Top Reasons to Add the Backup4all Plugin to Windows Media Player

How to Use the Windows Media Player Backup4all Plugin: Step‑by‑Step GuideWindows Media Player is a convenient place to organize and play your music, videos and playlists. If you rely on it, protecting that library is important — playlists, ratings, metadata and media files can be difficult or time-consuming to rebuild after loss. Backup4all offers a plugin that integrates with Windows Media Player to streamline backing up your library and settings. This guide walks through preparing, installing, configuring and using the Backup4all plugin so you can protect your media collection reliably.

What the Backup4all plugin for Windows Media Player does

The plugin allows Backup4all to detect and include Windows Media Player components in backup jobs automatically. Typical items it helps protect:

• Media library database (wmdb files) containing library structure, playlists and metadata.
• Playlist files (such as .wpl, .m3u) stored in your user folders.
• Rip/burn settings, playback history and ratings saved by WMP.
• Media files referenced by the library (optional; large and may duplicate other backups).

Before you begin: prerequisites and preparation

1. Make sure Backup4all and Windows Media Player are installed and up to date. Backup4all updates can include plugin improvements.
2. Run Windows Media Player at least once so it has created its library and configuration files.
3. Decide what to back up. Choose whether you want just WMP database and playlists (small, quick) or the actual media files referenced by WMP (large).
4. Choose a backup destination. Local external drive, NAS, cloud provider, or FTP — Backup4all supports all. Ensure enough free space.
5. Check permissions. Backup4all will need read access to your user profile folders where WMP stores libraries and playlists. Run Backup4all with an account that has those permissions (admin recommended for system-level items).

Step 1 — Install or enable the Backup4all plugin

1. Open Backup4all. If you don’t have it, download and install from the vendor first.
2. In Backup4all, go to the program’s Plugins or Tools area (menu location can vary by version).
3. Look for a plugin named “Windows Media Player” or similar. If present, enable it. If no plugin is visible, check Backup4all’s website or update tool — some plugin packages are added or updated separately.
4. If the plugin requires installation outside Backup4all (an installer or DLL), follow the vendor instructions and then restart Backup4all.

Step 2 — Create a new backup job that includes WMP items

1. In Backup4all click “New Backup” (or New Job).
2. Give the job a clear name such as “WMP Library Backup.”
3. Choose a backup type: Full, Incremental, Differential. For first runs choose Full. Incremental or Differential can save space later.
4. In the Source selection step, expand the plugin or special items section — you should see entries for Windows Media Player (Library, Playlists, Settings). Select the items you want:
   • Windows Media Player Library/database (recommended)
   • Playlists folder (recommended)
   • Referenced media files (optional — large)
5. Optionally add other folders (e.g., My Music, My Videos) if you keep media outside WMP locations.

Step 3 — Configure destination and filters

1. Select your destination (external drive, cloud, FTP). Set credentials if needed.
2. Use file filters if you want to exclude specific file types or folders (e.g., exclude large video folders).
3. Configure retention and versioning: how many historical copies you want to keep. For critical libraries keep several versions in case of accidental edits.

Step 4 — Schedule and automate

1. Set a schedule: daily, weekly, or at Windows logon. For actively changing libraries consider daily or at-logon backups.
2. For laptops or removable drives choose “Run when drive is connected” if supported.
3. Enable email notifications or logs if you want alerts after jobs complete or fail.

Step 5 — Run and verify your first backup

1. Run the backup job manually the first time to confirm everything is included.
2. After completion, use Backup4all’s log and file browser to inspect the archived files. Confirm WMP database files and playlist files are present.
3. If you included media files, spot-check a few to ensure they open correctly.

Restoring Windows Media Player data

1. Open Backup4all, select the backup job and click Restore.
2. Choose the restore point/version you want.
3. Select items to restore: WMP library files, playlists, media files.
4. Restore to original locations to let Windows Media Player load the database and playlists automatically. For safety, you can restore to an alternate folder first, then copy files into place after WMP is closed.
5. After restoring WMP database files, start Windows Media Player. It may re-scan media; playlists and ratings should be restored.

Troubleshooting tips

• If playlists or library items don’t reappear, ensure WMP wasn’t running during restore; some files are locked while the player runs.
• If the WMP database appears corrupt after restore, restore an earlier backup version or let WMP rebuild the library from restored media files.
• Large backups including media can be slow; use incremental mode after a full backup to save time and space.
• If the plugin isn’t visible, confirm Backup4all edition supports plugins and that you have the latest program updates.

Best practices

• Keep at least two backup destinations (e.g., external drive + cloud) for redundancy.
• Keep periodic full backups (monthly) even if relying on incremental schedules.
• Test restores quarterly to ensure your backups actually work.
• Exclude temporary or cache folders to save space.
• Document where WMP stores library and playlist files on your system so you can include them explicitly if needed.

Quick checklist

• Run Windows Media Player once.
• Install/enable Backup4all WMP plugin.
• Create job: include WMP library + playlists.
• Choose destination and schedule.
• Run first backup and verify.
• Test restore periodically.

Using the Backup4all plugin for Windows Media Player gives you an efficient way to preserve playlists, ratings and the library structure without manually hunting down files. Proper setup and regular testing keep your media collection safe and restorable when you need it.