During the installation of Windows Media Player 11, you had the option of configuring the types of files that, when accessed such as through Explorer, automatically open and play in the software. Note that if Media Player came pre-installed on your computer, this configuration option may not have applied to you.

As you install other media players, these file type configurations may get changed so that, for example, double-clicking a .MP3 music file opens up a different player. Or, you may wish to prevent Windows Media Player 11 from ever opening when accessing media files from outside the player itself. While you can make these changes via Explorer, it may prove simpler to use Media Player 11's interface:

1. Switch to Media Player's full mode by pressing Ctrl + 1.

2. Right-click on the Windows Media Player 11 title bar, choosing "Tools" - "Options".

3. When the "Options" multi-tabbed dialog box appears, click the "File Types" tab.

4. Check the file types that should cause Windows Media Player 11 to start, and uncheck other file types. Or, click the "Select All" button to cause Media Player 11 to start when accessing any supported file type.

5. When done, click "OK" to close the dialog box.

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