How to Download Music Legally to Windows Media Player
By Stephen Lilley
When you hear the phrase "downloading music," it is only natural to assume that someone is engaging in copyright infringement over the Internet. That is not, however, necessarily the case all the time. You can use Windows Media Player (or more specifically, the digital media store that is built into the program) to legally download music to both your computer's hard drive and your Windows Media Player library.
Step 1
Click "Start."
Step 2
Click "All Programs."
Step 3
Click "Windows Media" and then "Windows Media Player" to launch the Windows Media Player software on your computer.
Step 4
Click the "Browse All Online Stores" button in the lower-left corner of the Windows Media Player program window. This will take you to a new screen allowing you to choose one of the four compatible online music stores you'd like to download music from. To make your selection, click on the logo for the store you'd like to use.
Step 5
Search for a song you'd like to download. You can search by artist, genre, track name or album name. Once you find a song that you're interested in downloading, click once on the "Download" button. Certain songs will cost money to download (prices will be as marked), while others will be free (and clearly indicated as free). If you need to pay for a song, you must do so using a debit or credit card. Once you initiate payment, the music will be legally downloaded to your Windows Media Player library and simultaneously be saved on your computer's hard drive.
Tips
- If you have a legally downloaded song outside of Windows Media Player, you can drag and drop the file into the WMP window.
Writer Bio
Stephen Lilley is a freelance writer who hopes to one day make a career writing for film and television. His articles have appeared on a variety of websites. Lilley holds a Bachelor of Arts in film and video production from the University of Toledo in Ohio.