How to Play an APE File in Windows Media Player

By Marshal M. Rosenthal

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Windows Media Player is pre-configured to only play a set number of types of audio file formats. To play an APE (Monkey Audio) file, an audio plug-in must be installed into the Windows operating system. This will enable Windows to recognize the APE audio format and convey that understanding to the Windows Media Player. An APE-compatible audio format plug-in can be acquired from the Microsoft Windows Media Player Plug-in website, or from another website that features plug-ins for Windows Media Player.

Step 1

Download a APE audio format plug-in to the desktop; for example, the RedLight APE DirectShow Filter plug-in (see "Resources").

Step 2

Double click the plug-in file once downloaded. Follow the command screens to install the program into the Windows operating system. Restart Windows.

Step 3

Launch the Windows Media Player program by selecting it from the “Start,” “All Applications” pop-up menu.

Step 4

Click the “File” tab at the top left of the program’s screen to drop down a menu. Select “Tools” from the dropdown menu. Select “Plug-ins” from the sub-menu that appears to the right of “Tools.” Select “WMPTagSupportExtender Plugin” from the sub-menu that appears to the right of “Plug-ins.” Release the menu.

Step 5

Click the “File” tab at the top left of the program’s screen to drop down a menu. Select “Tools” from the dropdown menu. Select “Plug-ins” from the sub-menu that appears to the right of “Tools.” Select “Options” from the sub-menu that appears to the right of “Plug-ins.” Release the menu.

Step 6

Click the “Plug-ins” tab at the top of the window that appears. Click “Background” in the “Category” window beneath “Plug-ins.” Check the WMPTagSupportExtender Plugin” check box to the right of “Background.”

Step 7

Click the “Properties” button at the bottom of the window.

Step 8

Check the “When WMP starts” and the “When adding a file in Media Library” check boxes on the new window that appears. Click the “OK” button at the bottom of the window to close the window.

Step 9

Drag an APE audio file onto the Windows Media Player’s icon--the icon is in the toolbar at the bottom right of the screen.

Step 10

Click on the “Play” button on the Window Media Player’s control panel to listen to the APE audio file.

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