How to Add Music Folders in Windows Media Player

This guide explains how to video-library-in-media-player-on-windows-11/" class="sal-link" rel="noopener" target="_blank" data-sal-id="18086">add music folders to the Windows Media Player app on Windows 11.

The Windows Media Player app is a built-in app for playing your videos, music, and images. It helps you manage your media collection easily. It supports many file types and has standard buttons like play, pause, and skip.

By default, Windows stores music in the Music folder of your home directory. The app finds these files automatically. If you keep your music in a different folder, you need to tell the app where to look.

Why add folders?

Adding folders means you do not have to search for your songs every time you want to listen. When you add a folder, the app automatically scans and organizes all the music inside. This lets you see your entire collection in one place.

What happens when you are done?

Once finished, your songs will appear in your library. You can then browse, sort, and play your music directly from the Media Player app.

How to add folders to your library

Note: You do not need special permissions for these steps. Your user account has access to these settings.

1. First, open the Windows Media Player app.

2. Click the ‘Open file(s)’ button on the Home screen and choose “Open folder.” You can also press CTRL + SHIFT + O on your keyboard.

3. When the window appears, find and select the folder that contains your music.

Adding folders through the Music library

1. Open the Media Player app and click the “Music library” button on the left sidebar.

2. Click the “Add folder” button.

3. Browse to your music folder and click “Add this folder to Music.”

Adding folders from the Play queue

1. Click the “Play queue” button on the left sidebar.

2. Click “Add file(s)” and pick “Add folder to play queue.”

Adding folders using Settings

1. Click the “Settings” button on the left sidebar.

2. Select the “Music library locations” tile and click “Add folder.”

3. Pick your folder and click “Add this folder to Music.” The app will now scan your files and add them to your collection.

Summary

Adding music folders to Windows Media Player saves time by keeping all your songs in one library. Whether you use the library view, the play queue, or the settings menu, the process ensures your music is indexed and ready to play. You can add as many folders as you need to keep your entire collection organized.