14 DAY TRIAL // We’re only a few hours away from the moment Microsoft pushes the go-ahead button for this month’s Patch Tuesday updates, but in the meantime, users who are already running the Fall Creators Update as part of the Insider program have a different patch to deal with.
A couple of days ago, a number (not all!) of these systems had reportedly received an updated called KB4046355 and referred to as FeatureOnDemandMediaPlayer.
While little information about this update was and still is available, it appears that installing it on a Windows 10 device actually removes Windows Media Player completely, though it’s not yet clear why Microsoft would do that and if this was indeed the purpose of the patch.
What’s odd is that even though the update indeed removes Windows Media Player, it does not block users from installing it, which can be easily done from the optional features screen in Settings > Apps > Apps & features.
No documentation available just yet
There’s no KB page available for the time being, and the chances are that there won’t be one anytime soon, especially because only some insiders appear to be getting the update.
Windows Media Player isn’t quite a top media player, and the majority of users have already turned to third-party alternatives like VLC, but it’s still an application that’s good to have when trying to play a supported format without the need for different software.
Furthermore, on enterprise systems with restrictions in place to block the install of third-party programs Windows Media Player is more than helpful, so it remains to be seen if Microsoft indeed wanted to remove it or everything happened by accident.
The Windows 10 Fall Creators Update is projected to launch on October 17, and if removing Windows Media Player was indeed the plan, everyone should be getting the same update anytime soon. For what it’s worth, Windows Media Player is still there on a system running RS4 preview build 17004.