Microsoft has removed the 'Find Album Information' feature from Windows Media Player, impacting users who play and rip CDs. This change affects both the legacy version and the new Media Player app in Windows 11.
Functionality and Limitations
The removal means both applications cannot retrieve album artwork, track names, or other metadata from an audio CD. Tests on several CDs confirmed that neither version connects to retrieve data such as genre or composer. While the function in Windows Media Player Legacy was confirmed non-functional, the new Media Player app exhibited an error message: "We couldn’t connect to the service. Check your internet connection, then try again." Internet connectivity was verified to be working.
Implications for Users
This change pressures users who prefer physical media for its quality, despite the rise of streaming services. As a result, users may need to look for alternative CD players or rippers to access complete album information.
The shift signals a modest, but meaningful, reduction in functionality for those relying on Media Player for CD metadata.
