1 operating system, Microsoft included Windows Media Center for the Professional edition with Media Center and Pro edition, but did not include Windows Live Essentials like Windows 7 and Windows Vista Media Center.

Windows 10

Microsoft has not launched Windows Media Center for the Windows 10 operating system because Microsoft no longer supports Windows Media Center.

Windows Media Center can be downloaded for all Microsoft Windows 10 editions. However, it is not officially supported or maintained by Microsoft.